The Mennonite History Project

Scheduled Events

We will be visiting various churches and community centres to collect artifacts and information from local Mennonite communities. Please view scheduled events below.

MCS Charity Food Fest

We’ll have a table at the MCS Food Fest this year

The Mennonite History Project: AEMMC

We will be visiting the AEMMC on Saturday, October 22ⁿᵈ, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm

About This Project

In the early 1950s, Mennonites began migrating from Mexico to this part of Southern Ontario. The families who stayed put down deep roots. Their legacy can be found in every corner of Aylmer and Malahide. This is evident in strong church communities, commerce, industry, and civic engagement.

As time passes and one generation follows another there is always the risk that essential parts of family and community history may be lost, forgotten or discarded. The Aylmer-Malahide Museum and Archives (A.M.M.A.) would like to partner with interested groups and individuals in preserving Mennonite stories, photographs and artifacts for future generations.

Community Outreach

We hope to receive the following items from the Low German Mennonite communities of Aylmer and Malahide:

• Completed questionnaires
  These questionnaires can be submitted online or in person.
  
• Historical photographs
  We would be happy to scan and return the photographs. We’re also happy to consider photographs for donation to our collection.
• Audio/video recordings
  Please review our scheduled events above to record an interview or statement in person.
• Artifacts
  All donations to our collection (e.g. tools, utensils, clothing, heirlooms, etc.) are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.

How These Materials Will Be Used

• Museum display
  The A.M.M.A. has previously hosted exhibits focused on the experience of Mennonite migrants. One part of the proposed plans for our new building includes a dedicated room for a permanent exhibit on the Low German Mennonite experience. There may also be special exhibits in the main gallery area from time to time.
• Research and genealogy
  The A.M.M.A. has archived tens of thousands of documents, photographs & artifacts covering the length and breadth of our shared history. These materials are made available to academics, social groups, members of the media and family historians to carry out research. The new facility will include a dedicated research room to allow for the examination of online and physical materials.
• Publication
  The A.M.M.A., in conjunction with community partners, will often publish books or contribute to other publications which highlight some specific aspect of our history. In 2012, as part of a summer-student project, a book was published based on the settlement history of the Low German Mennonites in Aylmer and Malahide. This book focused on the stories and photographs of eight local families. This is just a small sampling of the rich and diverse history of the Mennonites.

We Need Your Help!

It has now been exactly one hundred years since Old Colony Mennonites migrated from Canada to Mexico and more than 70 years since those migrants began returning. Their stories are a precious and important part of our collective memory. Help us to preserve them.

Submit a Photograph or Document

Feel free to use the form below to submit a photograph or other file. Please be sure to let us know who or what is depicted in the file.

This form requires an email address to function. Feel free to mail copies of items to 14 East St., Aylmer ON, N5H 1W2, or to stop by with images or documents. We would be happy to scan and return an item.

Users must submit one item at a time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

 

Banner image ©David Ritchie 1997