Nestled along the north shore of
Lake Ontario, The County has always been a favoured place, a summer
fishing & camping area for native peoples & later, a safe haven for
Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution to start a new life in the
wilderness.
As land was cleared, soils of the region
began yielding bountiful harvests. From the 1860s - 1890s, a period
known as The Barley Days began when local barley was shipped across Lake
Ontario to the American brewing industry. Later, the area became
the centre of the canning industry earning the title “The Garden County
of Canada” for the canned goods it shipped around the world.
Discover the past through a walking tour with experienced guides who
will take you back in time. Hear the stories of the people and events
that shaped this enchanting, rural community.
The walking tours are a presentation of History Lives
Here Inc. (www.historyliveshere.ca), a Picton multimedia company,
and three historic community organizations - The Glenwood Cemetery,
Macaulay Heritage Park and The Regent Theatre.
The Glenwood Cemetery opened in 1873. Today it remains
one of Ontario’s most historic and beautiful cemeteries. The 62-acre
site features mature stands of majestic trees, winding roads and rolling
hills. Glenwood is the final resting place for many of the area’s most
prominent citizens including Letitia Youmans, an early temperance
advocate, and Wellington Boulter, the father of the canning industry in
Canada.
Macaulay Heritage Park embraces two historically
significant buildings - Macaulay House built circa 1830 and the old St.
Mary Magdalene Church built in 1825. The house was the home of Rev.
William Macaulay, an influential figure in the early history of the
community. He donated the land for the first court house and fought to
have the settlement named Picton after the British soldier, General Sir
Thomas Picton, who died in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
The Regent Theatre was founded in 1918 by George
and Ellen Cook, although the building dates back to the 1830s. Despite
an outbreak of Spanish influenza that delayed their official opening in
June 1918, the Cooks opened in November of that year with films starring
Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. The theatre
remained in the Cook family until 1983 when it was closed. In 1994, The
Regent Theatre Foundation was formed as a charitable organization to
restore and maintain the Regent as an important cultural institution.
To book a tour, call or visit The Regent Theatre - 224 Main St., Picton
PRICE $20 per person. Children under 16 free. Group rates available for 10 or more.
613 476-8416
All tours begin at The Regent Theatre at 9:30 on
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays May through October. Please book in advance.
For more information call The Regent
Theatre at (613) 476.8416 or
toll free (877) 411.4761 or,
