01. Sunderland Museum and Historical Society

Sunderland Museum and Historical Society – 14 Church St N

This structure was built in 1972 as the Brock Township Public Library and was opened by Governor General Roland Michener on June 11, 1972. Margaret Doble was the librarian here from 1975 to 1991. Other members of the Library board were Dorothy Sugget, Norma Doble, Vera Wilkinson and Donald Wetherell.

The building was constructed through a provincial municipal Employment Incentive grant, the work of the Sunderland Lions Club and many volunteers.

After 2001, the Sunderland Public Library was moved to the Sunderland Public School on Albert Street, and this building was used as a museum by the Sunderland Historical Society.

This society began in 1989 and 2009 is the 20th anniversary. In 2002 they received a $25,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium foundation to modernize the building to allow for proper care of the artifacts and old documents. A new computer system and photocopying facilities helped members put much of the historic information on a retrievable database. The museum now has thousands of archived artifacts and a detailed historical genealogy on early pioneer families. The Society works with other researchers and museums in Durham and York regions and genealogists from all over the world through their website.

In 2003 this site became fully accessible with the addition of a wheelchair access, washroom and elevator.

The walking tours were made possible through a federal New Horizons for seniors grant in 2008.