& Excelsior Diaries throughout time

The "Askin Papers", a collection of documents and correspondance left behind by John Askin Sr., provide an interesting view of the Windsor/Detroit border region. The papers range from the mid 18th through early 19th century, during the development of a concept of borders along the Great Lakes and Detroit River. Represented within the collection are figures from both sides would that would interact with one another freely, influencing the shaping of the Detroit Border Region. John Alexander Askin was one of the figures that would aid in the development of this region on both sides of the border. Each of these documents from the "Askin Papers" explore the various ways that land was acquired in the development of the Great Lakes along with Askin's personal connection to the land owners.

This exhibit is dedicated to the 19th and 20th-century train stations developed for the public, commercial, and postage routes that locomotive engines would need to travel. Here we outline the south-western Ontario rail lines that connected to the United States; thus illustrating the inter-boarder relations between passengers and commodities. Often times, residents from the New England region would travel through Ontario towards their American destination; either towards Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, or Wisconsin. Passengers could board a train in Buffalo, travel through Windsor, and then head over the Detroit River to board another train at the Michigan Central Station.

To help explain the history of this region, we’d like to introduce you to Marvin the Merchant. Our exhibit outlines his journey as a travelling salesman of the 19th and 20th centuries. Through the use of a train route, he travels through Canada and the United States, starting in Buffalo New York, and making his way westward. Throughout his journey, he encounters not only different locations, but discovers many pieces of information that help to connect the history of these two countries. He collects train tickets from Rodney, twine from Welland, cigarette advertisements, and an advertisement from the Pan-American Exposition. All this, while documenting his travels through diaries and letters. This exhibit is a collection not only of his travel and routes, but of the advertisements and momentous he inherits along the way.

Sometimes in the study of history, all you have is a box of artifacts. Finding the connection between these pieces might be a challenge for the historian. The use of a figure like Marvin helps us to create a narrative and connect to history in ways that are sometimes not as visible on the surface.

Welcome to the "War As They Knew It" Exhibit. Here we will be taking a journey through the experiences of two prisoners of war during World War II. Using the diaries that they kept during their imprisonment, we can get a sense of how people coped with trauma and difficult experiences, we can examine the different mindsets and thoughts of the people held within these camps, and can even glean information on the conditions of the camps themselves, as well as their occupants. Our main focus lies with Walter C. Ryan, an American soldier held in various Japanese-run camps. Through Ryan's diaries, we can see the conditions he dealt with and the toll that they took on him. We offer a comparison through the experiences of James William Scott, a Canadian soldier held within a German camp. Through these two very different writings, we are able to glean the truth behind what those within the prisoner-of-war camps dealt with during the Second World War.