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Black Creek Pioneer Village: Torontos Living History Village is a recreation of a typical crossroads community found in Southern Ontario during the 1800s. Nestled on 56 acres of tranquility, the village is a step-back-in-time, a respite from the towering buildings and bustling traffic of the 21st century. Here, visitors discover the joys and daily realities of living in early Ontario. Here at the village, the sights, sounds and smells are tangible reminders of our past. Meet the blacksmith, the tinsmith, the weaver, the miller, the printer .... Meet the people who "live" at Black Creek and bring our yesteryears to life.

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Birds of the Cottage Country is a virtual storybook account of the authors personalized observations throughout Ontarios cottage playground. It clearly illustrates the downright fun, vast beauty, and consuming involvement of bird watching even for the most skeptical of laymen.

Bill Mansells daily experiences at birding, spread over a period of sixty-five years, result in such a familiarity with his subject that the reader is drawn as a participant into a delicately beautiful intimacy with avian nature.

Birds of the Cottage Country will be read by some solely for its humour and humanistic style; yet serious birdwatchers will also find it a refreshingly new guide and reference tool.

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William C. Mansell, William Blair Mansell, Sheila Smith

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This extensive and long overdue work of reference covers all of the bird species, more than 400 of which have been recorded in the province of Ontario. Birds of Ontario contains an identification and description of all species, with 344 outstanding colour plates. Anyone with even a casual interest in birds will find the colour plates and informative text of considerable interest. This volume contains a list of all the birds identified in Ontario up to the end of 1983, with the common and scientific names given by the American Ornithologists Union 1983 Check-list as arranged in that work.

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Rich colours and arresting designs capture the mood of celebration and joy that characterizes this photographic record of contemporary religious works of art. Chosen for their excellence in design and stitchery, these works represent the achievements of artists who have created art, in fabric, for places of worship. This book celebrates this important artistic expression, a significant part of our heritage.

Pieces are selected from communities across Canada: from a small parish on a Micmac reserve in Nova Scotia to a large urban synagogue in Vancouver; from the igloo-shaped cathedral in Iqaluit to a suburban church nestled beside a wildlife march in southwestern Ontario.

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Joan Pringle, Helen Bradfield, Judy Ridout

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The Story of James Evans and the Invention of the Cree Syllabary Alphabet

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In 1842 at York Factory, the English-born missionary James Evans built a lightweight tin canoe that glittered and shone in the sunlight. Wherever he went, Native peoples called the canoe his "Shining Island" or "His Island of Light."

Travels in the Shining Island chronicles important events in the life of the extraordinary Methodist missionary, James Evans (1801-1846). It was Evans who created a written alphabet in native languages that remains in use to the present time. Truly the first printer/publisher in the Canadian Northwest, his story is one of incredible courage, perseverance and unwavering faith.

"Using clay, lead and hand-carved wood to make characters, and soot, oil and animal blood for ink, he created a unique literary tradition that has become a central part of Northern Aboriginal culture."

- Queens Quarterly

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An Illustrated Introduction to Loyalist Ontario

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As She Began, an illustrated introduction to Loyalist Ontario, provides a general guide to the most crucial period in Ontarios history, 1775 to 1800, when thousands of refugees from the American Revolution streamed into the land between the lakes, giving Ontario its geographic shape and political destiny.

Concentrating on the personal and social aspect of the loyalist migration, Bruce Wilson looks at the origins, the background, the motives, and the later successes of the men and women who were on the losing side of a civil war and were forced to start life over again in a wilderness.

As She Began is lavishly illustrated with maps and over 50 contemporary sketches and paintings from many different collections.

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Set at the turn of the twentieth century and spread across the enormous canvas of Russia itself, Another Winter, Another Spring is a tale of love and loyalty tested against great hardship and suffering.

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The Almaguin Highlands, an extensive territory covering a 90 km corridor from Huntsville, north to Callander, west to Dunchurch and east to the Algonquin Park border, is a land rich with lakes, rivers and a lively history. Once considered as a possibility for a government Indian Reserve in the early 1800s, Almaguin became a centre for lumbering and ultimately a year-round mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.

Almaguin: A Highland History offers a wide range of stories from the opening of the area by colonization roads to the first vessels on the Magnetawan River and the courage of the early pioneers. Included are community histories of the many towns, villages and ghost towns of today, profiles of colourful personalities, as well as interesting and amusing tales of these rugged early times.

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Algonquin Wildlife: Lessons in Survival is a celebration of the vast array of wildlife studies ongoing in Ontarios very first provincial park. Probably more research has been done in Algonquin than in any other protected landscape in the world.

Norm Quinn, long-time Park Management Biologist in Algonquin, has been fortunate to know and to work with many of those dedicated and unique wildlife researchers who roam and probe the forests and lakes in search of Natures secrets. His knowledge, experience and sense of humour combine to transform technical biological studies, on moose, wolves, fish and other creatures of the wild, into entertaining and inviting stories without losing the significance of the research.

This is also a book about Algonquin, Ontarios flagship Park and one of the foremost canoe-tripping wilderness sites in the world. Through Algonquin Wildlife, you are invited to explore this relatively unknown but vital part of the Parks heritage a must for both seasoned and budding naturalists.

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Norm Quinn, Cassandra Ward, Dan Strickland

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During World War II, thousands of Canadians left our country to fight for our Allies. Where they went and what they did has always been a question for some. Perhaps this book will give some answers. It deals with the experiences of an ordinary airman, a radio telephone operator, one of the many "ordinary people" who served their country in time of war. Ernest Monnon was a keen amateur photographer, who used to exchange his cigarettes for film and developing, and many of the pictures in the book are his.

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The Yonge Street as conceived by Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe is celebrated, from its beginning as a First Nations Trail, to the Yonge Street we know today, extending from Toronto to Innisfil. Augustus Jones, the surveyor assigned by Simcoe, the French, the German pioneers, the Loyalists all were to influence the building of Yonge Street. With the building of a route came tolls, inns, villages, more immigrants and ultimately an avenue of economy serving as the key transportation route for the people, goods and services that represent our province.

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Aberdeen Sailing Ships and the Emigrant Scots They Carried to Canada, 1774-1855

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The days when Aberdeens "fast sailing and copper-bottomed" ships carried emigrant Scots to Canada are brought to life in this fascinating account of the northern Scotland exodus during the sailing ship era. Taking readers through new and little-used documentary sources, Lucille H. Campey finds convincing evidence of good ships, sailed by experienced captains and managed by reputable people, thus challenging head on the perceived imagery of abominable sea passages in leaking old tubs. And by considering the significance of ship design and size, she opens a new window on our understanding of emigrant travel. Instead of concentrating on the extreme cases of suffering and mishaps, to be found in anecdotal material, Campeys approach is to identify all of the emigrant sea crossings to Canada made on Aberdeen sailing ships.

Observing the ships which collected passengers from the port of Aberdeen as well as those which collected emigrants at Highland ports, especially Cromarty and Thurso, Campey reveals the processes at work and the people who worked behind the scenes to provide the services. Her following of the emigrant Scots on to their New World destinations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Upper Canada provides us with an opportunity to see how events in Canada were influencing both the decision to emigrate and choice of location. These emigrant Scots succeeded, often after difficult beginnings, and would endow Canada with their rich traditions and culture which live on to this day.

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Often seen as a magical paradise at the end of the world, Bhutan is inaccessible to most travellers. Set against the dramatic scenery of the Himalaya, this beguiling memoir recalls hardships and happiness in a land almost untouched by the West.

When Britta Das goes to work as a physiotherapist in a remote village hospital, her good intentions are put to the test amid monsoons, fleas, and startling conditions. But as she visits homes in the mountains and learns the mysteries of Tantric Buddhism, the country captivates her very soul. Gaining insights into the traditions of the mystical kingdom, Britta makes friends, falls in love, and battles illness.

Throughout it all, as she writes, she worries about the "destructive nearness of technology" and fears that Bhutans charm and innocence may soon be lost. Still, Bhutan has endured for centuries, and there is no denying that the country has transformed her life forever.

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A Guide to Provincial Plaques in Ontario

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Since 1956 when Ontarios historical plaquing program was begun, more than 1,000 markers have been erected throughout the province.

The range of subjects commemorated is astonishing from mining rushes in northern Ontario to the invention of the socket-head screw ... from Harold Innis to Stephen Leacock ... from the typhus epidemic of 1847 to the discovery of insulin. Popular culture is also well represented: "Beautiful Joe" commemorates an internationally successful novel about a dog; "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" celebrates a famous romantic ballad; "Jumbo" marks the spot where a beloved circus elephant died.

The history of Ontario, like its geography and its people, is vast and varied. Whenever you drive the highways, hike the countryside, or stroll through your own neighbourhood, this book can be a guide.

There is much to discover.

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Its been said that without Harold A. Innis there could have been no Marshall McLuhan. Empire and Communications is one of Inniss most important contributions to the debate about how media influence the development of consciousness and societies. In this seminal text, he traces humanitys movement from the oral tradition of preliterate cultures to the electronic media of recent times. Along the way, he presents his own influential concepts of oral communication, time and space bias, and monopolies of knowledge.

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The first book to examine the various parliamentary maces, rods, badges, and chains of office used throughout Canada, Canadian Symbols of Authority details how these devices are used at every level of government, emphasizing how, like the Crown itself, they embody continuity in an ever-changing world.

Symbols of authority are not only emblems of democracy and authority but they are part of the diverse heraldic and artistic heritage of Canada. Despite Canadas rich symbolic and ceremonial heritage, little has been written about the nations various symbols of authority or the offices that are associated with them.

From the Great Maces of the Senate and House of Commons to the Chancellors Chain of the Order of Canada and Baton of the Chief Herald, the development of Canadas symbols of authority encompasses the past 250 years of Canadian history. Richly illustrated, this book is the most comprehensive study yet undertaken of the origins, history, and development of parliamentary maces.

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Christopher McCreery, Corinna Pike, Andrew Duke of York

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Newmarket, one of the oldest communities in Ontario, was founded on the Upper Canadian frontier in 1801 by Quakers from the United States. Fur traders, entrepreneurs, millers, and many others were soon to follow, some seeking independence, some seeking wealth, and some even seeking freedom from creditors. The community was at the heart of the 1837 Rebellion, found prosperity when a stop on the colonys first railway, and has sent military personnel to every war in Canadas history since the War of 1812. Once a terminal on the street railway from Toronto to Lake Simcoe, Newmarket also bears the remnants of an aborted 19th-century barge canal. It was the seat of the York County government and today is the headquarters for the Region of York. Behind these events and many others that have shaped Newmarkets history are the people. Tradespeople, the core of the community, aspiring or experienced politicians including Family Compact members, rebels, war heroes, and even a frontier doctor who lived to the age of 118. Here are their stories, all illuminating the early history of Newmarket.

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Every object around us contains the history of all the people and places that brought it here. But rarely is that history explored. In this book, instead of breaking an object apart to reveal those stories, they are told by building the object a guitar named Storyteller from scratch.

The text and illustrations reveal the rich lives of the people, places, and projects that breathed life into it. The stories range from people who were pioneers in landscape restoration to those involved with automobile manufacturing. The places include the high arctic, tropical forests, and vertical cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment. The projects include stage plays, laser physics and the establishment of the first Canadian diamond mines. By bringing together these disparate stories in one musical instrument the book makes the argument that art, science, and history are part of everybodys life.

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Explore Ontarios forgotten rail lines and experience the legacy and lore of this the vital railway era of Ontarios history. At its peak between 1880 and the 1920s, Ontario was criss-crossed by more than 20,000 kilometres of rail trackage. Today, only a fraction remains. Yet trains once hauled everything from strawberries to grain, cans of milk and even eels. Villagers depended on trains to visit friends, attend weddings, to shop, and to go to school. They gathered on station platforms to await their mail or greet a long-lost relative. Holidayers packed their trunks and headed north for an extended summer day at their favorite resorts. Today, these are but a distant memory as most of Ontarios once essential transportation links lie abandoned and largely forgotten.

But perhaps not entirely many rights of way have become rail trails, and now witness hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and snowmobilers. Others sadly, lie overgrown and barely visible. Yet regardless of how one follows these early routes, one will find preserved stations, historic bridges, and railway era buildings, all of which recall this bygone era.

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Terry Boyle unveils the eccentric and bizarre in these mini-histories of Ontarios towns and cities: the imposter who ran the Rockwood Asylum in Kingston; Ian Flemings inspiration for James Bond; the Prince of Waless undignified crossing of Rice Lake; the tragic life of Joseph Brant; the man who advertised his wifes death before poisoning her; as well as Ontarios first bullfight and the answer to the question, "Why did so many lumberjacks sport beards?"

The colourful characters, Native legends, and incredible tales that make up our provinces fascinating past come alive in Hidden Ontario. From Bancroft, Baldoon, and Brighton to Timmins, Toronto, and Trenton, find out more about the Ontario you thought you knew.