Janet Carnochan is the most notable founder of the Niagara Historical Society (the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum). She took up the post of principal at the age of 32 for the Niagara Public School in 1872 (quite the scandal at the time) and later moved up to be the vice-principal of the local high school. She is also the first president of the Niagara Historical Society, which started in 1895 and was integral to the building of the museum on Castlereagh Street.

Janet didn’t just preserve history — she made it. She gathered some of the most prized artifacts in our collection, authored dozens of publications, and led the charge to build Ontario’s very first community museum. Now, in 2025, we’re channelling the spirit of Janet and her iconic bun as we celebrate 130 years of getting things done. Because we all know that when you need to get down to business, you pull your hair up and get to it!

For your own iconic bun merchandise, visit the NOTL Museum’s gift shop, open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or online at notlmuseum.ca.