Shadows in Canada’s Pioneer Village

Quite a few responses to the Friendly Friday Challenge: SHADOWS featured places from the past. Sofia of Photografias shared a shadowed corridor evoking images of monks walking through a 500 year old monastery, while Eclastic of Pictures Imperfect shared images of a 1200-year-old Einhard basilica and Ken of Pictures without Film featured the Mên-an-Tol stone casting a shadow that is 3500 years old.

Here in Canada, our historic sites are much more recent. The oldest stone buildings are in eastern Canada, dating from the mid 1600’s. Most historic buildings though, are from the mid 1800’s. Historical remnants beyond that? Ancient dinosaurs are encased in stone in the Badlands of Alberta. Those date from seventy five millions years ago, give or take a few.

In Toronto’s Black Creek Pioneer Village life from the 1860’s is recreated in a conservation and museum site. It has 40 historic buildings, 70 heritage breed animals, heirloom plants and flowers and an educational program for school and family trips. Actors and artisans dressed in period clothing, give tours and hands-on workshops around the village.

The last time I visited Black Creek, it was early autumn. The leaves had just started changing color and the sun was shining full bright in a cloudless sky. It was the type of day for throwing open windows and doors and letting the fresh air in.

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Nearby, in the shuttered  carriage works building, strains of sunlight revealed the tools of blacksmiths and wheelwrights.

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If you’re ever in Toronto, a day trip to Black Creek Pioneer Village is a fun day out. It’s an easy 30 minute drive outside of the city. It is even accessible by public transit, with a slightly longer commute time.

Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto, Canada.