Some good news from our friends at the

ERLAND LEE (MUSEUM) HOME:
552 Ridge Road, Stoney Creek, Ontario
The Provincial Board of the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario and the Erland Lee Community Committee are pleased to announce the Erland Lee (Museum) Home is once again open to the Public.

OFFICIAL OPENING CELEBRATION WILL BE ON

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2013 – 2 TO 4 PM
The Home will also be participating in
Hamilton Doors Open Activities May 4 & 5, 2013

CONTACT 905-662-2691 OR VISIT www.fwio.on.ca
Hours of operation after April 21st are:
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 4 pm.
Tours or visits at other times can be arranged by appointment.


HISTORY OF ERLAND LEE (MUSEUM) HOME
The Erland Lee (Museum) Home is important to the FWIO as it is the historical home of Erland Lee and his wife Janet, who pioneered the first Women’s Institute in Stoney Creek on 19th of February, 1897.

Inspired by the ideas of Adelaide Hoodless, the Lees encouraged women to form an organization to improve their skills in homemaking and childcare. Janet Lee Penned the first constitution at the dining room table of the home.

The Women’s Institute has since become a worldwide movement dedicated to promoting education and the personal growth of women. The betterment of their local communities is also of keen interest.

This home is also important to the Stoney Creek area as it celebrates one of their prominent farm families. The house of Gothic Architecture demonstrating a board and batten construction was built by and lived in by five generations of the Lee Family.

As this is a prime example of this type of construction, the Erland Lee (Museum) Home is a NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OF CANADA and also has designation under the ONTARIO HERITAGE ACT.

The closing of the museum in 2010 caused renewed interest by the community and Women’s Institute Members. The Erland Lee Community Committee has been established to ensure any repairs and updates necessary maintain the historical integrity and to develop a financially sustainable plan for the future.

Much credit goes to “The Friends of the Lee”. They have lead the way in major fundraising through sales of calendars, cookbooks, quilt tickets and pancake breakfasts. They have also contributed countless hours of work in organizing workshops, yard work, and housecleaning not to mention supervising repair work. Without their enthusiastic leadership, we could not have done it. The City of Hamilton and the citizens of Stoney Creek have also been major contributors.

While the Museum Home is now reopened, fundraising is ongoing to repaint the exterior of the home and make further improvements.