The Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan, Ontario, showcases the history of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.
When you visit, you can stroll around (and into) nine heritage log and timber-frame buildings, most of which have been moved to this site from other locations in the county. The museum focuses specifically on the region’s Celtic history and has a large collection of artifacts, most from the 19th century and many on display inside the buildings.
One of the museum’s oldest structures, dating to the 1840s, began life as a general store and had morphed into a stagecoach inn by the 1860s. It was also a tavern, and its original barroom is among the oldest surviving in Eastern Ontario.
Even older is the blacksmith shop, built around 1800. Glengarry County’s last blacksmith shop, it closed in 1984 after the passing of the blacksmith who had operated it since the 1930s.
Other buildings include barns, a schoolhouse and a town hall.
The museum holds frequent special events, such as historical bus tours, craft workshops, a War of 1812 re-enactment, concerts, a harvest festival and a Christmas market.
If you go to the Glengarry Pioneer Museum
The Glengarry Pioneer Museum is located at 1645 County Road 30 in Dunvegan. Don’t worry about being able to find it, as it’s pretty much the biggest thing in Dunvegan! It’s located 78km southeast of Parliament Hill.
The museum is generally open from the May long weekend (around May 24) to the Labour Day weekend (early September), as well as at other times for special events. Guided tours and self-guided visits are available, and you’ll find picnic tables and washrooms on site. Admission fees vary.
Looking for something else to see and do in the area? Here are a few options.
- Beau’s Brewing Company, Vankleek Hill
- Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville
- Priest’s Mill Arts Centre, Alexandria
- St. Raphael’s Ruins National Historic Site, Williamstown
You can also check the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry’s tourism website.
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.
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