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 Port Burwell Marine Museum & Historic Lighthouse
20 Pitt, Port Burwell
Open Mid May - Labour Day
Ph. 519-874-4807 10am - 5:30pm Daily
Located across from the historic 1840’s Lighthouse in Port Burwell, this building houses one of the finest collections of lighthouse lenses on the Great Lakes. There will be special activities all summer. You are invited to take part in these activities, call the museum (519) 874-4807 for details, costs, and registration. Open from Victoria Day, admission to the museum is $2 for adults, $5 for a family and children under 12 are free.
The village was named after Mahlon Burwell, a good friend of land surveyor Col. Thomas Talbot, who managed the early settlement of this area. The rich stands of hardwood to the north of the village as well as the tall red pines created an economic boom for the area and Port Burwell became an important port for the shipment of timber and building of ships.
Port Burwell is situated on the north shore of Lake Erie. The Big Otter Creek has been a major factor in the history of this port. The timber boom also led to a thriving ship building industry. Seventy-one sailing ships are recorded to have been built at Port Burwell during the 19th century. Not only lumber ran out, the arrival of the railroad around 1900 increased the importance of the harbour for the shipping of coal from Pennsylvania.
This is only part of the history that makes up the displays found at the Marine Museum in the heart of Port Burwell. Local volunteers and students who keep the traditions and history of their village alive staff the museum. The museum is open May Victoria Day Weekend to September Labour Day.
 For an amazing view of Port Burwell and Lake Erie, climb to the top of the historic lighthouse across the street.
For further information contact:
Port Burwell Marine Museum & Historic Lighthouse
20 Pitt Street
Port Burwell, Ontario N0J 1T0
Municipality of Bayham Offices
Telephone: (519) 866-5521
Fax: (519) 866-3884
Website: pt-burwell-lighthouse.ca
 The Edison Museum of Vienna
14 Snow Street, Vienna
Open Mid May - Labour Day
Ph 519-874-4999 10am - 5:30pm Daily
Four generations of Edison’s survived floods, fires, wars, revolutions and epidemics to become one of the founding families of Vienna, Ontario, once dubbed “the most flourishing place in Canada West” by a Toronto reporter in 1851. The museum, boasting authentic artifacts donated by the last surviving Edison descendant in Vienna, Nora Edison Coombe, is a testament to one of the most exciting eras of Canadian history. Each Edison generation not only bore witness, but also was intricately involved in events such as; settling land granted by the notorious Colonel Talbot, the War of 1812, The Mackenzie Rebellion of 1837 (causing Thomas Edison’s Father Samuel to make a daring escape to the States), The Fenian Raids, and the completion of the CN Railway. The prolific inventor himself, Thomas Alva Edison, summered in Vienna with his grandfather during his formative years.
The house where the museum is temporarily located was built in 1853 on ground once owned by the Edison Family. Helen and Douglas Howard donated the house to the village for the purpose of creating a museum. Visit the Inventor’s Room, which contains variations of earlier light bulbs, and storage batteries, as well as an experiment involving Thomas Edison along with his great friends, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. Sadly to residents of Vienna, the original homestead, located adjacent to the Otter Creek, was of such interest to Henry Ford, he commissioned the move of the entire building to Dearborne Michigan in 1933.
The museum is open daily from Victoria Day to Labour Day from 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
For further information contact:
Edison Museum of Vienna
14 Snow Street
Vienna, Ontario N0J 1Z0
Municipality of Bayham Offices
Telephone: (519) 866-5521
Fax: (519) 866-3884
Website: www.edisonmuseum.ca
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Museums Bayham
