About Doon Heritage Village

Outside markets were easily accessible to much of rural Waterloo County in 1914. The Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific Railway systems connected small rural communities with the larger urban centres in the county and with destinations farther away, such as Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal. Train stations would have featured the latest in technology, including telegraph service (often called the "Victorian Internet"), electricity,  telephones, typewriters, and, of course, steam technology.

The Railway Station was originally located in Petersburg, Waterloo County. It was constructed in 1856. The original owner was the Grand Trunk Railway. Gift of Canadian National Railway, 1968.

Mennonites from Pennsylvania were among the first European settlers to come to Waterloo County, and they helped to make this area one of the most productive agricultural regions in Canada.

Old Order Mennonites wanted to stop the growing influence of the outside world on their daily lives.  Consequently, the Old Order Mennonites chose to hold fast to their religion and traditional rural ways.  The plain, unadorned interior of this house reflects their simple, unworldly approach to living.

The Shantz Barn, originally built in 1810, features a large drive floor and a mow, which would be used to store hay and straw. The rack-lifter (the circular disks mounted on the inside of the south wall) made it possible to lift the loaded hay rack high up into the air, allowing the farmer to pile the hay or straw into very tall mounds.

The Shuh Barn, like all bank barns, features an easily accessible upper level that was used to store feed, bedding, and machinery, and a lower level, which housed the livestock.

Wagon Drive Shed Built by Simeon Martin, 1969. Barns Originally located on the "Old Shuh Farm", Kitchener, Waterloo County. Gift of the County of Waterloo, 1957.

Waterloo County has a heritage steeped in the weaving tradition. By 1914, large-scale industry had taken over most of the textile production, though there were still a few independent weavers making a modest living using recycled household textiles to make rugs.

Originally located at the Thomson Family farm in Waterloo County. Constructed around 1845. Original owner, Jacob Z. Detweiler. Gift of the Swedenborgian Church in 1973.

The store was the focus of commercial and social activity in the community. With increased competition from larger urban centres and mail-order catalogues, the store owner's greatest advantage was the fact that he offered credit; Eaton's and other mail-order stores required cash payment only. The storekeeper also installed modern conveniences, such as an ice box, electricity, a gas pump, and a telephone in an attempt to better serve his customers.

Originally located in Delaware, Middlesex County. Constructed around 1830. Gift of A.R. Goudie, 1957.

Public parks with flower beds, natural vistas, gates and archways, gazebos and grandstands became commonplace at the turn of the last century. Named in honour of Queen Victoria (1819-1901), who celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1887 and her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

Recreated in 2009. Gift of the Friends of Waterloo Region Museum in honour of the village's 50th anniversary.

The harness maker focused on making, selling, and repairing horse harnesses and other horse-related goods. They would also make money repairing other leather goods such as shoes, skates, and luggage. 

Reproduced in 2016.

The tailor of 1914 offered both ready-made and custom-made clothing for men. In addition to tailoring, mending, cleaning, and pressing, he also sold bow ties, collars, hats, and underwear.

The main way of communicating in 1914 was by letter. It was possible to stay in touch for one cent for postcards and two cents for letters. Rural mail delivery was available, but village residents had to collect their mail at the Post Office each day.

Originally located at Wellesley, Waterloo County. It was constructed around 1870. Original owner, George Bellinger. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mattiussi, 1969.

This sawmill would have been powered by a steam engine. However, with the number of local trees large enough to be used for lumber declining by 1914, sawmills like this one were underused.

Originally located on the Bartholomew Property, Strasburg, Waterloo County. Gift of the Pannill Veneer Co., 1967.

Blacksmithing was a vital rural trade in the life of a small community and survived well into the 20th century. The blacksmith did general farrier work like shoeing horses, as well as repair work on ploughs, wheels, and even automobiles. Often, the seasonal work taking place in the fields and the needs of the farmer dictated the type of work in which the blacksmith was engaged.

Reproduced in 2004, after the Valentine Gies Blacksmith Shop, built around 1894 and originally located in Conestogo, Waterloo County.

By 1914, Peter McArthur was a popular author with a nationwide audience thanks to his columns featured in the Toronto Globe and the Farmer's Advocate. His house, which is quite rustic for a 1914 home, reflects his romantic vision of rural life and his attachment to Canada's pioneer past.

Originally located in Ekfrid Township, Middlesex County. Constructed around 1835. Original owner, the McArthur Family. Gift of Donald Sinclair, 1962.

Meat markets with meat curing and processing areas were common in small towns and villages. With a meat market of this size, the butcher would slaughter the animals on the farm and bring the beef, pork, and poultry back to the shop, where he would prepare different cuts of meat and sausage for the local community.

Reproduced in 1965 with the assistance of J.M. Schneider Ltd. Restored in 2010.

By the early 1900s, wagons made by large manufacturers and those sold through catalogues forced many rural tradesmen to alter the kinds of services they offered. The woodworker in this shop would have repaired the wooden parts of wagons, buggies, wheels, and farm machinery, while the blacksmith would have done the metal work.

Originally located on the "Old Shuh Farm", Kitchener, Waterloo County. Gift of County of Waterloo, 1957.

Not everyone living in a small village would have farmed for a living, and the Seibert House reflects how a reasonably successful tradesman or small business owner's family might have lived. Since their money wasn't tied up with the workings of a farm, this family could afford to buy some modern conveniences, such as a phonograph, a telephone, and other mass-produced goods. 

Originally located in Kitchener, Waterloo County. Constructed around 1850. Last owner, the Seibert Family. Gift of the City of Kitchener, 1964.

Large mixed-use farms were typical in 1914 in Waterloo County. On a mixed farm, the farmer would grow a variety of cash crops, as well as raise various types of livestock, such as dairy or beef cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and geese.

Sararas House was originally located in Wilmot Township, Waterloo County. Constructed around 1840. Original owner, Nicholas Sararas. Gift of the Pennsylvania-German Folklore Society, 1970.

The Bricker Barn is a good example of an overshot bank barn. The structure is built into the side of a hill and features a ramp allowing easy access to the upper level of the barn. The overshot, or overhanging feature, provides shelter for livestock and equipment storage.

Bricker Barn was originally located in Waterloo Township, Waterloo County. Constructed around 1845. Original owners, Abraham and Mary Thoman. Gift of John Steckley, 1976.

The church was the focal point for spiritual concerns and much of the community's social life. The ministry served as a moral guidepost for the community, encouraging the congregation to take notice of the evils of the world and to join the fight to reform society.

Originally located at Freeport, Waterloo County. Constructed in 1861. Original owner, the United Brethren Church. Gift of the United Church of Canada, 1962. Limerick Cemetery was relocated from Waterloo Township, Waterloo County, in 1966.

Fire was one of the great fears in rural society. If a barn or home caught fire, years of work and savings could disappear in a matter of hours. Members of the community joined together to form volunteer fire brigades to help combat fires. The fear of fire would eventually lead to the formation of mutual fire assurance companies to offer insurance against loss due to fire.

Reproduced in 1974. Gift of Economical Mutual Insurance Co.

Doon Heritage Village features many farm animals on a seasonal basis from May through September. The site itself doesn't own any of the livestock; instead, local farmers supply the village, where possible, with breeds typically found on Waterloo County farms in 1914.

On the two farms in Doon Heritage Village, we try to give visitors an idea of what a farm looked and felt like.  We show visitors the types of farm animals and poultry that would have been on farms in 1914, but not the size or numbers that farmers would have had.  In order to do this, our farms would have to be the size that a typical farm would have been in 1914, which would have been about 100 acres per farm. 

Large mixed-use farms were typical in 1914 Waterloo County. On a mixed farm, the farmer would grow a variety of cash crops, as well as raise various types of livestock, such as dairy or beef cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and geese.

Each season is different in terms of the breeds of animals and poultry that can be found on the two farms at Doon Heritage Village. 

At the Martin Farm, you can find pigs that are in an outdoor pen during the day and who tend to be very friendly. A number of chickens (hens) that lay eggs, usually in the coop, which can be different sizes and different shades of brown or white depending on which breed of hen the eggs are from. Sometimes there is a rooster with our chickens helping to keep them happy. As well, the two horses can either be found in the pasture area in front of the Martin House or in the pen behind the Martin garden. The horses are usually one of two types either a draft breed which means they are work horses that would do the heavy field work or carriage or drive horses that would be used to pull carriages or light wagons. By June, we will also have some turkeys at the Martin Farm. 

At the Bricker Barn, there are pigs and sheep, often a ewe with one or two lambs. Here is where you will find the cows - usually cross-breeds that represent the dual-purpose breeds that were popular in the early 1900s. This means that they would have been used for milk and meat.  You can also find a small flock of chickens that spend the day running in the orchard.  In June, there is often the addition of some young goats, who often steal the visitors' attention with their high-energy antics.

When visiting, please talk to the interpreters who will tell you all about the farm animals, but for safety and the animals' health and safety, please do not feed or touch any animals.