Looking south in Dunvegan, Pioneer Village to the left
My visit to the Glengarry Pioneer Museum was on Tuesday morning June 5 at 10 am. I emailed them to make an appointment. They hours are limited so you do need to plan in advance.
Here is their website: http://www.glengarrypioneermuseum.ca/gpm/
I left my lodging in Cornwall and proceeded to take care of some errands and as usual it takes longer than you think. I drove up Brookdale Avenue and continued north on Hwy #138. At Cornwall Centre Road this highway jogs for a little bit and then turns north again on St. Andrews Road.
My mind was blown when I came up to the top of this rise in the road and saw for the first time the church and cemetery of St. Andrews West. The light and the setting was amazing. It would have been too dangerous to stop and take a photograph because of all the trucks. I would be back! This is lovely: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rdb466/4809053720/
Or take a look at this picture, not bad of St. Andrews Church and the intersection in St. Andrews West: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St-Andrews-West_ON.JPG
I turned at Monkland onto Hwy #43 and stopped at an Esso gas station. Just when you are in a hurry you are faced with a customer asking for phone cards. I gassed up the car and the exchange was still going on when I returned. It was a bit of time before I was able to pay for my purchase.
I was late, it was already past 10 am. I focused on the road and turned left at Greenfield Road Hwy #30. There is supposed to be the St. Catherine of Seinna RC Cemetery in Greenfield but I do not remember seeing it as I zoomed by. Greenfield was a surprise with more buildings than I expected.
Panic began to settle in and I thought I had missed Dunvegan but alas I was silly. I saw a bunch of trees in the distance and there it was the Glengarry Pioneer Museum began to materialize as I came closer. I was ticking off the roads like Kenyon Concession 7, and Kenyon Concession 8. Dunvegan is in what called Kenyon Township but is now North Glengarry. It was situated north of Charlottenburgh Township which is now South Glengarry.
One stop shopping! I LOVE IT. The Glengarry Pioneer Museum on the southeast corner of Hwy #30 and Hwy #24 and on the opposite corner the Kenton Presbyterian Church and cemetery.
The Glengarry Pioneer Museum and Village is a wonderful treat. There is a parking lot on the east side of the visitor building.
Glengarry Pioneer Village Visitor Centre
You enter through the door on the right and they have a lobby area filled with books, maps and artifacts.
The lobby of the visitor centre – Glengarry Pioneer Village
The offices are up the stairs and so is the research area. I was greeted by an enthusiastic young man who took me to the second floor an introduced me to everyone. They led me over to the table in the back and showed me where the books were located. They had looked at their family histories but didn’t have any McDonells? So I gave them one of my McDonald booklets for their collection. They were all friendly and helpful. I happily set to work looking through their collection. I asked questions and one of the assistants made me a map so I could find the Bethune Thompson Manor in Williamstown. I am most appreciative of their kindness and time. Thank you.
I was particularly interested in
- The Churches of North Glengarry, by the North Glengarry Heritage Group.
- Lochinvar to Skye 1794 to 1987, by Madeleine McCrimmon and Donaldson R. MacLeod.
They have a great many books on sale.
Their books for sale
If you look closely you can see there is a space in the center of the bookcase. It was a copy, one of four left, of the Dictionary of Glengarry Biography, by Royce MacGillivray, published in 2010 by the Glengarry Historical Society.
It is copy #214 and signed by the author who lives in England. Well it isn’t there anymore for I paid for it and brought it home. It is very heavy and caused me problems because of it’s weight. There is a subject index at this link, just scroll down. Apparently they are starting a reserve list for the 2nd printing.
After I finished up with their collection, I wandered the village, which in my opinion is very good. I have been to many of these kinds of pioneer villages and this was very well done. It is much older about 1830 as I was told. They kept offering to really show me around but I had many places to go and many things to see.
The front side of the visitor center
The village and the cemetery
On the opposite corner from the village was the Kenyon Presbyterian Church.
Kenyon Church
Next to the church was the graveyard. I have more pictures of this cemetery which I will upload when I finish posting for this trip.
UPDATE 7/8/2012: Below is a link to more photographs of this cemetery. These are overview photographs only because of limited time. It is to help you get an idea of what the area looks like and what the church and cemetery are like.
UPDATE: August 9, 2023 Picasa and Album Archive are no longer showing my photos. I may come back in the future and fix that.
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| Kenyon Presbyterian Church & Cemetery |
I was learning that it was not that hard to get around in Glengarry. The roads are mostly straight, smooth and paved. It was a beautiful, warm and muggy day. Now which way should I go?
Shall I go left or right?
BJ MacDonald
The Man Who Lived Airplanes 
