OTTAWA STORYTELLERS AT THE BYTOWN MUSEUM

Telling the stories that are…..

Hidden In Plain Sight: Ottawa’s history in the background

A treasure trove of intriguing photos depicting people and families, some as yet unidentified, await history buffs who visit Ottawa’s Bytown Museum this summer! As they stare out at you from generations past, you might wonder what these husbands and wives, surrounded by their many children, were thinking. Then, suddenly, in the corner of the photo you see a lively girl with a delightful smile. A young woman, caught by the camera’s gaze, dreaming of a future that for us is already long past. And we’ll never know her story. Or, could we? Drawing inspiration from the Bytown’s exhibit Hidden In Plain Sight, Ottawa’s history in the backgound, Ottawa StoryTellers will tell how Typhus hit Bytown, and how Ethel Chadwick lost her heart ice skating at the Governor General’s. You will hear the story of a canal builder, as told by his long suffering wife, and what it was like to go Timber Cruising in the 1860s with Horatio Gates Summers. You will be entertained with a tale of the infamous Shiner’s War, gasp in horror when the Parliament Buildings burn, or wonder at the mechanical feat of draining the Dow’s Great Swamp! Oh, yes, Bytown was a tough and truly tumultuous town in centuries past, and Ottawa StoryTellers is bringing those stories to life, through meticulous research, by pouring over letters and diaries, and sometimes by using a little imagination. So, join us as we paint a vivid picture of Ottawa’s evolution from the rough-hewn Bytown, carved out of the backwoods, into a capital city proudly celebrating Canada’s Confederation. We guarantee that Ottawa’s history has never sounded so good!

Ottawa StoryTellers will be performing at the Bytown on:

• Thursday, July 2

• Thursday, July 16

• Thursday, July 30

• Thursday, August 13

Performances are usually ten minutes long, and take place at twenty-minute intervals throughout the evening from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. You may catch a tale, explore the Bytown Museum, or watch a boat go through the Rideau Canal Locks, and then return to hear another story!

Admission is free! Performances are in English.

For information about the Bytown Museum go to: www.bytownmuseum.com