Some early settlers to this area include Charles Rubidge & Thomas and Francis Stewart. Thomas Stewart was granted 1,200 acres in the backwoods near Peterborough, along the Otonabee River in Douro Township. The Stewart family moved into their new home, after 3 months of travel in February 1823, and proceeded to raise 11 children.  This museum case holds many artifacts discovered in the root cellar of the Stewart’s home during an excavation in 1973.

These artifacts of the Battle of Waterloo are souvenirs belonging to Thomas Stewart after tour of Europe in 1815. The Breast plate and back plate in the museum collection have since been 3D scanned and cast by Research Casting International as a replica to be loaned to other museums.