Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Encyclopedia
Established in 1967 by the County of Peterborough, Lang Pioneer Village Museum is a living history
museum located in the hamlet of Lang in Peterborough County, Ontario
. Lang Pioneer Village is situated on the shores of the historic Indian River
. Lang Pioneer Village is an “outdoor museum”
featuring more than 25 restored and furnished buildings, many of which were donated from the surrounding townships. The buildings, constructed between 1820 and 1899, are interpreted by costumed villagers portraying authentic 19th century pioneer life. Lang Pioneer Village Museum is owned and operated by the County of Peterborough.
B. Napier Simpson, Jr. 1925-1978, a restoration architect in Ontario devoted his professional life to raising public awareness of the importance of heritage conservation including the Lang Pioneer Village Museume project.
is typical of the settler’s first one-room log home
. Built by David Fife, a Scottish immigrant, the cabin is currently located in the village only a few miles from its original site. David Fife was the pioneer of Red Fife Wheat production in Canada. Red Fife Wheat was grown locally and ground into flour at the Lang Grist Mill
.
Ayotte Homestead- Built prior to 1841, the Ayotte Homestead was moved from its original site on Clear Lake in Smith Township. During the summer months, the wood stove was moved to the summer kitchen so that it did not heat up the house. During the winter months, the stove would be moved back into the primary house and the summer kitchen would be used for cold storage.
Fitzpatrick House- Built in the 1840s, the Fitzpatrick House represents a settler’s second home. It is a storey-and-a-half log home featuring a six-foot-wide stone fireplace which served the dual purposes of heating and cooking. The main living area included the parent’s bedroom and a sitting room upstairs and two bedrooms and a large utility area that also served as a sleeping area.
Milburn House- The Milburn House represents the more luxurious lifestyle of some settlers. Built in the 1850s, the Milburn House has been restored to reflect life in 1877 and features many of the comforts and luxuries of the 1870s.
is a careful reconstruction of an original, local 1880s carpenter shop. Throughout the summer, carpenters demonstrate wood-working
techniques used by the settlers to create hand-made objects available for purchase in the gift shop.
Tinsmith Shop- The Tinsmith Shop is a reconstruction of an 19th century shop demonstrating the skilled craft of tinsmith
ing. Examples of tinware can be found throughout the village. By the late 19th century, tinware was in nearly every home and farm.
Lang Grist Mill- A working three-storey mill, the Lang Mill was constructed in 1846 by Thomas Short. Over 160 years later, visitors can still see wheat being ground into flour at the Mill throughout the summer. The ground flour can be purchased by visitors in the gift shop.
Shingle Mill- Before the Shingle Mill, early settlers had to make their own shingles by splitting cedar with a froe (a tool with a long iron blade that was struck with a heavy mallet) and then shaved to the proper thickness with a drawknife. With the Shingle Mill, hundreds of shingles could be produced in an hour. The cedar shingles on some of the building in the Village were made by this mill.
Keene Hotel- Originally built in the 1830s (front section) and the 1940s (rear wing), the Keene Hotel has been restored to be representative of a country inn
of the 1870s. The best bedroom at the Hotel in the 1840s cost 75 cents per night. A straw tick in the flop room cost 10 cents per night.
Cheese Factory- The Cheese Factory, moved from Mathers Corners in Otonabee Township, was built in 1876. The equipment housed inside the building is from Warkworth. The Cheese Factory could form 40 pounds of cheese curd from 400 pounds of milk under the watchful eye of a cheese maker
.
Blacksmith Shop- The Blacksmith Shop was essential to the life of any 19th century community. Built in 1859, the Blacksmith Shop has been restored to 1880. The blacksmith
would shoe horses, “iron” sleighs and wagons, make tools and architectural hardware and do repairs. He could also make most of his own equipment. The watering trough located outside the Blacksmith Shop was originally owned by Campbell’s Dairy in Peterborough.
Register Print Shop- The Print Shop, built in the 1840s, was used to print handbills announcing sales, public notices of election, community event notices and the weekly newspaper for the community. The printer was one of the few well-educated individuals in the village. The Register Print Shop at Lang Pioneer Village has been restored to represent a print shop in the 1880s.
Coming Soon!
Jacquard Weaver’s Shop- The Weaver’s Shop will be the newest addition to Lang Pioneer Village. Housed in a replica of a 19th century weaver’s shop, the feature of the Weaver’s Shop will be a restored 19th century Jacquard Loom
and fully functioning loom replica. An exhibit/educational area will demonstrate the step-by-step process of how fleece from a sheep becomes a woven fabric.
was built in 1871 at a cost of $365. The building has been restored to 1897 when council members were no longer elected by an open “show of hands” but by secret ballot
.
South Lake School- The schoolhouse was the first building moved to the site of Lang Pioneer Village. Built in 1886, the schoolhouse interior reveals much about rural school-life featuring double-desks, slates, an abacus and a wood stove for heating.
Glen Alda Church- The church played an important role in settlers’ lives. Built in 1898, the Glen Alda Church was moved from Chandos Township. Located at the front of the sanctuary is a fine crafted Doherty pump organ, manufactured 100 years ago. The driveshed located to the west of the church is where the horse and buggies would have been sheltered during the service.
Menie General Store & Post Office- Originally built in 1858, the General Store
has been resorted to 1899. Almost everything could be purchased from the store. Farm produce would often be bartered for store goods.
Smoke House- To ensure that meat would last throughout the winter and following summer, meat was salted, pickled and then finally smoked in the Smoke House for about six weeks. The Smoke House at Lang Pioneer Village is a reconstruction circa the 1850s.
Ice House- Ice blocks were cut in the coldest winter weather using an ice saw. The blocks had to be perfectly square in order to make it easier to load and haul. Sawdust was used in the icehouse as an insulator. The sawdust was so effective that a harvest of ice put in place in cold weather and properly packed with sawdust could last several years. The Ice House
at Lang Pioneer Village is a reconstruction circa the 1850s.
For special event dates, details and admission prices, please visit the museum’s official
website.
Living history
Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
museum located in the hamlet of Lang in Peterborough County, Ontario
Peterborough County, Ontario
Peterborough County is located in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is projected to reach a population of 159,840 by 2031, according to the Ontario Ministry of Finance's Ontario Population Projections Update...
. Lang Pioneer Village is situated on the shores of the historic Indian River
Indian River (Ontario)
There are five rivers named Indian River in Ontario, Canada:* The Indian River in the Kawartha Lakes/Peterborough region flows from Stoney Lake into Rice Lake...
. Lang Pioneer Village is an “outdoor museum”
Open air museum
An open-air museum is a distinct type of museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors. The first open-air museums were established in Scandinavia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and the concept soon spread throughout Europe and North America. Open-air museums are variously known as...
featuring more than 25 restored and furnished buildings, many of which were donated from the surrounding townships. The buildings, constructed between 1820 and 1899, are interpreted by costumed villagers portraying authentic 19th century pioneer life. Lang Pioneer Village Museum is owned and operated by the County of Peterborough.
B. Napier Simpson, Jr. 1925-1978, a restoration architect in Ontario devoted his professional life to raising public awareness of the importance of heritage conservation including the Lang Pioneer Village Museume project.
Homes
David Fife Cabin- This 1820s log cabinLog cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
is typical of the settler’s first one-room log home
Log home
A log home is structurally identical to a log cabin...
. Built by David Fife, a Scottish immigrant, the cabin is currently located in the village only a few miles from its original site. David Fife was the pioneer of Red Fife Wheat production in Canada. Red Fife Wheat was grown locally and ground into flour at the Lang Grist Mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
.
Ayotte Homestead- Built prior to 1841, the Ayotte Homestead was moved from its original site on Clear Lake in Smith Township. During the summer months, the wood stove was moved to the summer kitchen so that it did not heat up the house. During the winter months, the stove would be moved back into the primary house and the summer kitchen would be used for cold storage.
Fitzpatrick House- Built in the 1840s, the Fitzpatrick House represents a settler’s second home. It is a storey-and-a-half log home featuring a six-foot-wide stone fireplace which served the dual purposes of heating and cooking. The main living area included the parent’s bedroom and a sitting room upstairs and two bedrooms and a large utility area that also served as a sleeping area.
Milburn House- The Milburn House represents the more luxurious lifestyle of some settlers. Built in the 1850s, the Milburn House has been restored to reflect life in 1877 and features many of the comforts and luxuries of the 1870s.
Businesses & trades
Hastie Carpenter Shop- The Hastie Carpenter ShopCarpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
is a careful reconstruction of an original, local 1880s carpenter shop. Throughout the summer, carpenters demonstrate wood-working
Woodworking
Woodworking is the process of building, making or carving something using wood.-History:Along with stone, mud, and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked by early humans. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood...
techniques used by the settlers to create hand-made objects available for purchase in the gift shop.
Tinsmith Shop- The Tinsmith Shop is a reconstruction of an 19th century shop demonstrating the skilled craft of tinsmith
Tinsmith
A tinsmith, or tinner or tinker or tinplate worker, is a person who makes and repairs things made of light-coloured metal, particularly tinware...
ing. Examples of tinware can be found throughout the village. By the late 19th century, tinware was in nearly every home and farm.
Lang Grist Mill- A working three-storey mill, the Lang Mill was constructed in 1846 by Thomas Short. Over 160 years later, visitors can still see wheat being ground into flour at the Mill throughout the summer. The ground flour can be purchased by visitors in the gift shop.
Shingle Mill- Before the Shingle Mill, early settlers had to make their own shingles by splitting cedar with a froe (a tool with a long iron blade that was struck with a heavy mallet) and then shaved to the proper thickness with a drawknife. With the Shingle Mill, hundreds of shingles could be produced in an hour. The cedar shingles on some of the building in the Village were made by this mill.
Keene Hotel- Originally built in the 1830s (front section) and the 1940s (rear wing), the Keene Hotel has been restored to be representative of a country inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
of the 1870s. The best bedroom at the Hotel in the 1840s cost 75 cents per night. A straw tick in the flop room cost 10 cents per night.
Cheese Factory- The Cheese Factory, moved from Mathers Corners in Otonabee Township, was built in 1876. The equipment housed inside the building is from Warkworth. The Cheese Factory could form 40 pounds of cheese curd from 400 pounds of milk under the watchful eye of a cheese maker
Cheesemaker
A cheesemaker is a person who makes cheese.The craft of making cheese dates back at least 4,000 years. Archaeological evidence exists of cheesemaking by the ancient Egyptian civilizations....
.
Blacksmith Shop- The Blacksmith Shop was essential to the life of any 19th century community. Built in 1859, the Blacksmith Shop has been restored to 1880. The blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
would shoe horses, “iron” sleighs and wagons, make tools and architectural hardware and do repairs. He could also make most of his own equipment. The watering trough located outside the Blacksmith Shop was originally owned by Campbell’s Dairy in Peterborough.
Register Print Shop- The Print Shop, built in the 1840s, was used to print handbills announcing sales, public notices of election, community event notices and the weekly newspaper for the community. The printer was one of the few well-educated individuals in the village. The Register Print Shop at Lang Pioneer Village has been restored to represent a print shop in the 1880s.
Coming Soon!
Jacquard Weaver’s Shop- The Weaver’s Shop will be the newest addition to Lang Pioneer Village. Housed in a replica of a 19th century weaver’s shop, the feature of the Weaver’s Shop will be a restored 19th century Jacquard Loom
Jacquard loom
The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801, that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with complex patterns such as brocade, damask and matelasse. The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row...
and fully functioning loom replica. An exhibit/educational area will demonstrate the step-by-step process of how fleece from a sheep becomes a woven fabric.
Community services
Douro Township Hall- The Douro Township HallCity hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
was built in 1871 at a cost of $365. The building has been restored to 1897 when council members were no longer elected by an open “show of hands” but by secret ballot
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
.
South Lake School- The schoolhouse was the first building moved to the site of Lang Pioneer Village. Built in 1886, the schoolhouse interior reveals much about rural school-life featuring double-desks, slates, an abacus and a wood stove for heating.
Glen Alda Church- The church played an important role in settlers’ lives. Built in 1898, the Glen Alda Church was moved from Chandos Township. Located at the front of the sanctuary is a fine crafted Doherty pump organ, manufactured 100 years ago. The driveshed located to the west of the church is where the horse and buggies would have been sheltered during the service.
Menie General Store & Post Office- Originally built in 1858, the General Store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
has been resorted to 1899. Almost everything could be purchased from the store. Farm produce would often be bartered for store goods.
Food preservation
Cider Barn- After the apple harvest, farmers from the surrounding area would converge on the Cider Barn where a wooden cylinder studded with nails would chew the apples into a pulp and then the juice pressed from the pulp.Smoke House- To ensure that meat would last throughout the winter and following summer, meat was salted, pickled and then finally smoked in the Smoke House for about six weeks. The Smoke House at Lang Pioneer Village is a reconstruction circa the 1850s.
Ice House- Ice blocks were cut in the coldest winter weather using an ice saw. The blocks had to be perfectly square in order to make it easier to load and haul. Sawdust was used in the icehouse as an insulator. The sawdust was so effective that a harvest of ice put in place in cold weather and properly packed with sawdust could last several years. The Ice House
The Ice House
The Ice House Comedy Club is located at 24 Mentor Avenue in Pasadena, California. Opened in 1960 when folk music was in its prime, The Ice House was one of America's top folk clubs with acts coming from around the country to perform. In the 1970s the club's emphasis switched to comedy, providing...
at Lang Pioneer Village is a reconstruction circa the 1850s.
Sources of power
- Wind- By the late 19th century many farmers were harnessing the wind to provide power for a variety of purposes. The windmill at Lang Pioneer Village was originally located on the Manson Cathcart farm in Peterborough
- Water- Water flowing from the Indian River, powers the turbines at the Lang Grist Mill
- Steam- Steam power made many tasks more productive for settlers. Examples of steam powered tasks that can be found at Lang Pioneer Village are the Shingle Mill powered by Lang’s own Sawyer-Massey Steam EngineSteam engineA steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
and grain thrashing. Manufactured in 1921, the Sawyer-Massey Steam Engine is the power source for sawing and edging the shingles at the Shingle Mill. The Steam Engine has been owned and operated by Lang Pioneer Village since 1985. - Animal- By the 1860s, horse power had reached the peak of mechanical efficiencyMechanical efficiencyMechanical efficiency measures the effectiveness of a machine in transforming the energy and power that is input to the device into an output force and movement...
and most farmers owned one of some make or another. Horse-drawn farm implementsFarm equipmentAgricultural machinery is any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming. The best-known example of this kind is the tractor.-Soil cultivation:*Cultivator*Cultipacker*Chisel plow*Mulch tiller*Harrow**Spike harrow**Drag harrow...
can be found in Lang’s Agricultural Barn while horse-drawn vehicles can be found in Lang’s Transportation Barn.
Education programs
Lang Pioneer Village Museum offers a variety of educational programs that correspond directly with the curriculum as set by the Provincial Government. For program details and pricing, please visit the museum’s official website.Special events
Lang Pioneer Village hosts the following special events each year:- Annual Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show
- Historic Dominion DayDominion DayDominion Day is a commemoration day of the granting of national status in various Commonwealth countries.-Canada:Dominion Day was the name of the holiday commemorating the formation of Canada as a Dominion on 1 July 1867...
- Antique & Classic CarClassic carA classic car is an older car; the exact meaning is variable. The Classic Car Club of America maintains that a car must be between 20 and 40 years old to be a classic, while cars over 45 years fall into the Antique Class.- Classic Car Club of America :...
Show - Anniversary Weekend Celebration
- Pioneer Corn Roast
- Applefest
- Spooky Halloween
- Christmas by Candlelight
For special event dates, details and admission prices, please visit the museum’s official
website.