Family Day

The Beast of Beverly

The Beverly Swamp is a natural wetland area that feeds the Spencer Creek watershed. Valens Conservation Area is now at the north end of what remains of this once great swamp. Much of it was logged off and drained to improve farmland in the mid 1800’s.

As their habitat was lost, wild animals, including black bears, were hunted out of the swamp. By 1900 no one had seen a bear in Beverly Township for decades.

In about 1910 a black bear appeared in the remains of the Beverly Swamp and was seen prowling around the adjacent farmlands. Local farmers were, with some good cause, alarmed. The “Beast of Beverly” proved to be too elusive for lone hunters and it was decided to hold a group hunt that would flush the bear from the swamp, using men and dogs. The undoubtedly eventful details of how this was finally accomplished have been lost to history; whether to preserve the dignity of man or beast it is not recorded.

That being said, the Beast was hunted down and shot. Who shot it is also conjecture but the pelt passed into the hands of the Inksetter family of Inksetter Road, just outside Copetown. The hunting trophy was skillfully made into a heavy fur sleigh driver’s coat and worn for many years. It was donated to Westfield by descendants of the Inksetter family in 2013.

Visit Westfield on Monday, February 16 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. to see the coat in person!

Family Day is a Free Day!

A Free Day at Westfield!

Celebrate Winter with Your Family

 

Are you ready to get outside with your family and embrace winter?  Westfield Heritage Village is the place to do just that!  Westfield will celebrate winter on Family Heritage Day, Monday February 16 from 12:30 – 4:00, and you are invited to attend on this special day at no charge.  Westfield is waving its usual admission fees to provide a special opportunity for families to come together and spend an afternoon exploring the village.  Join in the fun and learn about what life was like for families during winter in early Ontario from the late 1700s to the early 1900s.  The event will be presented in partnership with Winterfest, the Hamilton initiative that encourages families to get out, connect with others and explore the richness of their communities in February.

 
Stop by the tailor shop and see how wool overcoats were made for maximum warmth.  Meet the family in the Misener House and see what comfort food meant during an 1860s winter.  Warm yourself by the fire at the D’Aubigny Inn and hear authentic tales of winter travel in early Canada.   Children will enjoy taking a seat in the Cathcart one room log schoolhouse and learn what it might have been like to be a student in the wintertime in early Ontario.  No visit to Westfield would be complete without a trip to the General Store, where you can purchase reasonably priced hot drinks, baked goods and old-fashioned candy.

 Parking is free.  Gift Shop will be open.  Westfield is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton, just off highway 8, midway between Hamilton and Cambridge.

For more information, please call (519) 621-8851 or visit westfieldheritage.ca 

 

Winter Has Arrived At Westfield

A beautiful sunny day, but very frosty. Westfield's next public event will be Monday, February 16, 2015 from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. Find out how families lived, worked and had fun during the winter in early Ontario. School programmes are still taking place during the winter months. Make sure to sign-up your class for the popular

Maple Syrup programme.

Christmas In The Country

A Child’s Christmas this Weekend at Westfield

 

 

 

Looking for something special to do with your children this weekend?  Westfield Heritage Village is the place to be, with two special programs to get your family into the holiday spirit.  On Saturday, December 13, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas will be in full swing from 5-9:00 pm.  On Sunday December 14, Westfield’s Christmas in the Country will delight visitors from noon until 4:00 pm.  Westfield is a special place where visitors can step back in time and visit more than thirty-five historical buildings, decorated in their holiday best, to discover the history of Christmas traditions, from the Georgian, Victorian and modern eras

On Saturday evening, a magnificent fireworks display, set to traditional Christmas music, will light up the winter sky at 6:30 pm.  From 7:00 – 8:00 pm., the extraordinary Rosewood Consort will present their gorgeous music in the Mountsberg Church.  Directed by Bob Rivers, Rosewood is an elite group who perform a repertoire of Early and Baroque music on a full range of recorders, from Sopranino through Contra Bass and Viola da Gamba.  They will present A Rosewood Christmas at Westfield, a rich programme of seasonal music developed just for this event. 

On Sunday afternoon, come out and enjoy free horse and wagon rides, complete with jingling bells.  At the one room log schoolhouse, young visitors can take a seat and make a traditional craft to take home.  Step back in time at the General Store, where traditional sweet treats are available for purchase.  The lively children’s entertainers, Turkey Rhubarb, will have everyone singing along and tapping their toes in the church from 2:00 – 3:00 pm.  Little ones will enjoy a visit with Father Christmas at the Hardware Store, where they can try out some old fashioned wooden toys.  Children of all ages are invited to visit the 1898 Jerseyville Train Station, where they can telegraph a message to the North Pole.

In the spirit of the season, Westfield will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items for distribution to local food banks.  Please give generously!

 

Westfield Heritage Village celebrates ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Saturday, December 13^th from 5:00-9:00 pm.  Christmas in the Country will take place on Sunday, December 14 from 12:30 - 4:00 pm.  Admission is $11.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and people with disabilities, and $6.50 for children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are admitted free.  Parking is free.

Westfield Heritage Village is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road (Regional Road 552) in Rockton, just off Highway 8, between Hamilton and Cambridge. For more information please call 519-621-8851 or visit www.westfieldheritage.ca

 

Christmas is Coming!

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

A Sensory Feast Awaits you at Westfield

 

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the scent of freshly baked bread, fresh pine and cinnamon.  Envision twinkling lanterns and a brilliant display of fireworks lighting up the winter sky.  Hear the sounds of traditional music wafting through the crisp night air, the hearty laugh of Father Christmas, the clatter of a woodstove being stoked.   Taste the sweetness of an old-fashioned candy stick, a steaming cup of hot cider, a morsel of roasted chestnut, sprinkled with salt.  Westfield Heritage Village will be the setting for this feast of sensory delights during its ‘Twas the Night before Christmas, program, which will take place on the evenings of December 6^th, 13^th and 20^st from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Lit by lanterns and candlelight, the village is a magical place for families and children of all ages.  At Westfield you can step back in time and enjoy the sights, sounds, aromas and tastes of Christmas in the Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian eras.

The program on Saturday December 6 will be sure to put you into the Christmas spirit.  Visitors to the village can explore more than thirty-five historical buildings decorated in their holiday best, meet costumed interpreters and have a special visit with jolly Father Christmas.  Young ones will enjoy a holiday craft in the one room log schoolhouse.  A magnificent fireworks display will light up the skies over the Village Green at 6:30 p.m.  You won’t want to miss a special concert by the popular and much-loved Albertones Men’s Chorus, who will present a delightful Christmas program at the historic Mountsberg Church from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.

Hungry visitors can enjoy moderately priced light fare in the Ironwood Hall, including warm homemade soup, sandwiches, baked goods and hot chocolate and cider.  Visit the General Store to purchase old fashioned sweet treats.  Munch on some free, hot popcorn as you take in the sights and sounds of the village. 

In the spirit of the season, Westfield will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items for distribution to community food banks.  These items can be dropped off at the admissions kiosk.  Please give generously.

 

Westfield Heritage Village celebrates ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Saturdays, December 6^th, 13^th and 20^th from 5:00-9:00 pm.  Christmas in the Country will take place on Sunday, December 14 from 12 noon to 4:00 pm.  Admission is $11.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and people with disabilities, and $6.50 for children ages 6 to 12. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

Westfield Heritage Village is located at 1049 Kirkwall Road (Regional Road 552) in Rockton, just off Highway 8 between Hamilton and Cambridge. For more information please call 519-621-8851 or visit www.westfieldheritage.ca

Buying a New Wand - A Witches' and Warlocks' Convention at Westfield

Witches and Warlocks at Westfield