Black Creek Pioneer Village Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tinsmith Shop and Black Creek Masonic Lodge

Our first stop is inside the Tinsmith Shop and the Black Creek Masonic Lodge.
While we are touring the building we will learn that the purpose of this Masonic Lodge is the presentation of Masonry. We'll learn how Freemasonry, in the social fabric, contributed so much to the community back in the 1800s. The lodge room is decorated with carpeting and furniture exactly as it would have been at that time.

The Tinsmith Shop is incredible. Can you believe it? We can actually watch the tinsmith craft some items used in both homes and farms. I really am amazed how quickly the tinsmith can make a lantern. The work is precise and beautiful!

This building used to be in Woodbridge Ontario, was restored here at Black Creek Pioneer Village, and opened to the public in 1984.

Answer: Fire house

If you guessed Fire House, you are right! This building was made in 1850. Did you know that since fire halls were manned by volunteers, this building was the shelter for the little pumper, which was used to fight fires for nearly four decades. The pumper is built out of solid mahogany and was given to the City of Toronto by The British American Assurance Company.

That pumper could be filled with water poured in the top, or it suctioned water from a nearby river or lake. It was operated with 5 or 6 men on each side, who worked hard pumping from 60 to 70 strokes a minute. Imagine - all that pumping and it only produced about a one-inch stream of water that would spray about 75 feet. I guess we all know that modern fire equipment is a lot more efficient nowadays, but I think the little pumper did a great job when it had to.

Originally, the Fire House was located on a farm in Keele Street and Steeles Avenue in Toronto. In 1968 this Fire House was opened to the public in Black Creek Pioneer Village.

Answer: Small vent

The apple storage cellar is made of field stone and brick, so it surely gets quite stuffy in there. After all, it is only 8 feet by 7 feet inside, so to regulate the temperature, depending on the season, of course, someone would open a small vent which is just opposite from the doorway. Oh look! Those are the wooden bins that apples were stored in. I had no idea that they put layers of straw in those bins to insulate the fruit to make the fruit last longer.

The Apple Storage Cellar used to be in Edgeley, Ontario and was dismantled and brought right here to Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1976.

Answer: Logs

The Chicken House (which came from Kettleby, Ontario) was restored in 1973, and was built of round logs. Did you know that this was a temporary type of building because the logs weren't very weather proof. It didn't cost much to build this type of structure and it really was quite fast to build too.

When the pioneers had poultry or livestock to house this was an ideal way to construct something quickly. They could build something better afterward, but at least their animals were penned temporarily.

Answer: Black Creek Pioneer Village site

The Black Creek Pioneer Village is situated where Daniel Stong once lived. Everything that Daniel Stong owned that is still in the Village stands on its original site. Stong's Homestead first began in 1816 and was owned by Daniel Stong and his wife Elazabeth Fisher Stong.

In the Village we can find Daniel Stong's First house, Grain Barn, Smoke House, Second House and Piggery. Much of Mr. Stong's buildings were restored in the 1960s and opened to the public after the restoration was complete.

Answer: Post Office

The Laskay Emporium was built by Mr. Joseph Baldwin in 1845. This general store and post office was a great service to customers for a long time. I hope we can buy some penny candy in there or maybe even a couple of stamps! Anyway, this building was brought to the Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1960, restored to represent 1845 based on historical documents.

This building has a great "boom town" front to it, as you can see, and a nice long sloped, roofed veranda. Photographs from 1911 made it possible to rebuild the Laskay Emporium to look like it did in the 1800s.

Answer: Outhouse

If you said outhouse, that's right! Imagine this! Look at it! I can't help but giggle! The Limehouse Outhouse, from 1840, came from Limehouse, Ontario. This structure is quite the sight! Take a look at the Neoclassical/Georgian style with its wooden structure and its roof that is actually gabled.

This exquisite outhouse has horizontal lapp siding, vertical board and batten on the back. The front door is paneled. Look! There are even window panes. The outhouse is a three hole facility, so the whole family could use it at the same time, I guess! Three holes were considered to be quite unique for an outhouse. I never thought there would be so much to learn about a toilet. Let's carry on and see what's next!

Answer: School

The Dickson's Hill School from 1861 was brought from Markham, Ontario to the Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1960. Can you imagine never having to pick up your books and move from classroom to classroom like we do nowadays? Look at that! That's the original school bell.

Besides these great windows to let in some light there's a box stove at the back of the room. That was used to provide heat which ran through that stove pipe, along the ceiling of the school house room and all the way to the chimney in the front of the school house. I think it might have been fun being in the same class room as my older siblings.

They probably wouldn't think so though.

Answer: Owen Roblin

The Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority purchased this mill that was built by Owen Roblin. The mill was saved from demolition because of that. Take a look inside. Those are the original timbers, original machinery and original flooring which were all salvaged and brought to Black Creek Pioneer Village.

In 1964, when the mill was moved to the Black Creek Pioneer Village it was discovered that the original wheel measured thirty feet in diameter. That's a big wheel, but a replacement had to be made of red oak and was quite a lot smaller.

It was actually eighteen feet in diameter. Did you know that the red oak didn't last very well so another replacement wheel was made out of white oak, which weighed 6,000 pounds. Come inside and see how things are done in the only stone mill, located in Toronto.

Answer: Boots and shoes

Daniel Flynn Boot and Shoe Shop originated in 1858. I really want you to see this one because the building, though small, has some traces of fine Classical architecture in the façade. The small shop used to be in Newtonbrook, Ontario, originally made in 1858. Once the shop was moved to the Black Creek Pioneer Village it was opened to the public in 1963. Come on, let's go inside now and measure your foot.

Answer: Blacksmith

Of course it was the blacksmith. He had a very important role in his community, by making tools for both himself and for other craftsmen. This Rose Blacksmith Shop originally came from Nobleton, Ontario and originated in 1855. It was made with a timber frame and had a board and batten finish.

There is a brick forge and anvil inside, which were necessary for the trade of blacksmith. He had to make tools used for making and repairing carriages, wheels and almost everything needed for agriculture and other jobs.

In 1958 the building was moved to the Black Creek Pioneer Village.

Answer: Slaughterhouse

I can only imagine that the Edgely Slaughter House acquired a lot of business from places like Daniel Stong's Piggery. The original location of this slaughterhouse was in Edgely, Ontario. Built in 1860, the slaughterhouse was moved to the Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1970 and opened to the public in 1971. Did you know that this slaughterhouse was used by several farmers to butcher their livestock. Since storage was difficult, often farmers would slaughter one animal and share the meat with one another.

They would take turns doing this to help prevent spoilage of meat. I think you would agree with me that the slaughterhouses must have been busy nearly every day.

Answer: Alexander Thompson

The Half Way House Inn (1849) is a two storey, Georgian building built by Alexander Thompson. Come inside and view this representation of a typical Southern Ontario pre-confederate tavern, during its time in the 1800s. The Half Way House was a resting place for stage coach passengers who were traveling between Dunbarton, Pickering and Toronto.

The original location was in Scarborouogh, Ontario and the structure was moved to Black Creek Pioneer Village in 1966. At one point and up until 1966 the building was used as an apartment building and then as a store, but was restored to its original use, once the Village acquired it.

A modern kitchen exists in the basement. Let's go to the kitchen and have some cookies. The ladies of the house are baking right now! I can smell the aroma wafting throughout the inn.

Answer: Weddings

Originally located in Fisherville, Ontario, the Fisherville Church has a Greek Revival architectural style. This was quite a popular style of the 19th century. The church has a timber frame, wood sheathing and a batten finish to the building. Families could gather here, in the box pews, to worship. The church was a Presbyterian church until 1925. The congregation took a vote and joined the United Church of Canada. This wonderful little church still performs several weddings here, every year.

Answer: Build a log cabin model

There is plenty more for the children and the adults to do. I do hope you are enjoying everything we've done here at Black Creek Pioneer Village, so far. You can tell your friends that you built a log cabin model and fashioned a bucket. You can tell them how we enjoyed the wonderful landscapes, the animals and the demonstrations such as side saddle, the crafting of tin lanterns, period music, even shopping for stone-ground flour. We can head over to the Event Pavilion and enjoy a festival and a stage performance now, if you want to. Maybe you would like to play a baseball game with rules from the 1860s before you leave later? Maybe you'd like to go over to the Green and learn three Victorian dances or go back to the mill and watch them grind flour and show us the process they go through to do that. We could go and visit the Bolton Shop Photography Studio and have our photos taken in an imaginary scene. In five of the buildings activities are being done that include weaving on a giant weaving wall. We could go and dress up just like a pioneer too. Let's not forget we can watch quilting and harness making or take a wagon ride. We can stroll through the Village and chat with any of the characters living in the Village. It is so much fun because the characters suddenly perform right before our eyes. We've been so busy here, all day long! We could go to the Historic Brewery and enjoy a sample of old fashioned beer too. It is so much fun here at Black Creek Pioneer Village. We've barely covered anything yet. Let's go through the Village again and see all of the things we may have missed the first time through! There are at least forty buildings to see in the Village!