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Latest episodes from Museum Chat Live!

Museum Chat Live! E1005 – Food, Glorious Food Blog Series Wrap-up

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025


On this episode of Museum Chat Live! we're chatting local food history and baking as we wrap up our (now beloved) Food, Glorious Food Blog Series. The series was a chance for Abbey Stansfield (public programmer) and Kathleen Powell (curator) to explore local food history by baking through historic recipes in our collection. This bake-off was a way to explore food history in a first-hand way and draw attention to our temporary exhibit of the same name, on display at the Museum through the autumn of this year. Listen in for a chat about food history, writing a blog series together, challenges in baking historic recipes, the things we learned, and most importantly: our favourite desserts!

Museum Chat Live! E1004 – Beyond These Walls: Interpreting History Out in the Community

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025


On this episode of Museum Chat Live! Sean discusses trends […]

Museum Chat Live! E1003 – Supercut 1: Canal Crossings

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025


Throughout our 10th season, we will be including several “supercut” […]

Museum Chat Live! E1002 – Hearing History: Film Projectors

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2025


This podcast episode is in our Hearing History series, exploring local history […]

Museum Chat Live! E1001 – What’s Coming Up in Season 10?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025


The 10th season of our Museum Chat Live! podcast is […]

Museum Chat Live! E906 – Merritt’s Speech, November 30th, 1824

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2024


Today's episode of Museum Chat Live! brings a reading of an excerpt of Merritt's speech from 200 years ago to our ears. Edited and read by museum volunteer Des Corran, you can hear the optimism with which Merritt would cling to over some very challenging years of construction ahead.

VMLS via Podcast – Unearthing Niagara’s Industrial History

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing to provide a lecture presented on December 13, 2022 which provided an update on her work at the Shickluna Shipyard archaeological dig.

VMLS via Podcast – Ponderous Fraus, Mynheers, and Jaded Farm Horses

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing "Ponderous Fraus, Mynheers, and Jaded Farm Horses, or Early St. Catharines Before the First Welland Canal" with special guest Brian Narhi.

VMLS via Podcast – In the Public Interest

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing "In the Public Interest: Public Works in St. Catharines" presented by Kathleen Powell.

VMLS via Podcast – Our Gallant Employees

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing "Our Gallant Employees: Corporate Commemoration in Port-War Canada," with special guest Jonathan Vance.

VMLS via Podcast – Queenston: A Working Neighbourhood

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing "Queenston: A Working Neighbourhood" presented by special guest Paul Miller, minister of Westminster United Church.

VMLS via Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing "Discovering Niagara's Freedom Trail" with special guest Rochelle Bush. Special Guest Rochelle Bush, trustee and historian of Salem Chapel, British Methodist Episcopal Church National Historic Site and proprietor of Tubman Tours Canada, will speak about Niagara's Freedom Trail – the loosely connected network of important heritage sites, museums, and other historical places connected to the story of freedom and the Underground Railroad throughout Niagara.

VMLS via Podcast – One Dish, One History

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing One Dish, One History: There Were People Here Before 1876 with special guest Karl Dockstader. Radio host, and of the Oneida bear clan Centre Karl Dockstader will walk us through a part of Niagara history that is underexplored. We'll talk about the friendships and agreements that formed to make settler people living here in Niagara possible and how that friendship may need to be rekindled to keep Niagara viable.

Museum Chat Live! E905 – Hearing History: Internal Combustion Engine

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2024


This episode is in our Hearing History series, taking full advantage of the podcast format by exploring local history through sound. Today's sound is the internal combustion engine, which has powered vehicles and industrial machinery in this city for over a century – and we build them here too! This episode follows the history of internal combustion […]

VMLS via Podcast – Emancipation Day

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024


On today's episode we're sharing a very special lecture presented by Dr. Natasha Henry-Dixon, president of the Ontario Black History Society, and the topic expert on Emancipation Day.

emancipation day via podcast ontario black history society
Museum Chat Live! E904 – Hearing History: The Slap Shot

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024


This episode is another journey in our Hearing History series, taking full advantage of the podcast format by exploring local history through sound. Today's sound is the slap shot, a powerful hockey shot heard for a century on the streets, frozen ponds, and in the arenas of St. Catharines. This episode tracks the history of the slap […]

VMLS via Podcast – Election 1917

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing a lecture presented by our own Kathleen Powell titled ‘Election 1917: Wartime Canada Goes to the Polls.'

VMLS via Podcast – The Indigenous Underground Railroad

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing a lecture titled "The Indigenous Underground Railroad" with special guest Dr. Roy Finkenbine, professor of history and Director of the Black Abolitionist Archive at the University of Detroit Mercy. This lecture was originally recorded on April 26, 2022.

Museum Chat Live! E903 – Equatorial Emigrants: Tales from the StoryLab 3

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2024


In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum's StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

VMLS via Podcast – Return to Civvy Street and Postwar St. Catharines

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing a lecture titled Return to "Civvy" Street: Postwar St. Catharines originally presented in March, 2022 by Sara Nixon.

VMLS via Podcast – From Anatevka to St. Catharines: the History of the Jewish Community in St. Catharines

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing a lecture titled From Anatevka to St. Catharines: the Early Years of the Spiritual Home of the Jewish Community, presented by special guest Howard Slepkov. This lecture was originally recorded on March 1, 2022.

Museum Chat Live! E902 – Via Paraguay: Tales from the StoryLab 2

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024


In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum's StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

VMLS via Podcast – The Daily Grind: Records of Freedom Seekers in St. Catharines

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing the history of early black residents of St. Catharines with a lecture titled: ‘The Daily Grind: The Records of Freedom Seekers in St. Catharines' presented by Abbey Stansfield. This lecture was originally recorded on February 1, 2022.

VMLS via Podcast – Upper Canada’s Black Defenders take on Niagara’s Wild West

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing about the Coloured Corps and the construction of the Second Welland Canal with a lecture presented by yours truly titled “Upper Canada's Black Defenders take on Niagara's Wild West.” This lecture was originally presented on February 15, 2022.

Museum Chat Live! E901 – Finding Home: Tales from the StoryLab 1

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024


In this 3-episode series, host Sean Dineley lets a sampling of long-time St. Catharines residents do most of the talking. The people whose stories you will hear have all been participants in the museum's StoryLab program. This ongoing oral history project is all about getting the diverse experiences and perspectives of real St. Catharinites into […]

Museum Chat Live! E803 – Hearing History: Accordion Music

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2023


This episode is another sonic journey in our Hearing History series, taking full advantage of the podcast format by exploring local history through sound. Today's sonic selection is accordion music. St. Catharines and the Niagara Region have long been home to German, Slovenian, Polish, and other European communities that have brought the accordion and the […]

VMLS via Podcast – Home Sweet Home

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2023


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we're sharing a lecture about urban development in St. Catharines – a long and storied tale. This lecture was originally presented on November 16, 2021 by Sara Nixon.

Museum Chat Live! E802 – Why Does History Change? A Perspective on the Evolution of Museums

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2023


In this episode of Museum Chat Live! Sean discusses the history of museums since the late 1700s. He delves into some of the more controversial historical museum practices and offers a perspective on how and why histories presented seem to keep changing. In the second half of the episode, Sean discusses the evolution of the […]

VMLS via Podcast – Canada’s Game in the Garden City

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2023


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast our Visitor Services Coordinator Adrian Petry gives a lecture about the rich and exciting history of hockey in our city. Hear stories from the early days of pick-up on a frozen Welland Canal to Stan Mikita and the big-league games here at the Garden City Arena.

VMLS via Podcast: The Busiest Piece of Railway in Canada

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2023


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast special guest Andy Panko explores the Welland Canal Construction Railway, a railway built specifically to service the construction of the Welland Ship Canal. His lecture is titled “The busiest piece of railway in Canada” and was originally presented on October 5, 2021.

VMLS via Podcast: Adventures in Housekeeping

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2023


As the 20th century dawned with new excitement and a look forward to the next century, St. Catharines was in a period of growth and prosperity. Did that rosy picture translate into the home and domestic life? Look behind closed doors and catch a glimpse of the domestic sphere and how it was changing with the new century.

Museum Chat Live! E801 – Hearing History: Foghorn

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2023


This episode is the first in the Hearing History series, which explores the history of St. Catharines through sound. Close your eyes, open your ears, and join host Sean Dineley in his sonic exploration of the foghorn. This episode explores the history of this nautical warning system as well as its unique connections to St. […]

VMLS via Podcast: A Model City

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we'll hear a presentation from our own Sara Nixon with her lecture titled ‘A Model City: the 1913 St. Catharines Board of Trade Yearbook'. The lecture was originally recorded on May 11, 2021.

Museum Chat Live! E705 – Heritage Advocacy

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2022


On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, we discuss what heritage advocacy looks like on the local level, on the ground and at the grassroots. To help us navigate the many layers to identifying, protecting, and enhancing community heritage, we've invite Andrew Humeniuk onto the podcast. Andrew is a member of the the St. Catharines Heritage Advisory Committee and Executive Director of The Brown Homestead here in St. Catharines.

VMLS via Podcast – The Fight for History with Dr. Tim Cook

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2022


On today's episode of VMLS via Podcast we'll hear from war historian and author Dr. Tim Cook. Tim's book ‘The Fight for History' looks at the significance of remembering the Second World War. This lecture was originally presented on April 27, 2021.

VMLS via Podcast – The General: A Symposium with the Brock University Historical Society.

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2022


Today's lecture, is a bit different. We were happy to host the students of the Brock University Historical Society in symposium on the series on April 13, 2021. You'll hear lots of different voices and stories on this episode. For more information on the work of the Brock University Historical Society, please visit their Facebook page: facebook.com/brockhistoricalsociety.

VMLS via Podcast – Historic Welland Canals Mapping Project

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2022


Today's lecture, originally presented on March 30, 2021, was presented by special guest Colleen Beard, map librarian emeritus at Brock University. Colleen's Historic Welland Canals Mapping Project has mapped the routes of the three early Welland Canals and her presentation takes us through her website.

Museum Chat Live! E704 – Oral History and Community Voices

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022


On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, consider the role of oral history in collecting community stories, and building community legacy. We discuss the Museum's oral history collection project, STC StoryLab, and sit down with Reverend Dr. Paul Miller, pastor of Westminster United Church located on Queenston Street in St. Catharines, and a leader in the Queenston Neighbourhood.

VMLS via Podcast – For King and Country

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2022


On this episode of VMLS via Podcast: A lecture originally presented in March 16, 2021, examines the experiences of soldiers from St. Catharines who fought in the Boer War.

Museum Chat Live! E703- Cemeteries and Historic Interpretation

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022


On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, co-hosts Abbey and Sara look at the development and evolution of the museum's Guided Spirit walks over the past 11 years. To help us understand the Museum's Spirit Walk journey, we speak to Adrian Petry, Visitor Services Coordinator at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre. We also sit down with Guided Spirit Walk actors Ian Ashman and Kathie Leblanc to discover what is like to portray local historical figures and the impact Guided Spirit Walks has on the community.

VMLS via Podcast: No Exit: Dead End Streets of St. Catharines

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2022


Today on VMLS via Podcast: the history of urban development in the city be exploring the city's dead-end streets.

VMLS via Podcast: Myths of the Underground Railroad

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2022


Today's lecture, originally presented in February 2021, features public programmer Sara Nixon with a lecture about the most prevalent and persistent myths about the Underground Railroad.

VMLS vis Podcast – Visiting Abolitionists

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2022


Today's lecture features very special guest, local historian, and trustee of the Salem Chapel, BME Church Rochelle Bush. Rochelle discusses how St. Catharines became a hub of abolitionist activity in the 1850s and 60s, and the famous names to visited St. Catharines to do their important work.

Museum Chat Live! E702 – Social Media, Museums & History-Telling

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2022


On this episode of Museum Chat Live!, co-hosts Abbey and Sara look at the ways social media platforms like Facebook are changing the way we access, understand and learn about history. We consider the relationship between social media, history-telling, and museums. To help us understand the role social media has played in shaping how we consume history, we speak to Chris Barany – founder and administrator of the Vintage St. Catharines Facebook group. We'll chat with Chris about the intricacies of running a community-driven, history-focused Facebook.

VMLS via Podcast – Marking Time

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2022


Today's lecture features Supervisor of Historical Services and Curator Kathleen Powell with a discussion of 'Marking Time' an exhibit that was on display here at the Museum, which featured textiles and fashion from the Museum's collection which help to mark life's significant milestones. It's a bit more visual than our some of the other lectures, so visit our YouTube Play list to watch the lecture in-full.

VMLS via Podcast – the Howe Report

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2022


Today's lecture, presented by Adrian Petry and Sara Nixon, explores the lives of Freedom Seekers as they settled in St. Catharines from their journeys on the Underground Railroad as recorded by Samuel Gridley Howe on behalf of the United States Congress Freedman's Inquiry Commission in 1863. This lecture was originally presented on November 24, 2020.

VMLS via Podcast – Lost and Forgotten: the Third Welland Canal

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2022


Today's lecture explores the hidden history of the Third Welland Canal. As one of the first major infrastructure projects following Confederation, the canal was a huge success but today is mostly forgotten. Please enjoy “Lost and Forgotten: the Third Welland Canal” originally presented on October 27, 2020.

VMLS via Podcast – Ontario’s Racially Segregated Schools

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2022


Today's lecture features a very special guest. We were thrilled to welcome Natasha Henry, PhD candidate at York University and President of the Ontario Black History Society. Natasha's lecture on racially segregated schools in Ontario was fascinating and we think you'll really enjoy it. This lecture was originally produced on October 13, 2020.

VMLS via Podcast – Where They Walk: the Making of the Annual Guided Spirit Walks at Victoria Lawn Cemetery

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2022


Today's lecture features Adrian Petry, visitor services coordinator here at the Museum. In this presentation, he looks at the research that goes into creating our annual Guided Spirit Walks at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, and how dark tourism like ghost walks have influenced the practice public history and the public's imagination of historical personalities.

VMLS via Podcast – Stones and Symbols at Victoria Lawn Cemetery

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2022


Today's lecture features special guest Dr. Adam Montgomery, one of the most recognized historians on cemetery history today. Dr. Montgomery shared the history of Victoria Lawn Cemetery in a lecture titled ‘Stones and Symbols of Victoria Lawn Cemetery'. This lecture was originally presented on September 15, 2020. Enjoy the lecture.

VMLS via Podcast – Lost and Historic Architecture of St. Catharines

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021


This next lecture will wrap up our VMLS podcast for 2021 just as the lecture itself wrapped up our first lecture series in the spring of 2020. ‘Lost and Historic Architectures' was presented by yours truly on June 23, 2020. After this, we'll be taking a little break but we'll back with more lectures in January 2022, so stay tuned, and as always, enjoy the lecture.

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