King Heritage & Cultural Centre facts for kids

King Heritage & Cultural Centre

Established	1979 (1979)
Location	King City, Ontario, Canada
Type	Municipal museum
Key holdings	Artifacts associated with township history
Collection size	1800
Owner	King Township

The King Heritage & Cultural Centre is a cool place in King City, Ontario, Canada. It's a museum that tells the story of the King Township area. You can find it at 2920 King Road.

This museum has had a few names over the years! It started as the Kinghorn Museum. Then, in 2000, the local government took over running it, and it became the King Township Museum. In 2014, it got its current name, the King Heritage & Cultural Centre. It's now managed by the King Township Community Services Department.

The museum works with big groups like the Canadian Museums Association (CMA). It also connects with the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) and the Virtual Museum of Canada.

At the King Heritage & Cultural Centre, you'll find lots of interesting things. It's home to the King Township Historical Society and Arts Society King. It also keeps important local records in its archives. There are two special rooms for exhibits, a hall for performances, and four old buildings you can explore.

Exploring the Museum Grounds

The main building of the museum was once a school! It was built in 1861 as the Kinghorn School SS #23. It was updated in 1958 and again in 1963. The township bought the building in 1978. The King Township Historical Society started the museum there in 1979, and it opened its doors in 1982.

For many years, volunteers ran the museum. But in 2001, the township government took over. They set up a special board to manage the museum.

In 2012, a new part was added to the building. It was about 749 square feet (70 square meters). This new space can be used for talks or lectures, holding about 60 to 80 people.

Historic Buildings and Sites

The museum sits on a 2.5-acre property with several important old buildings.

King Station: A Railway History

One of the coolest buildings is King Station. It was moved to the museum grounds in 1989. This was the original train station for Springhill, which is now King City. It's thought to be the oldest train station still standing in Canada! It was built in 1852 by the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway. Passengers first used it in 1853.

When the museum got the station, it was in rough shape. But they worked hard to fix it up. It's now painted a cream yellow with green trim. This station is the only one left from the original Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway buildings.

King Christian Church: A Place of Worship

Another historic building is the King Christian Church. Local people, including Quaker and Loyalist families, built it in 1851. It was renamed the King Emmanuel Baptist Church in 1931. It closed permanently in 1978. In 1982, it was moved from its first spot to the museum grounds.

Laskay Hall in 2017, before it was moved to the museum grounds

Laskay Hall: A Community Hub

In August 2017, Laskay Hall also moved to the museum site from its original location in Laskay. This building is used for many fun cultural activities. These include art, music, dance, and theatre programs. It's also a place for events for Laskay residents and a space for performing arts. It's an extra exhibit for the museum too!

The Holland Marsh Dredge

The museum also has a large machine called a dredge. It was built in the 1970s. This dredge was used to clear the canals of the Holland Marsh until the 1990s. The museum got it in 2001.

Collections and Fun Programs

The museum has over 1,800 items in its collection. These items tell the story of the township's history. You can see old books, clothing, tools, and other household items.

The King Heritage & Cultural Centre offers many fun programs for kids. They have March break and summer camps. In 2006, they started an Art Camp and a Puppet Theatre Camp. Since 2006, the museum has also hosted Music at the Museum. This is a weekly concert that shows off local musical talent.

The museum also displays artwork by artists from the local area.

Exciting Events at the Museum

The museum holds several events every year. These include a big trunk sale and a fundraising antique appraisal. They also have a barbecue to thank their volunteers. The Nobleton and King City Horticultural Society hosts a garden tea there at the start of summer.

The museum takes part in Doors Open Canada, where you can explore buildings usually closed to the public. It also joins the Arts Society of King studio tour. Plus, they host special Christmas and Halloween celebrations!

The old church building can even be rented for small weddings.

The museum has also hosted unique events. One time, they had a reenactment of the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. This event followed the path of the rebels from Lloydtown to Toronto.

More About the Museum

A famous person linked to the museum is Walter Rolling. He taught at the schoolhouse for over 40 years. The school started as just one room but was made bigger later. In the late 1970s, this school became what is now the King Heritage & Cultural Centre.

In 2012, the museum board started a plan for the next 5-10 years. They wanted to make the museum easier to get around for everyone. They also planned to have longer opening hours.

The museum received a large gift of $400,000 CAD in late 2011.