The work of museums in preserving the past is sometimes fraught with loss and disappointment. Despite everyone’s best efforts sometimes a piece of our history still gets away and is lost in time. In today’s episode we look at two such losses connected by a strong sense of irony. We also end with a note of hope for the same currents of time and circumstance sometimes work in the museum’s favour. Join us as we follow the story of a stuffed Passenger Pigeon that was on display at the Collingwood Museum’s predecessor, the Huron Institute, until disaster struck.
After the story we give you all the details of this month’s celebration of all things Museum. In honour of May being Museum month look for special lighting
of the Town Clock (May 18 to 25) and a day long event also on May the 18th where admission to the Museum will be free, the hours will be extended (until 8:00 pm) and the members of the Museum Advisory Committee will be on hand (between 4:00 and 5:00 pm) to meet and greet you all.
Ken will be there and is hoping to say hi to any podcast listeners who want to come by! We look forward to seeing you then.
Episode Picture:
The Huron Institute [Collingwood Museum Collection X970.577.1]
Research:
Miles, Anita; The Chicago of the North. Town of Collingwood, 2004. p.17-18
Passenger Pigeon. Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/passenger-pigeon
Vuckson, David. The Carnegie Library Revisited. Collingwood Historical Society, April 2017. https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/3bf734df-da42-4fed-b6fc-91e612df8825/downloads/April%202017%20-%20The%20Carnegie%20Library%20Revisited.pdf?ver=1678821694161
Isabel Griffin, Enterprise Bulletin March 18, 1981
Enterprise Bulletin April 11, 1935
Enterprise Bulletin April 18, 1935
Enterprise Bulletin May 9, 1935
Links:
“The Museum That Wasn’t” Season 1, Episode 23 https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cwoodstories/episodes/The-Museum-That-Wasnt-e1ig37a
