Vacations in 19th- and 20th-Century Portland and the Rideau Lakes
During a period of industrialization in the mid-19th century, Canadians began to move off the farm and into larger towns and cities. But this urbanization made city-dwellers long for nature and the wilderness experience. And with spare time, a bit of money and better transportation options, vacations became a possibility for the urban middle class. This film looks at the emergence of the concept of the middle class vacation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the significance to Portland and Big Rideau Lake. Portland made the transition from being a commercial centre to a hopping hub of recreation. This seamless transition, and the popularization of owner-operated motorboats, undoubtedly played a significant role in the continued use and preservation of the Rideau Canal.

Yours Truly, Clifford Pennock
In early 20th century Elgin Ontario, Clifford Pennock was a much beloved figure in his community. But he is also remembered today for his photographs. Using a handheld camera and glass-plate technology, he left a vast collection of images, both as an amateur and a professional photographer. He practiced at a time when camera technology was changing rapidly, and there was a great debate over what made a photograph an “artwork.” So, was Pennock a Pictorialist, a Documentarian, or a Realist photographer?

Taverns and Their Keepers
During the early settlement of the area that becomes the Township of Rideau Lakes, travel is difficult and people depend on taverns for shelter, as they travel through the wilderness. Taverns are also important gathering places for local community members. But, as sites with significant drinking, taverns often experience violence, giving rise to the Temperance Movement and then Prohibition.

The Rideau Canal:  The Big Breakthrough
The construction of the Rideau Canal cost a great deal, not only in terms of money, but also in lives and time. Colonel John By's use of the Slackwater design helped reduce these costs and saved lives - the Big Breakthrough.

Fettercairn:  WWI on Indian Lake
On Indian Lake, just north of Chaffeys Lock, in the Township of Rideau Lakes, is an island that came to have a hospital for returning soldiers from WWI -- The Great War. These soldiers suffered from PTSD, which at the time was called Shell Shock. Called Fettercairn, the hospital was established in the family cottage owned Agnes Etherington (nee Richardson).

Beverley Riots and a Death in Philipsville
In the years leading up to the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion, the villages of Beverley (now Delta) and Philipsville were the sites of election violence that shocked Upper Canada. Electoral manipulation by the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada resulted in fighting between Tories and Reformers, and a death in Philipsville.