Clarington Museums

The Three Museums of Clarington Bowmanville Museum The house known as the Bowmanville Museum was originally made possible by a generous gift to the Town of Bowmanville by Sarah Jane Williams, who was the wife of Dr. L. B. Williams and daughter of Albert Arnot & Sarah Bowman. It was opened as a museum in 1961. The house features a large two level wrap around verandah which has been the setting of many a formal wedding photograph, and a glass conservatory for plants.

Peak in the window of the conservatory and find yourself in yesteryear.

The Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre houses among other cherished artifacts, the largest publicly owned doll collection in Canada.

Clarke Museum Located off the 115 hwy, just north of Orono, Ontario. Contains some exhibits of Massey Harris Agricultural Equipment Costumes and Accessories & Orono Provincial Forestry Collection

 
Clarington to the north is banked by the rolling hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine and to the south overlooking the waters of Lake Ontario.

One of the best kept secrets in Clarington is the Wilmot Orchards, pick–your-own-blueberry farm. Open only six weeks every summer around the end of July to the Labour Day weekend in September locals and visitors flock to the farm to pick from their wonderfully large juicy blueberries. They specialize in high bush cultivated blueberries.

The farm offers visitors a real treat at their Appleberries Café, where you can get a refreshing cold drink, a cup of their specialty teas, and blueberry organic ice cream or awesome New York style cheesecake smothered in fresh blueberry sauce. Check out the blueberry centered gift line as well.

“Imagine standing here, breathing in the fresh air, looking at green vistas… it’s like standing inside a painting  Like visiting a place akin to the old world of Provence, where centuries of appreciating the beauty of nature and its bounty have become an art.”

Close by is the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area a significant wetland home for many diverse species of wild life including stream edge habitat. The area is characteristic of Southern Ontario’s natural landscapes and early settlement history of Aboriginal through European inhabitants. Trails go through picturesque story book forests, old fields, remnant orchards and hedgerows.  Please stay on the paths, protect our wildlife and respect the private property.

A Clarington plaque marking the homestead site reads, 
"In the summer of 1798, Robert Baldwin Sr. (1741-1816) arrived in Upper Canada from Ireland.
After a brief stay in York (Toronto) Robert brought his family by open boat to this property some seven children came with him to this homestead. Robert Baldwin was highly regarded by the provincial administration and held such important offices as Lieutenant of the county of Durham, Justice of the Peace, Commander of the Militia, and Commissioner of Roads.

In 1810 he moved to York to live with his son, W.W. Baldwin, a successful lawyer and physician who became a leading political reformer. The latter’s son, Robert Baldwin Jr. was joint premier with Louis Lafontaine of the Province of Canada 1842-1843 and 1848-1851."

Clarington area in the first half of the 18th century was part of the British Colonies included along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to the Carolinas, as well as the French colony, New France.  By 1791 there were 15,000 United Empire Loyalists settled in Ontario.

The district capital, at the time was Newcastle, located on the Presqu'ile peninsula, which had the first natural harbour on Lake Ontario east of York. In 1797, a survey of Newcastle was created by Alexander Aitkin, the Deputy Surveyor General. You can imagine the history of the area. Museums can help you piece together remnants of a family history and give you a colourful portrayal of the peoples that have made their lives here.
 

How do you name a place like Clarington?

You put the old names together into one, which is exactly what happened. Clarke and Darlington became The Municipality of Clarington which encapsulates historic towns, villages and hamlets.  Bowmanville is the largest town, then Courtice, Newcastle Village, with sprinklings of hamlets throughout its large territory such as Bond Head, Wilmot Creek, Mitchells Corners, Solina, Hampton, Brownsville, Enfield, Haydon, Enniskillen, Tyrone, Leskard, Kirby and Kendal. The area has a rich heritage from Aboriginal times to Pioneer and early industrial settlers. Today it is full of comfort and character with modern amenities, quaint rural hamlets, farms, zoos, car racing and other attractions merging side by side in a luscious landscape of rolling hills, forests and Lake Ontario shoreline. All in all, Clarington is a great place to live, an interesting place to visit.

Clarington Museums are a good place to start to find out about the colourful tapestry that make up the Municipality of Clarington and its people. Boasting not one, but three official museums.

Why not plan a road trip through Durham Region this summer or fall and visit Clarington's three museums along the way. There is lots to see in Bowmanville and Newcastle as well as the villages and hamlets to the north.