After two-plus years of waiting, local history buffs, those interested in early immigration to Lambton County, as well as First and Second World War aficionados, will once again get the chance to explore the absorbing exhibits of the Plympton-Wyoming Museum in- person beginning June 11.
With the museum largely shut down during the pandemic, members of the Plympton-Wyoming Historical Society have been busy updating old displays, adding new materials and doing further research into historical events that affected the lives of residents here in Lambton County and around the world.
Plympton-Wyoming Historical Society president Gordon Mackenzie said that visitors will be welcomed with open arms when they visit the museum, which is located at 6475 Camlachie Rd., on the bottom floor, underneath Camlachie Library.
“It’s been two years, so we’re looking forward to this,” Mackenzie said, smiling.
“We have a great exhibition on the Battle of the Atlantic that hardly anyone has seen. We’ve changed a few things around in the museum and we’re hoping to have a new display on the Dieppe Raid, which took place on Aug.19, 1943.
“There’s a real connection, a twist to it involving the famous author Ian Fleming so we’re looking forward to be making a good presentation on that this summer.”
Both Second World War exhibits feature information about local participants and how their lives were affected by great battles overseas.
The museum also has a wealth of information on settlers who made Plympton-Wyoming and the surrounding area their home, Mackenzie said.
“We have an early settler’s display, which focuses on Wyoming, Errol Village, Hillsboro, etc,” he said.
“We’re still working on Dutch immigration and the history of the Dutch Reform Church in this area, that’s a work in progress. And we’re starting to get prepared for next year’s 150th anniversary of the village of Wyoming and we’re hoping to have a big display on that next year.”
Mackenzie hopes that local history buffs pay a visit to the museum – they will be pleasantly surprised by the artifacts, the detailed displays and the wealth of information on offer at the museum.
“We are very excited about opening up again. It’s been a long time and the trouble is, people have been sitting around for two years and it’s hard to get them motivated,” he said, laughing. “Last year we had people come and visit on an appointment-only basis and it wasn’t that exciting.
“We have had a few homeschool people come in – and if schools or youth groups are interested in visiting, if they get in touch with us we’ll be more than happy to help them.”
Volunteers are also needed at the museum.
For more information about volunteering or exhibitions at the museum, contact the Plympton-Wyoming Historical Society at [email protected] or Don Poland at [email protected].
The museum will be open on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 3 pm and on Sundays from 1 pm to 3 pm from June 11 until Aug. 28.