Exhibits
Lavern Irving Gallery
The township of Norwich was first settled in 1810 by Quaker pioneers Peter Lossing and Peter DeLong. Together, these men purchased 15,000 acres of land from a Mr. Wilcox of York (Toronto). Peter Lossing, Peter DeLong and other Quaker families such as the Stovers, Sackriders, Motts, and Cornwells emmigrated from their homes in Dutchess County, New York, to Norwich Township between 1810 and 1812.
By 1837, Norwich had been well settled and was a thriving agricultural community. Civil discontent regarding British rule at this time, particularly their methods of land distribution and their inaction to correct early surveying mistakes, led many in Norwich to rebel. As a result of their involvement in the Rebellion of 1837, individuals such as Solomom Lossing were arrested and others such as Daniel Bedford were hanged.Despite this setback, Norwich continued to grow and by the late 1800s was one of the most prominent communities in Oxford County. Transportation improvements such as the arrival of the railway in 1875, and communication improvements such as the establishment of a telephone exchange in 1887, aided this development.
While Norwich was still predominately an agricultural community, businesses such as John Tidey's drug store, opened in 1855, allowed Norwich to thrive as a centre for commerce. Infrastructural improvements, such as better roads and a railway system, brought people and goods from the previously 'distant' places of London, Brantford and the United States. General stores and post offices became popular meeting places for friends and neighbours.
The Blacksmith Shop
| The blacksmith was a staple to all early nineteenth century communities. The blacksmith's duties were varied and included shoeing horses, forging tools, ranging from pots to saws, and repairing well-worn wagons. |  |
Dairy Barn
Since the 1850's, Norwich and the surrounding area has been well-known for our involvement in the dairy industry, namely that of cheese production. In those days every small community had a cheese factory, including Norwich with three factories, Burgessville, Holbrooke, and Otterville. As a matter of fact, in the 1851 census, it was noted that cheese production in Norwich stood at 112,543 lbs. of cheese per year. By 1864, Oxford County was producing half a million lbs. of cheese a year which was about three times the production of any other country at that time. While the dairy industry has changed significantly since the 1850's, it still continues to play an important role in our community.
Agricultural Barn
Norwich's involvement in the agricultural industry began with the arrival of the early pioneers in 1810. In the beginning, farming was difficult and involved plowing around a maze of stumps, the remnants of a newly felled forest. Some of the early crops grown included wheat, corn, oats, peas, and barley. In addition to milch cows, sheep, hogs and horses were also raised. Apples became a popular staple of the Norwich agricultural industry, and in fact Allen's apple juice was once located here. The agricultural industry continues to thrive in this area with many of the crops first planted in Norwich still being produced today, such as corn and wheat.
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