Siblings Susanna, Catharine and Samuel Strickland emigrated to the Peterborough area at different times and were among the first English settlers in Upper Canada's backwoods. They are known primarily for their writing about their experience living here. Catharine had a strong love of nature and spent much of her time exploring Canada’s wilderness, studying the plants and animals. In 1891 she created an herbarium. This botany album consists of mounted ferns, grasses, moss and flower specimens. It is extraordinarily rare to find an intact album by Catherine Parr Traill of this size (a full 51 pages). This album is housed in our Archival collection and in 1999 the herbarium was designated as Canadian Cultural Property of outstanding significance and national importance.

In 1827, in recognition of Peter Robinson and his efforts to bring settlers to the area, Scott’s Plains was given a new name. At the suggestion of early settler Frances Stewart, the area was renamed Peterborough and on January 1, 1850, Peterborough was officially incorporated as a town. At this time, Peterborough changed quickly from backwoods to boomtown. This increasing growth brought opportunities and challenges for the diverse populations of new immigrants and First Nations.

The First Nation's traditional way of life depended on their ability to move freely across the land, as the four seasons often dictated their hunting, fishing and gathering patterns. However, Europeans saw this as "uncivilized". They pressured the First Nations to settle in one area and adopt European housing, farming techniques and religion. With immigrants clearing the forest and damming the waterways, the First Nations had little choice but to move to reserves.

Unlike other settlers who came to Canada, the Robinson settlers received government assistance. This included land, one year's provisions, tools, seed potatoes, and corn to begin their new life here. In this exhibit you can see examples of the variety of tools and supplies that the new settlers would have been equipped with. Their first task would have been to begin clearing the land and construct a simple dwelling such as this log cabin. An early settlers cabin would have been larger than this display by only one meter in length and width. In such a small space, multifunctionality was important! This settle bench was a space saver. It converted from a bed at night time to a bench during the day. A bed of this size would have accommodated 2-3 people. Over the cooking fire is a three legged cast iron pan, which would have served as an all purpose stove top. In a small space with very few windows and an open cook fire, the temperature would have been uncomfortably warm!

At the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815, the economy in Ireland collapsed, and the country was pushed into a recession. Poverty, famine, and high unemployment became commonplace. The British Government decided to send these impoverished Irish farmers to the under populated Newcastle District (today's Peterborough) to give them a new start. Peter Robinson had a knowledge of the backwoods and many political connections. He was quickly hired as the man to recruit new immigrants and settle the land.

Attention, Attention: If you are under 45 years of age, are sound of body, hardworking and able, come to the New World, where there is land and food in abundance and a future that is your for the taking!

If you were under 45 years of age, healthy and able to work, you could apply to emigrate. While over 50,000 applied to come, only 2300 people were selected. They were looking forward to a brighter future in Canada, but it wouldn’t be easy. The voyage ahead of them would be 30-40 days before they would see the coast of Newfoundland. Then it would be an additional month of travelling down the St. Lawrence, across the north shore of Lake Ontario, and north to Peterborough. The berths were small and cramped and smelled of cleaning vinegar and the lime juice that was used to help calm stomachs. While you were encouraged to get fresh air daily on the decks of the ship, and many contracted small pox despite being immunized.

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.

At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, members of the upper middle class in England and Ireland emigrated to Canada. For some, land grants were given for wartime achievements, or in lieu of half-pay pensions. Others craved the adventure, but many more were victims of a post-war depression economy.

The first recorded settler to move to this area was Adam Scott, a millwright of Edinburgh, Scotland. Scott built a lumber mill near what is today the corner of Water and King St. and later added a distillery. Many islands in the Otonabee river were actually created from sawdust deposits from the mill. As a result, this area was known for a time as Scott’s Mills or Scott’s Plains. Here on display are a variety of tools that would have been used in Adam Scott’s era.

In 1818, Treaty 20 was signed between the British Crown and the Anishinaabeg. This treaty allowed for the first settlers to arrive in Peterborough. Treaty 20 stated that in exchange for a payment of 740 pounds a year, the equivalent of $3000 at the time, they would surrender almost 2 million acres of land to the Crown for settlement. Yet, many of the settlers largely ignored the verbal negotiations that were agreed upon through the signing of the treaty.

In time the Anishinaabeg gave up their land because their population was desperately sick, and used the money from the treaty to purchase food, medicine, and blankets.

When the Europeans first arrived, they found the North American environment to be harsh. The First Nations people helped these newcomers, sharing their knowledge about hunting as well as trade and travel routes. The relationship was positive in the beginning and even military alliances and intermarriages took place.

In 1763, a Royal Proclamation was issued by the British Government that pledged no First Nations were to be disturbed unless a treaty was made wherein they would give up their land in exchange for compensation.

In 1812, a conflict arose between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain. During this particular time, the Haudenosaunee were being driven from their traditional territory, and in order to seek protection, they joined alliances with the British. Through their effort in the war, the Haudenosaunee were granted refugee within lower Canada, and were given parcels of land in which they could reside. These parcels of land include the territory of the Six Nations of the Grand River, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Wahta Mohawk Territory, and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.

Today, the Anishinaabeg people are one of the most widespread of any group of North America’s first peoples, with reservations and communities throughout three Canadian provinces and five American states. The shared history of the local Anishinaabeg and those who have immigrated to the area make Peterborough what it is today. Communities in Alderville First Nation, Chippewas of Beausoleil First Nation, Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, Hiawatha First Nation and Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, are growing and vibrant. These First Nations are commonly known as the Williams Treaty Nations. The people of today owe much to the ingenuity, resourcefulness and generosity of their Anishinaabeg neighbours.