Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society

06/02/2026

Calling all history detectives: A 1940s mystery has just landed on our desk!

This stunning photograph was rescued from an auction lot, and we’re dying to know the story behind it. The back gives us a classic 1940s lead: "Dad, Pete, James, John and Mother" - taken right here in 1940 at a house on the 6th Concession, East Flamborough Township.

With those sharp uniforms and that stoic look, this family is clearly a piece of our local wartime puzzle. Do you recognize them? Could these folk be a missing chapter in our community's history? Drop your leads below and help us give this family their name back!

Thanks to Abby for sending this our way.

05/31/2026

What a phenomenal kickoff to the Museum Summer Series yesterday! It was wonderful connecting with over 100 history lovers right here in our community.

Clear your calendars for what's coming next:

📍 RED Day: Join us this coming Friday, June 5th!
📍 Museum Series, Part 2: We’ll be back with even more on Saturday, June 27th!

Thanks to the Waterdown Museum of Hope for hosting a stellar launch.

See you all on Friday!

05/30/2026

☀️ Market Saturday is here! We are all set up inside the Waterdown Legion for today’s Farmer’s Market. Drop by the Flamborough Archives & Heritage Society table to browse our local history books, check out our new vintage photo display featuring before and afters of Flamborough, or just chat about our community's roots. We’d love to see you!

05/24/2026

A beautiful tribute to a hidden gem in our community! 🌳🪦

The Flamborough Today feature on the historic Millgrove Cemetery perfectly highlights the incredible power of volunteer-led preservation. Managed and maintained not by the city, but by dedicated volunteers. Cemetery Manager Ron Service and the volunteer board have done a phenomenal job maintaining these four acres as a pristine, park-like sanctuary and a living link to our area’s earliest pioneer families.

Independent, community-driven spaces like this are a rarity, and they remind us that protecting our heritage truly takes a village.

🗓️ Mark your calendars:
Millgrove Cemetery will be hosting its annual Decoration Day on Sunday, June 14th. It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit the beautiful grounds, show your support, and ensure this historic resting place thrives for generations to come.

Read the full story by Kathy Yanchus at Flamborough Today, the source of our screenshot.

05/16/2026

✨ Spotlight on Our Team!

We are thrilled to share this morning's Flamborough Today profile featuring our very own Vice President and Social Media Manager, Meghan Martin!

Meghan has been a driving force behind our mission to bring Flamborough’s incredible archives into the digital space, making history accessible, interactive, and relevant for a whole new generation of residents. From digital mapping to recent heritage preservation, she's ensuring our past has a vibrant future.

We are incredibly proud to have her leading the charge. Read her story at Flamborough Today, and find out how you can get involved with our volunteer team at our website.

05/16/2026

🍺 Long Weekend Nostalgia from the Flamborough Archives!

With the May Two-Four long weekend here, many of us are stocking up for backyard barbecues. But how did we do it decades ago?

If you remember standing in a drafty building, pointing at a backlit display, and waiting for your beer to slide out of a hidden back room on a roller track, you need to read this week's Flamborough Today column by our Archivist, Lyn!

Lyn dove into the mid-to-late 20th-century history of local commerce in the village. She beautifully captured the sights and sounds of the old setup - from placing your order with the cashier to the magic moment your case rumbled out on the roller conveyor belt. We love seeing our archives bring the 70s, 80s, and 90s to life!

Let’s settle a long-weekend debate: What was your go-to brand on the wall back in the day?

Check out the full article over at Flamborough Today! Image sourced from Old Ontario Series on Facebook.

05/15/2026

Flashback to 1987! 🏗️

Take a look at these construction beginnings for the Weeks Home Hardware we know so well today. It’s hard to imagine Hamilton Street without it!

As they celebrate 100 years serving the area this weekend, we want to know: What’s your oldest memory of shopping at Weeks? Whether it was at the current location or back on Mill Street, they’ve been part of the family for generations.

05/11/2026

Heritage Hound: Annual Report & Field Note Update 🐾📜

Marshall is feeling quite proper! He traded his muddy field paws for a polished desktop this month and is honored that his portrait was included in the Society's Annual Report. He’s taking his research very seriously, but we think he’s mostly keeping an eye on the treats just out of frame. (He’s not so sure about the "Report," but he loves a good scent!)

The Field Note: Marshall is consulting an 1850 map of Principal Communications in Canada West, a part our archival map collection, to find hidden history. Our incredible maps are a treasure trove for local researchers, and even though they show old property lines, not hidden treats, they are the foundation for any good historical detective work.

The Question: Is there a location or mystery on your old family property maps that has you stumped? We are looking for inspiration for Marshall’s next major outing. Drop a screenshot of an old map detail, or simply tell us the address you'd like us to investigate, and we’ll see if the Heritage Hound can sniff it out! 👇

05/10/2026

Who remembers the 1998 "Soft Launch"? 🍦

While many remember the original 1956 location, a lot of us grew up with the "Brazier" era and the move to the current Dundas St. E. spot in 1998.

Did you know the Waterdown DQ has been family-run by the DiLucas and Jayne Scala since the early '90s? Beyond the ice cream, they've become a massive part of our local heritage through decades of support for McMaster Children’s Hospital.

What’s your era of the Waterdown DQ? Are you a classic 1960s sundae fan or a 90s Blizzard regular?

05/01/2026

Walking the line between past and present! 🎨🏛

This weekend's Jane's Walk is a fantastic opportunity to explore the downtown core through the lens of the Heritage Art Walk project. We love seeing our local history shared through public art and storytelling.

Whether you're a long-time resident or a newcomer, there's always a new detail to discover about the community we call home. Pre-registration is encouraged. See the link at the original post to join in!

Put some spring in your step and join us for a ‘Jane’s Walk’ on Saturday, May 1 or Sunday May 2. Jane Jacobs was a writer, urbanist and local activist who was a huge proponent of getting to know your community from the foot up. This informal walk will give participants a chance to meet neighbours and learn about the downtown area. Chat, stroll, enjoy public art and hear stories connected by the Heritage Art Walk project. Pre-registration is encouraged.

https://waterdownvillage.ca/event/janes-walk/2026-05-02/

This event is weather permitting.