Welcome to the Elgin Historical Society website.

We are looking forward to a year of exploring aspects of the County’s past and sharing them with the general public. Our focus this year is the War of 1812, which saw the area’s fragile settlements reduced to smoldering ruins. An excellent guide to the devastation of the McArthur Raids and others in the last year of the war is Glenn Stott’s new book Taken and Destroyed which lists all the losses experienced by settlers in the London and Western Districts. It is available from the printer at globalgenealogy.com. Many museums and societies are planning events and activities for 1812 which we plan to preview at our March 28th meeting.

Other meetings planned for 2012 include a talk on the archaeological collections, local sports history and architect J. T. Findlay, designer of many homes and institutions in the 1920-1940 period. In June we will travel to Annandale House NHS.

We continue to bring Elgin history to the public. To reach the widest audience we are initiating new projects to restore historic documents, and present them in digital form. Volunteers are always needed for this ongoing project. Our history needs you.

Mike Baker

President, Elgin Historical Society

Calendar of Events