It was a wonderful day on Sunday September 18, 2022 at Lions Park in Paris celebrating this milestone anniversary for The Paris Museum & Historical Society!
We all love and value the small town charm of our community and one of the ways to maintain that quality is to share the unique stories of the people, the events and the architecture of our history. The folks from the Paris Museum have done a great job preserving and promoting these stories. 
Mayor David Bailey and I delivered speeches of congratulations while granddaughter Alice explored cool artifacts, including a real dinosaur tooth!
For those who were not able to attend, here is the message of congratulations that I had the opportunity to deliver:
“We are here to celebrate a great milestone for the Paris Museum….their 50 year Anniversary.
50 years ago, I was 6 years old living on Spruce Street in the Junction part of Paris. Back then, the Penman’s whistle blew throughout the day, signalling the start and the end of the workday and lunchtime, and I remember seeing men and women walk to their jobs at that factory and at others around town.
Even further back, 100 years ago, a third of the Town’s population worked at Penmans, making underwear and socks, and that factory and many others were powered by the Grand and Nith Rivers.
Today, the Town has grown. And while we now have incredible parks and restaurants and million dollar condos, and visitors who take selfies by the rivers (that used to power those factories), it is increasingly important to know and understand our Town’s history.
Whether you grew up here, or just moved here, I encourage you to visit the Paris Museum and see the great work that they have done in preserving the wonderful stories of our heritage.
- Ask about Distillery Hill and Penmans #1….and see the actual whistle I mentioned
- Ask about the Wincey Mill and its significance in Canada’s military history
- Learn about John M Hall’s…. the store downtown that has been there for over 130 years
- Learn about where Alexander Graham Bell received the first long distance phone call
- Ask about how many taverns there were in the Junction….and why it was called the Junction
- And definitely ask about a colourful character named Bobby West who lived on the banks of this river
These are all just a few examples of amazing stories from within a mile of where we are standing today. I want to thank the Paris Museum and Historical Society, for spending the last 50 years researching, preserving and promoting the wonderful stories of our Town.”
“Congratulations on your Anniversary!” ❤️
Thank you again to the Paris Museum and Historical Society for inviting Mayor David Bailey and I to speak at their 50th Anniversary celebration.