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A Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture & Food P.O. Box 38 Milton [416] • 878 • 8151
A new exciting outing for the whole
family is being developed on a 92-acre site
near Milton, Ontario.
It's Ontario's first authentic Agricultural
Museum and it is a branch of the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
The Museum, which is expected to open
its doors to the public next summer, will be
a representation of agriculture and rural
life in the evolution of farming in Ontario.
Farm machinery, that only a few '
remember, are being restored and put into
working condition. Along with the hand
tools, the methods and traditions, these
artifacts will tell the story of farming, frojn,
log cabin days to the present.
It will be a living museum, where farming
practices will be demonstrated on the six
farmsteads being recreated and homes used '
as though the clock were turned back in
time. The sincerely and deep rooted feeling
of the farm folk will be evident in this
cross-roads farming community. Each
farmstead will represent a different time
period or area of Ontario.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is
not rushing this venture. It expects to take
SHOE THE HORSE AND SHOE THE
MARE, LET THE LITTLE COLT GO
BARE.
Early -Period Logo
A colourful farmscape painted on- the
side of a two and a half ton truWis'an
icl unusual sight. But for the vehes of the
Ontario Agricultural Museum, it's a logical
decoration.
Some of the basic elements of agriculture
— the farm family, typical farm buildings,
rural landscape and tilling the land — are
depicted in the farmscape. That's why it
was chosen as the logo for the Ministry of
Agriculture and Food's museum.
The scene is wreathed by grains and
grasses and by small trilliums which
indicate that the Museum is a function of
the Province of Ontario. A tractor shown
ploughing the field is similar to a 1918
Mogul on display at the museum.
The Museum's staff artist, who designed
the logo, took an early graphics approach.
This gives an emphasis to the time period
and the function of the Museum.
Even the colour of the vehicles is
symbolic of agriculture and age. They are
green to represent growth. A bronze saddle
design which covers the hood or cab of each 1
vehicle acknowledges soil's importance to
agriculture, while also suggesting the role
and age aspect of old copper and brass.
The farmscape will appear on the
museum's stationery, brochures, signs and +
exhibits, in addition to the vehicles.
10 years to complete. But the collection of
artifacts and farmsteads are very much in
the works.
This will not be another pioneer village,
instead, it hopes to complement dther
museums — its motto will be "jmhibit,
enlighten, entertain".
The location of the museum is also
unique. It nestles in the shadow of the
Niagara Escarpment near Milton, Halton
County. Located on the south side of the
Highway 401. The site is accessible via
Highway 401 interchange at Highway 25.
This museum will provide a meeting
place for those who wish to reminisce and
'recapture for a day the simple values, the
pleasant memories and the storehouse of
experiences associated with life in rural
Ontario.
If you have antique equipment, tools,
furnishings, books, magazines or other
artifacts to donate we would be happy to
have your family treasures become a
permanent reminder of Ontario's rural
past. Donated items on display will carry
the donor's name along with pertinent facts
about their place in Ontario's agricultural
history.
Ontario Cheese
To prove the wealth that here abounds,
One cheese weighed eight thousand pounds,
Had it been hung in air at noon
Folks would have thought it was the moon,
IIt sailed with triumph o'er the seas,
jI 'Twas hailed with welcome, queen of cheese.
THE MATTHEWS
COLLECTION
For one man to assemble a sizable collec-
tion for posterity would seem to be a full
time pursuit. However, the late Charles
Matthews accomplished it while main-
taining his business of moving houses,
schools, boats, and unusually large vehicles.
He started to collect anything that he felt
was worthy of saving and this included
delicate items such as satin glass, to vast
steam and gasoline machinery. He could
see in each item a forne of beauty that
should not be destroyed. His 4 and a half
acre property in old Langstaff [now
Richmond Hill] houses locomotives of
varying sizes, condition and age., His two
sons, Roger and Charles, follow in their
father's footsteps, saving and preserving
anZ item that comes their way.
•N>r. Matthews senior was also following
in his own father's footsteps. His family
cin trace their lineage to 1200 A.D. and
ever since time the family had one
profession - blacksmithing and carriage
making, and of course, collecting.
When Mr. Matthews died, on Mar.
16/66 more than 15,000 artifacts were
purchased by the Ontario Agricultural
Museum. Several thousand other items
found their way to the Science Center in
Toronto. His generosity will always be
remembered by the people of Ontario and
those from other provinces and countries
when they view the remarkable items
preserved by this one man, and which will
eventually all be exhibited at the Ontario
Agricultural Museum. -
FOR INFORMATION
GENERAL MANAGER
ROBERT W. "BOB" CARBERT
MILTON ONTARIO [416] 878 • 8151
r--
AGRICULTURALestablished on the site, says R. W. Carbert,
r general manager of the museum. "It will be
MUSEUMone of a series of about six farmsteads we
- hope to erect and restore as part of the
ACQUIRES
c , display".
- • � The farmstead was in the Lucas family
FARMSTEAD
for six generations until it, recent sale by
George Lucas in the sprin_, of 1974.
An old landmark on Burlington's Apple- The frame house built ..heat 1835, and
by Line has found a new life in the Ontario two barns built shortly thereafter were
Agricultural Museum near Milton, Ontario. donated by the Steel Company of Canada
The Lucas farmstead, as it is known, will which had purchased the Lucas farm for
be the first set of pioneer buildings to be industrial expansion.
WILLIAM E.
BRECKON
A generous friend of the Ontario Agri-
cultural Museum is William E. Breckon of
Burlington, Ontario. He has one of the
largest private collections of primitive farm
tools in Ontario and has donated generously
From this collection.
"Thornhill" were Bill Breckon was born
82 years ago was settled by his grand-
parents, John and Isobella Breckon, who
migrated from Yorkshire, England, in
1830. They took up a 100 acre grant on the
north side of what is now the Queen
Elizabethway and west of Burloak Drive.
The log house they built in 1830 was
replaced in 1854 by a large red brick house
where Welsley Breckon, Bill's father, was
born and where Bill himself was born.
His intensive interest in better crop
production brought about an experimental
program of wheat growing. In 1954 that
interest paid off and William E. Breckon
became the new Wheat King of the World.
His grain was Genesse Winter White.
Eastern Canada was astatic - he was the
loast of Canada. It was the first and last
time [to date] that this honour has come to
Dntar➢o.
THE COCK DOTH CROW, TO LET YOU
KNOW,
IF YOU BE WISE, WHAT TIME TO RISE.
Agricultural
Antiques
An International Harvester truck built in
1919 in Chicago is one of many engines
being restored at the Ministry of Agricul-
ture and Food depot at Hawkestone.
It's a fascinating piece of machinery but
its only one of many that is being restored
to working condition for the Ontario
Agricultural Museum in Milton.
Garnet Pattenden, Restoration Officer at
Hawkestone feels that he has one of the
largest collections of old steam engines and
gasoline tractors in one location in Ontario.
The antiques date from 1930 back.
Hawkestone, itself, is a fascinating
centre for those interested in early Ontario
implements and Canadiana in general. The
100 acre farm sits just off Highway #11,
between Orillia and Barrie and contains a
wealth of equipment which will all find its
use in the Ontario Agricultural Museum in
Milton. Two large airplane hangers and one
large barn house a multitude of restored
artifacts from hous.holtl items, furniture
and farm machhary.