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Historic Park House Museum
214 Dalhousie Street
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, N9V 1W4
Telephone: 519-736-2511 Fax: 519-736-2511
Collection: Collection on display is mainly 1850s furnishings, dishes,
etc.. Other artifacts in collection are significant to the community, up to 1950.
Genealogical records and small library concerning local history. |
Hours of Operations:
June 1 - Aug. 3, 11am - 5pm
Sept.1 - May 31 11am Tue.-Fri & Sun |
Activities: Costumed interpretive
tours. Group tours with hands-on activities, and workshops on tinsmithing and herbs
available. |
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The House & It's History |
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Park House is an early example of
French frame log construction and is said to have been in the 1790's at the mouth of the
Rouge River in Detroit. |
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When Detroit was
ceded to the United States, the owners of Park House decided to
dismantle the building and float it down the Detroit River to Amherstburg.
The house is named for the
Park family who ran a general merchandising company which was heavily involved with Great
Lakes shipping and Atlantic crossings to England.
Today the Park House is a year round museum catering to the needs of visiting school
children, seniors and the general public. As well as being an interesting and
informative place to visit, the Park House Museum also fills the function of Amherstburg's
community museum storing and displaying items of interest and importance to the area. |
Group Tours |
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Park House
specializes in school and seniors tours. Here the groups get a thorough look at life
during the mid 1800's.
They also do
hands-on activities such as spinning, weaving and candle making. These activities
make for a unique experience to be remembered for years to come.
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Set programs are available and custom tours
can be arranged for special interest groups. During the summer months the pensioners
cottage is open to the public where tinsmithing is demonstrated. |
Herb Garden |
| The herb garden
located at the front of the house is part of Amherstburg Garden Tour Weekend which happens
in May. The herbs are grown
for medicinal, aromatic and culinary purposes just as they would have been in the 1800's. The house has a drying room where
the herbs can be stored. Fresh culinary herbs are for sale when available. |
Tinsmithing |
| Tinsmithing is a unique craft that is slowly fading away. Here in
Amherstburg this trade is thriving. Park House employs a full-time tinsmith whose
job it is to create accurate reproductions. Museums, re-enactors, archivists and the film industry use his skills to
create pieces for ongoing exhibits and projects. Custom work has been supplied all
across Canada, the USA and as far away as England.
There is a volunteer force who
demonstrate and exhibit tinware off site at trade shows and special events. The
volunteers meet weekly on Monday nights for a workshop where they acquire new skills and
hone existing ones. |
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