The Naming of Dundas

John Graves Simcoe arrived in Upper Canada as its first Lieutenant Governor in 1792. With the possibility of attack by the United States being of great concern, Simcoe ordered a military road be built from Cootes Paradise (today’s Dundas) to Oxford (Woodstock), ensuring the transport of troops and supplies by land. He named it ‘Dundas Street’ for Sir Henry Dundas, Secretary for Home Affairs in Britain (although he never visited Canada). Today, the road is named both Dundas Street and Governor’s Road within Dundas limits. In 1801 the wealthy Englishman Richard Hatt moved to the area from Ancaster and began constructing a large milling complex at the conjunction of Dundas Street and Spencer Creek. He named his operation the ‘Dundas Mills’ after the street on which they were located.

Hatt was interested in attracting settlers to the valley to work in his various mills and workshops and so opened a post office in his mill so that locals could correspond with the outside world. Mail coming to this office was first addressed to the ‘Dundas Mills,’ and eventually just ‘Dundas.’ By the end of the War of 1812, the name had stuck, and the various settlers who came to the area after writing to their friends and family knew it only as ‘Dundas.’

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A Museum is more than a building.

A museum not only collects and tells stories-it also has a story of its own to tell. Our story includes forward-thinking Dundas residents who were ahead of their time in their vision for a purpose-built museum to preserve the town’s history. Learn more at map.dundasmuseum.ca/dundas-museum-archives

Founding of the Museum: Thinking About the Future of the Past

Dundas’s sheltered valley and waterways attracted some of Ontario’s earliest settlements, from the Attiwandaron (Neutral) Nation to British Loyalist refugees from the United States of America. In the nineteenth century, Dundas also became a regional model of the industrial revolution. The massive factories and mills supplied unique new products to Canada and the world, leaving their mark on the town and on our modern way of life.

In the mid-twentieth century, the town’s residents realized they needed to preserve their heritage. The historical research of local reporters prompted the following headline in the March 13, 1941, Dundas Star: “Suggest Local Museum to Safeguard Records.” Around this idea, a group of citizens began to gather. They began writing the town’s history, gathered historical records, and founded the Dundas Historical Society in 1945.

Two of the most dedicated collectors were Henry and H. Graham Bertram, a father-and-son duo of industrial magnates. Their collection of Dundas-related records soon began to spill out of their company offices. A dedicated space was needed – and only the best would do.

With a donation of land from Della Pirie, financial support from the Bertrams and an enthusiastic citizenry, the long-awaited Museum broke ground in 1955. Officially opening on April 21, 1956, the new Dundas Historical Society Museum was a remarkable building for its time. As one of Ontario’s rare purpose-built museums, the designers used cutting-edge building technology to render it fireproof and climate-controlled. In addition, all of the collections were protected by display cases donated by the Royal Ontario Museum.

The new Museum’s first curator was the inimitable Olive Newcombe.

About Our Collections

The Dundas Museum & Archives houses more than 16,000 artifacts and nearly 300 metres of documents, spanning the entire history of the Dundas Valley – from 150 million-year-old calcite crystals to photos from the 2010 Dundas Hockeyville to memories of the COVID-19 pandemic! These valuable resources can tell us the stories of how we used to live and who we have become over time.

Our extensive collection of antique everyday objects – from tools to toys and furniture to fashion – tells us about vanished ways of life. We are also the stewards of one of Ontario’s finest collections of early Indigenous artifacts related to the Neutral People of the Valley. Some of our other collection strengths include both the decorative and fine arts.

Our rich archival collections include historical records such as letters, diaries, photographs, newspapers, maps, and account books. These documents give us a firsthand glimpse of the activities and thoughts of people from the last two centuries.

Together, our collections form an important source of understanding about our region’s social, political, architectural, and economic history.

Staff

Kevin Puddister
_{Curator & General Manager}

Severine Craig
_{Collections Manager & Assistant General Manager}

Austin Strutt
_{Exhibitions Curator}

Kelsey Haas
_Archivist

Christopher L. Butler III
_{Administration & Marketing Coordinator}

Tina Aurora
_{Programming Coordinator}

Kathy Bainas
_{Museum Attendant}

Charlotte Boorman
_{Museum Attendant}

Board of Directors

Keith Green
_{President & Board Chair}

Peter Curtis
_{Vice President & Board Chair}

Kerry McNamara
_Secretary

Janie Hartwell
_Treasurer

Tom Bontje
Amanda DeYoung
Stan Nowak
Dorothy Richardson
Dana Robbins
Katherine Scarrow
Arlene VanderBeek

Mission Statement

The mission of the Dundas Museum and Archives is to act as stewards of the community’s heritage as represented by the objects and archival material entrusted to us. We make this history available through our accessible exhibitions, education programming, research facilities, online presence and the support of community initiatives.

Vision Statement

A welcoming space where the community engages with Dundas’ past.

Values Statement

The Dundas Museum and Archives is passionate about the community of Dundas and committed to these values:

-Ensure our actions are environmentally sustainable.
-Pursue excellence through continuous learning.
-Maintain and enhance an open, accessible and inclusive environment.
-Embrace our responsibility as stewards of the community’s history.
-Present innovative exhibitions and programs.

The present Museum complex results from several additions and expansions to the 1956 structure. In 1974, Dundas’ first designated heritage building, the 1848 Doctor’s Office, was moved onto the museum grounds. In 1975, the Museum purchased the 1873 Pirie House, its next-door neighbour, in anticipation of future growth.

Due to healthy development in collections and use, the museum building itself has expanded twice. The first was in 1963, to add an extra gallery and storage space. The second was in 2012-2013, to integrate both the original Museum and the Pirie House wing. The result is a fully accessible multi-purpose facility that can accommodate and host both educational and community functions. In 2017 the Museum gardens underwent their own renovation, designed by landscape architect Natalie Jarvis and executed with assistance from Sunny Skies Landscaping and 8 Days a Week Sprinklers. The 2018 renovation removed asbestos tile from the original gallery floors and allowed for a modern refresh of the gallery spaces.

We believe the current Museum honours the foresight and intention of its founders. You can find out more about their stories at the Museum, and many of their family papers and possessions are now a part of the Museum’s collections!