Craigleith Heritage Depot

06/15/2026

New additions have been made to the Cultural Map! One of our newest entries is the Thornbury Standard Chemical Works. A company whose founder was aboard the RMS Titanic during its infamous maiden voyage. The company established their Thornbury plant in 1909 near the mouth of the Beaver River and employed locals to extract chemicals from hardwood that had been shipped across Georgian Bay.

Please check out the Cultural Map to learn more about the Chemical Works and see more new additions, which you can find here: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9af30be38f5f432d93f14910d22c5d8d =id%3Add482b0b230c4780b8586be608fef34b-Library_CulturalMap_2827%3A124

Pictured is the east side of the Standard Chemical Works property, showing the water tower and workers surrounded by piled lumber with the Niagara Escarpment and Georgian Bay visible in the background.
2019-013-002 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

06/12/2026

This photograph, taken 120 years ago shows members of the Ravenna baseball team. At the time, there were teams playing out of Ravenna, Banks, Redwing and the Tenth Line. Depending on who you ask, Ravenna was considered one of the best teams in the area. In the early days of the Ravenna baseball team, they played in the front farm field, owned by Willis Camplin and later moved to Ravenna Park.
When the number of players at Banks grew too small to field a team, many went to Ravenna. By the 1940’s, the Ravenna team became the Junior Farmers Ball Team who would go on to compete at the Ontario Junior Farmers Field Day, held in Guelph in 1946.

Pictured is the Ravenna Baseball team in 1906, left to right,
Back Row: Frank Brownlee, John Walters, George Badger (Umpire), Jack Buchanan, Bob Walters.
Middle Row: Angus Rusk, W.I. Fields, Dave Lawrence, C. Gardiner, Wilbert Collins, Tom H. Carefoot, Herb Conn.
Front Row: B.S. Carefoot, Roy Conn (Mascot), Bob Armstrong, Frank Fiegehen.
2016-076-324 Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

06/10/2026

The Legends of the Lilacs: The Paper Trail

For our final look into the mystery of the Craigleith lilacs, we look at the letters left behind by the women who actually lived at the station.

We have two fascinating clues:

1. Mrs. Wilson, wife of the very first Craigleith station master, wrote that she was gifted lilac bushes by Mrs. Fleming to brighten up the station because she was incredibly homesick for Scotland.
2.Another set of letters from an unnamed woman living at the station detailed how bare the property was, noting she was thinking of going "up to the old Fleming building to get some lilac bushes."

While this story has popped up in local newspapers for decades without official citations, it paints a beautiful picture of early community members sharing plants to make Ontario feel like home.

Today, these floral gems—which once sprawled across vast swathes of land—grace our museum grounds. They are a living, fragrant emblem of our community's history.

Next time you walk past the Museum and catch that sweet scent, remember the homesick pioneers, the historic families, and the whispers of history blooming right in front of you.



This image comes from the Kourey-Knapman Collection. It shows shows lilacs from the Depot Fine Dining property, CIRCA 1980s.

06/07/2026

Today is the day! Open Doors *opens* today at 10am!

Come join us as we explore 6 heritage sites that are usually closed to the public! This is a great way to experience the history that built our community!

Join us today from 10am -3:30pm
Click here to access the google map: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.5164431,-80.4288077,13z/data=!4m3!11m2!2sDacz9xZ9cojU20ErK9W_ig!3e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDUxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Click here to learn more: https://www.thebluemountainslibrary.ca/museum/open-doors-heritage-tour

06/06/2026

Join us TOMORROW for Open Doors, a free heritage tour of 6 historical sites all located within the Town of The Blue Mountains!

Starting at 10am and running until 3:30pm, museum and library staff as well as volunteers will be on sites to offer guided tours, answer your questions and feed your curiosity!

We will see you tomorrow!
Learn more here: https://www.thebluemountainslibrary.ca/museum/open-doors-heritage-tour

06/05/2026

Meet your Site: Thornbury Tourist Camp

On Sunday June 7th, from 10am - 3:30pm, we will be opening the doors to 6 heritage sites in the Town of the The Blue Mountains, stay tuned this week for a highlight of each location.

Step onto the grounds of the former Thornbury Tourist Camp to discover a site where leisure and local industry once collided! Visit to explore the surviving camp building and uncover the fascinating stories of the factories and workers that powered Thornbury’s early economy.

Meet us at Townhall to start a walk through the historic heart of the industrial area of Thornbury!

Learn more here: https://www.thebluemountainslibrary.ca/museum/open-doors-heritage-tour

06/04/2026

We were thrilled to collaborate with our friends at the Collingwood Museum for their Season Five finale of Stories from Another Day!

Our communities share so much wonderful history, and this episode dives deep into a local icon we all know and love: Blue Mountain Pottery. Check out their post below to find out where to listen, and join host Ken Maher and guest co-host Josh Skelton as they go "Under the Glaze"! 👇

We are wrapping up Season Five of Stories from Another Day with another special collaboration with our friends at the Craigleith Heritage Depot, exploring the shared stories and connections between the Town of Collingwood and the Town of the Blue Mountains.

In the final episode of the season, host Ken Maher and guest co-host, Josh Skelton take a closer look at one of the region’s most iconic and celebrated businesses, Blue Mountain Pottery. From its unmistakable glaze to its lasting impact on Canadian design and local history, this episode uncovers the story behind the beloved name.

Listen to Season Five, Episode 10 “Under the Glaze: Blue Mountain Pottery” on Spotify or your preferred podcast provider. You can also find a link to the podcast on the Museum’s webpage, www.collingwoodca/museum.

Photograph courtesy of the Collection of the Craigleith Heritage Depot.

Image: An aerial photograph of Blue Mountain Pottery retail outlet at the corner of Mountain Road and Highway 26.

06/04/2026

Meet your Site: Craigleith Community Centre

On Sunday June 7th, from 10am - 3:30pm, we will be opening the doors to 6 heritage sites in the Town of the The Blue Mountains, stay tuned this week for a highlight of each location.

Originally established in 1861, this charming heritage landmark served the community for over a century before transitioning into a vibrant local hub. Visit this site to explore the legacy of the Fleming family and discover how a historic one-room schoolhouse remains the heart of Craigleith today.

Learn more here: https://www.thebluemountainslibrary.ca/museum/open-doors-heritage-tour

06/03/2026

Meet your Site: Delphi Point Beach

On Sunday June 7th, from 10am - 3:30pm, we will be opening the doors to 6 heritage sites in the Town of the The Blue Mountains, stay tuned this week for a highlight of each location.

Travel back 450 million years to the Ordovician period! Join museum staff and our guest paleontologist at Delphi Point— a designated Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI)—to uncover the fossils hidden beneath your feet. From ancient sea creatures to the unique geological layers of the shoreline, visit this site to get hands-on with the prehistoric past of The Blue Mountains.

Learn more here: https://www.thebluemountainslibrary.ca/museum/open-doors-heritage-tour