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Their Struggle, Our History

Museum What & Who

Frequently Asked Questions

Your best bet is to contact the Haliburton Genealogical Society. Go to the Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid at http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/ and use the information there.

No. We are not qualified to do appraisals.

We truly understand your position. But remember: just because a museum wants something does not mean it has financial value. We are not collectors of antiques, we are collectors of things which have significance to our local history. We operate on a very small budget that does not include funds for Acquisitions. We ask that you reconsider.

But what’s on the papers? Old receipts … letters … recipes … envelopes … birth certificates … membership cards? It may be old, dirty and smelly, but the information may be very important to us.

Says whom? Everyone who did live or does live in the community has somehow contributed to it. Our museum doesn’t pay tribute to founding fathers or wealthy people, it pays tribute to each step toward the creation of the township. Give us a call and let’s talk about it.

We’re not historians, we’re guardians. You can learn about history but you can’t learn to be interested. We have all sorts of things you can help out with — as much or as little as you’d like. Give us a call and find out more.

We currently allow only very limited access to the archives due to manpower issues. Our Research Policy requires all researchers to be fully supervised and since we’re all volunteers, we sometimes have difficulty finding someone with the time to accompany researchers. Please email us with your request and we’ll see what we can do.

You can make a bequest to the Stanhope Museum so when you pass on, we receive the item. Ask us how.

Don’t worry. We can copy them. It’s safe and painless.

Other Info

Hours:

  • The Stanhope Heritage Museum is currently closed for the winter. See you in spring of 2024!
  • Summer Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
  • After Labour Day: Saturday only 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Admission:

  • By donation

Directions:

  • From the intersection of Hwys 118 and 35 in the hamlet of Carnarvon, go north on Hwy 35 about 5 km to North Shore Rd. and 1 km east along North Shore Rd. The museum is on your left.

Carnarvon is:

  • 24 km west of the village of Haliburton along Hwy 118;
  • 20 km north of Minden along Hwy 35; and
  • 25 km south of Dorset along Hwy 35

The Official Policy Says:

The Stanhope Heritage Discovery Museum will collect those objects made and/or used in Stanhope Township, including the hamlets of Carnarvon and Hindon Hill:

  • that are associated with (or representative of) a person, place or event in the area;
  • are historical, cultural or aesthetic in nature;
  • that cover the period from the arrival of the first Native Peoples in the area to present;
  • for which the Museum can care under standards acceptable to the museum field at large.


What It Means:
Things that represent the way life used to be here.

This Includes:

Camps:Brochures, flyers, posters, photos
Local Newspapers:Only prior to 1979 (we have the others)
Businesses:Letterheads, advertisements, account books, photos…
Logging:Tools, photos, stories, account books, machinery, pay receipts, notices …
“Scenic Hwy. 35”Ads, posters, contests, photos, memberships…
Tools:Blacksmithing, woodworking, logging…
Photographs:People, places, buildings, barns, farms, scenics, businesses, identifiable lake scenes … anything that shows us what it used to be like in Stanhope!
Church and Education:Photos, record books, attendance lists, prizes, awards, commemorative plates, slates, pencil boxes, furniture … you get the idea.
Hawk Lake Log Chute:Photos, stories, maps, plans, including Government House …
Resorts:Brochures, guest registers, menus, postcards, photos …
Family Trees:
A copy of your family tree if it traces your roots back to original settlers or long-time residents.

We may be small, but we’re “doing it right”.

The volunteers of the Stanhope Museum take great pride in the care and preservation of the items entrusted to them. The way we do this includes:

  1. Secure and fire safe working and storage areas;
  2. Meeting relevant legislative requirements at all levels of government;
  3. Maintaining a well organized, managed and documented collection that includes:
    • a standardized cataloguing system;
    • appropriate documentation;
    • computerized record-keeping;
    • off-site electronic records storage; and
    • the use of appropriate materials and supplies.
  4. Developing exhibits that provide a relevant link between the community and its heritage;
  5. Striving to reach audiences of all ages, interests and abilities, as well as serving as a resource for the community;
  6. Assisting researchers;
  7. Ensuring the long-term preservation of the collection;
  8. Providing a safe and functional environment for visitors;
  9. Being accessible and relevant to the community and its needs;
  10. Continuing to work toward full compliance with the Standards for Community Museums in Ontario as dictated by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation.

Says whom? Everyone who did live or does live in the community has somehow contributed to it. Our museum doesn’t pay tribute to founding fathers or wealthy people, it pays tribute to each step toward the creation of the township. Give us a call and let’s talk about it.

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