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Meetings
Cobourg and District Historical Society Meetings are held every month except May, June, July, August and December. Meetings are held in the Citizen's Forum in Victoria Hall on the fourth Tuesday in the Month. Meetings start at 7:30pm but coffee and cookies are available starting at 7:00pm. Meetings are $5 for non-members and free for members of the society and students.
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Cobourg and District Historical Society
Mission
The Cobourg and District Historical Society promotes interest in the history of Cobourg and district and beyond, encourages the preservation of historical, archaeological and architectural heritage through meetings featuring speakers, the publication of presentations and organizing and participating in special events.
Meetings
Monthly meetings are held in the Citizens' Forum, Victoria Hall on the fourth Tuesday from September to May, excluding December. The doors open at 7:00pm and people enjoy this opportunity to socialize before the meeting convenes at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are free for members of the society and students.
Programmes include topics of local interest e.g. The American Summer Colony, Cobourg-Rochester ferries as well as subjects of more general interest e.g. The Barnardo Children or Preserving Your Family Archives. An annual dinner or bus trip is held alternately in May.
For more about the Cobourg and District Historical Society, go here.
Major James Morrow Walsh
- Details
On Tuesday, September 25, we will welcome back Brian Porter for another outstanding presentation. Last October Brian and his wife excited our members with a re-creation of a speech by Sir John A. MacDonald. This time Brian will wear an original 1873 Northwest Mounted Police uniform and provide insights into the life and times of Major James Morrow Walsh.
Born in Prescott, Ontario, Major Walsh was one of the original nine officers of the NWMP set up by Sir John A. Macdonald in 1873. He endured the Great March West in 1874 and set up Fort Walsh in the Cypress Hills in 1875. His real claim to fame was meeting and befriending Sioux Chief Sitting Bull in 1877, when thousands of Sioux came to Canada after the defeat of Lt. Col. Custer. Walsh's headquarters became the Wood Mountain post, among Sitting Bull and 5,000 Sioux. During this time, Walsh was famous in the American press as "Sitting Bull's Boss". In reality Walsh was unable to fulfill his orders to convince Sitting Bull to return to the United States. The Canadian government decided that Walsh's friendship with Sitting Bull was an obstacle to the Sioux's return to the United States and in 1880 he was transferred to Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. Soon after his transfer he took health leave and returned to Ontario. He reluctantly resigned his commission three years later.
Join us for Brian's presentation on Tuesday, September 25, at Victoria Hall. Doors open at 7:00 pm for coffee and cookies before the meeting begins at 7:30 pm. Admission, including refreshments, is free for members and $5 for non-members. Annual membership is $25 for individuals and $30 for a family. All are welcome so bring a friend or two!