There are no mice, but there certainly are a lot of clocks at the Carnegie Library here.
The Harriston Historical Society room is once again open after a hiatus of six months due to flooding and has been completely revamped with different exhibits. The society’s archives, records, pictures and small artifacts display area is formally known as the John Webb Room (named after one of the first recorded pioneer families of the region) located in the Harriston Branch of the Wellington County Library.
Located on the third floor, and elevator accessible, the room is now literally filled with clocks. As of June 1 there were 163 timepieces displayed around the walls, on shelves and in antique glass cabinets. The collection came together with the help of interested citizens. It was interesting to note many households still have at least one heritage clock and usually there’s a story behind it. Many were wedding gifts to grand or great-grand parents. Several were the old clocks from the rural one-room school house days. One particular cute story concerning a beautiful wooden shelf clock with pillars and gold trim, tells of a lady who saw the clock in the window of an antique dealer. She enquired about it but found it just a little more than she thought she’d pay for something she liked but didn’t really need. During supper the woman told her husband about it, describing it as totally unique and really, “so ugly it was pretty.”
A couple of weeks later while her sister was visiting she took her to the antique store to see the clock. It wasn’t in the window. The women couldn’t find it anywhere in the store, and finally after approaching the owner she learned it had been sold. She was very disappointed.
A few months later she unwrapped her husband’s Christmas gift – and there was her clock.
The timepieces on display are wooden, metal and plastic, and range from 200 years old up to modern works. There are bells and whistles, chimes, bird calls and even a talking clock. Pendulums swing freely although many of the antique items have stopped working. One very unusual item is an ornate fabric covered ostrich egg with a hinged back revealing paintings on the inside.
The display will be on view for the next few months, along with many family histories, a railroad display, a gathering of local churches’ artifacts, many souvenir pieces of Harriston and area memorabilia and record books of former businesses.
Also on the top floor of the library is the three-room gallery of the Minto Arts Council. It will hold artwork from students of Norwell District Secondary School for the next few weeks.
During July and August the Historical Society will be using those same rooms to showcase records and memorabilia from the former rural public schools.
Normal historical room hours are Tuesdays 1 to 4:30pm and 6:30 to 8pm, Saturdays 11am to 3pm; however, additional hours are contemplated for the summer and may be determined by calling 519- 338-2813 or 519-338-3211 for a listing or to make an appointment.
