Gypsum Mining – a look at Paris’ rich history!

Find out more about the history of your community and attend next weekend’s seminar hosted by the Paris Museum & Historical Society

By Bailey Zimmer

Celebrate 201 years of Gypsum mining in Paris with Jean Farquharson and the Paris Museum and Historical Society on March 19.

The Paris Museum, located downtown at 51 William St. in the Syl Apps Community Centre, will be hosting a speaker series from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. about the history, impact, and importance of Gypsum mining in the town of Paris.

“People who are interested in history or in Paris generally, or who have curious minds get to learn something new and connect with other people who have the same sorts of interests,” said Vice Chair of the Paris Museum and Historical Society, Judy Moore.

Admission for this event will be through donation, which can include cash and debit. The donations will go directly back to the museum to help fund future events. No pre-registration will be required to attend this informative seminar.

This Gypsum mining seminar is the second in a planned three-part series Jazmin Beddard hosted an introduction to conservation of objects and archives as the first seminar in January

Next weekend, speaker Jean Farquharson, a Director of the Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre, will be presenting on the subject of gypsum mining for about an hour and a half while leaving a time period at the end of the session for questions and answers.

She plans to focus on Paris’ town history by examining the richness both in history and wealth from Gypsum and all it did for the town.

“The Paris Museum and Historical Society has many stories to tell and make them come alive again. It is

Calling

all Seniors in Brant!

important for Paris/Brant people to understand its resources and its stories about the people who built it,” said Farquharson.

As Paris is home to the first recorded Gypsum mine in Ontario, Gypsum was very prevalent in the town. It was often used for fertilizer, or made into Alabastine, which is a fine-grained variety of Gypsum. Gypsum was also made into plaster of Paris, which is the namesake of the town.

The Gypsum which was made into plaster is similar to that of which was found in Paris, France, which is also linked to the origin of Paris, Ontario’s name.

“Paris’ founding has an interesting story that its citizens should know,” said Farquharson. “Gypsum and water power were what brought the first settlers to the forks of the Grand and Nith rivers.”

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The County of Brant was successful in receiving a federal grant through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) to develop a Seniors Active Living Guide. The NHSP funds projects that empower seniors in their communities and contribute to improving their health and well-being. County staff are currently in the process of gathering information on Seniors groups, programs, and activities to highlight and share Do you run or participate in a program/activity or group for adults 55 years + within the County of Brant? We want to hear from you! If you have a program or resource you would like highlighted, please reach out to staff at 44BRANT (2 7268) or email community@brant.ca by March 24, 2023. The Seniors Active Living Guide will be launched in late spring. Follow us for updates @BrantCommunity