Take a trip through spooky St. Thomas. Visit some creepy spaces, learn some local lore, and even hear a ghost story or two!
From April to October, explore Ontario’s heritage treasures at free public events across the province. Satisfy your curiosity and get behind normally closed doors to experience intriguing interiors, where you will be inspired by rare and exceptional materials, craftsmanship and design. From historical houses to modern marvels of construction, Doors Open Ontario has something for everyone - All Free of Charge. St. Thomas’ Doors Open is coming up Saturday, October 5th from 10am-4pm and will feature some unique sites and activities with a fun “spooky” theme. This includes special activities such as ghost stories from Rail City Theatre on the train, tarot readings by Purely Wicked at Lemons Pharmacy, nighttime star gazing at the Elevated Park, and Capture Paranormal at the L&PS Station.
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Big things are happening in St. Thomas as the city prepares for the 2020 BC Eastern Qualifier, that will be held in the historic CASO Station. Maria Fiallos of Las Chicas Del Cafe and Streamliners Espresso Bar spearheaded the effort to bring this exciting event to St. Thomas. And it took a lot of effort – a Qualifying round has never taken place outside a major city like Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, so Maria had to campaign for St. Thomas as an ideal location.
Hosted by Las Chicas Del Cafe and community partners, this will be a monumental event for the region and for the Canadian Chapter of the SCA. Maria has organized an entire weekend surrounding the event - with dinners, keynote speakers, throw-downs, transportation, accommodation and activities all taken into consideration. The competition - nicknamed ‘Steam’ - will be open to the public for viewing. We’ve pieced together everything you need to know about this exciting event coming to St. Thomas from September 8-10th. Inverlorne House is more than just a heritage home, it houses a wealth of cultural significance and is now a popular destination for intimate live music.
Inverlorne is the stately house at the corner of Wellington and Stanley street in St. Thomas, across from the courthouse. Built in 1878, the large mansion was designed and constructed with an obvious nod to the Scottish Baronial revival neo-classical style and draws on other Victorian-era architectural approaches. The remarkable edifice features elaborate masonry with oak leaves and acorn motif, pillars, and peaked turrets. *please note: Inverlorne is currently privately owned and is only open to the public for special live music occurrences. If you would like to keep in the loop about upcoming shows, contact their facebook page here. Is everyone ready for it? The long interminable months before Spring really shines on Ontario's Southwest? Before Spring, and flowers, and smells, and festivals, and all those lovely things return, we thought we'd help you get through.
One global trend we've noted is to attempt a new craft, or push yourself out of your comfort zone and try something new. Thankfully there are plenty of options in St. Thomas for you to partake in during this seasonal transition. Below find our list of featured activities that will work well to brighten up these dreary days! Guest post by Kurtis Forster Tucked away in southwestern Ontario is the beautiful and small city of St. Thomas. Once a bustling hub with over 26 railways passing through it, the town continues to offer an abundant of recreational and economic opportunities.
Home to over 41 000 people, it’s a stunning place to visit and live. Its rich history and small town vibe play major roles in the city’s current industries and culture. On top of that, here are 5 more reasons why you should visit St. Thomas, Ontario (and see why it’s a great place to live). To many, Talbot St. has long been the heart of St. Thomas. The landscape may change over time, but the mission of the Downtown remains the same; To cultivate a community of all downtown property and business owners and residents, while advocating, beautifying and actively promoting our businesses and authentic heritage in Downtown St Thomas. This street has been host to many businesses and residences throughout its long history. Over time, the economic demands have changed and therefore, so have the businesses located on Talbot Street but our Historic Downtown holds some great stories from the past and is busy forging ahead with new experiences to be had! Below is a look at a few different buildings on Talbot Street and their entrepreneurial histories.
In 1926, Port Stanley opened up what would become the largest and most famous dance hall in Ontario at the time, measuring 13,000-square-feet. The club was originally named the L&PS Pavillion, but renamed the Stork Club in the early 1950s. It was located at the other end of the boardwalk from Hopkin's Casino and built partially out over the water on pilings. The Stork Club opened its doors to the public on July 29th, 1926, with over 6,500 people in attendance to dance to The Vincent Lopez Band.
Being known as the “Coney Island of Canada,” Port Stanley’s beach offered several dance clubs, a Ferris Wheel, two carousels, a bowling alley, two theaters, restaurants, a swimming area with water slides, a penny arcade, miniature golf, and numerous games and refreshment stands along the stretch of boardwalk that led right to the Stork Club, where almost everyone would end up each night. The Stork Club was the place to be on hot summer evenings as the building’s large windows overlooking Lake Erie were usually open to let in the cool breeze. The focus in the creation of the Stork Club was to create exciting night life as a compliment to the sun, sand, and water activities that were popular at the time. The Old St. Thomas Church’s name is fitting, as it is in fact one of the oldest buildings in the city. As a staple of St. Thomas for almost two centuries, it is one of the most historically significant sites as well. There is history to be discovered in every corner of both the church and its graveyard, full of hundreds of incredible stories passed on from generation to generation. Some of the stories are fact, while some are legend and lore. Each have a place in our history, and they all make up why the church is such a fascinating and important spot in St. Thomas. Here is the history of the Old St. Thomas Church, along with just some of its stories that live on today:
Whether you've come from away, or you’ve lived in St. Thomas your whole life, there is lots to discover in the city. That's why we have created an itinerary for you that outlines how to have the perfect Saturday in St. Thomas. While this guide is only a glance at all there is to do, it will provide you with some of the city’s highlights that will ensure a day of exploration and fun. So here it is, your guide to the perfect Saturday in St. Thomas – you may even fall in love with a place that you never knew existed!
Barn quilts are large wooden squares painted to resemble a quilt block that has significance for the location in which it is found. They are usually hung on the side of barns by the land's owners, who create the design based on the properties’ heritage. When there are many quilts in the same area, they become a trail which you can follow, discovering each location’s depiction of their history. The purpose of these barn quilts are to tell a story, draw attention to unmarked historical places, make a themed trail, and lead visitors from one site to the next.
Elgin County is home to its very own barn quilt trail consisting of many barn quilts, all of which depict a different story about Elgin’s history. Here are the locations and stories of some of these barn quilts, which you can visit yourself to learn more! |
It is not down in any map; true places never are. AuthorWe are here reporting from the L&PS Station, home of Railway City Tourism. Join us as we explore this charming city, where nature, culture, and railway heritage intertwine at every turn. Categories
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