Sharing an oral history

Welland Museum staff are hoping to fill in some missing pieces of the city’s history with the help of the community.

When museum staff began the museum’s rehousing project about two years ago they realized there was missing information about Welland’s history.

Acting archivist Katelynn Best said the project Windows to Our Community began as an attempt to fill in those missing pieces for the large Francophone community. Staff asked French Wellanders to send the museum stories of how their families came to live in the city.

Best said gathering the stories provides the community with important information about what influenced Welland’s development. Many families moved to Welland for jobs at factories, including Wabasso. Best said some moved to the city because they had family already living there.

After gathering stories from the Francophone community, Best said staff wanted to learn more about the other diverse cultures living in the city. Staff are asking anyone who has a long family history in Welland or has recently moved to the city to share their story.

Best said the museum would like to collect these oral histories from established families, as well as new residents because it gives historians a better idea of why people choose to move to a city.

“It’s nice to know why people are still moving here,” Best said.

Once staff have collected a wide variety of stories, they will associate stories to certain items on display. Best said there are photographs of factories and businesses that don’t have much information. By attributing a family’s story to a photo, it gives the photo more meaning and provides a unique perspective.

The stories will also be uploaded to the museum’s website for easy access.

Anyone wishing to share their story can fill out a form in either French or English at www.wellandmuseum.ca/getinvolved/. Residents can also visit the museum to fill out a form in person.

It’s nice to know why people are still moving here.” Acting archivist Katelynn Best