For Ginger Haine, stepping into the Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum Saturday was a homecoming.
During Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Doors Open event, she returned to the building where she lived from 1944 to 1954 — this time with her great-granddaughter, Amelia.
Built in 1824, the Georgian-style building was once home to publisher, rebellion leader and Toronto’s first mayor William Lyon Mackenzie. Today, it houses artifacts tracing Canada’s printing history, including the Louis Roy Press, the country’s oldest printing press.
Haine, then known as Ginger Reid, moved in with her grandparents and sister through her grandfather’s work with the Niagara Parks Commission, which has owned the property since 1924.
Danielle Lamoureaux, assistant manager at North End Heritage, said employees commonly lived where they worked in the first half of the 20th century, before cars became widespread.
“If you wanted your staff to get to work on time, it was often most functional to have them living on the property,” she said.
Haine’s grandmother opened the museum and welcomed visitors to its military displays, which included cannonballs and uniforms.
Much of the building remains familiar.
“The walls are the same. They’ve got different stuff in different rooms,” said Haine, who had twice returned with her children and grandchildren.
Susan Carter also revisited family history during Doors Open, at the Niagara Apothecary on Queen Street.
After her mother, Miriam, died last year, Carter donated her pharmacy blazer and graduation photo to the museum. Miriam graduated from the University of Toronto’s pharmacy school in 1947.
“It makes you proud,” Carter said. “I’m happy that the things got to where they’ll be seen and appreciated.”
Built in 1818, the building housed a pharmacy from the late 1860s until 1964. It was restored and reopened as a museum in 1971.
Carter drove from Listowel to see her mother’s belongings on display, joined by her brother Gary and niece Jennifer.
Before studying pharmacy, her mother was a farmerette.
“She did that, which is also historically significant to this area.”
For others, Doors Open offered a chance to discover the town through free access to 16 historic sites.
Diane Bond and Darren Smith, who have lived in Chautauqua for four years, took the opportunity to learn more about their community.
“We both really liked Navy Hall,” Bond said during a stop at the Old Court House.
At Navy Hall, Dan Laroche guided visitors through the building’s history, pointing out features dating back 211 years.
Inscriptions on the doors date to the 1830s, when the building served as a barracks.
“You’ve got here number one room, 28 men,” he said, pointing to one inscription. Another identified a second room for 28 men.
“These doors are original to the original building.”
Bond and Smith were also glad to discover RiverBrink Art Museum, having never visited the town’s art galleries.
“We’d seen it and we’re familiar, but I had no idea there was that quality of art in there, and yeah, that was fascinating.”
Niagara-on-the-Lake Ambassador Laurie Harley volunteered at the Old Court House, where she expected about 2,000 visitors throughout the day.
By noon, she had met people from Zimbabwe, Australia, Russia and elsewhere.
“It opens up so much of the town — 16 locations, all of which have some historical significance,” she said. “It’s great.”
