Wrenford residents can now explore the city’s railway heritage at a new spring exhibit opening today at the Old Mill Museum & Archives. The display, which runs through October, features rare photographs, original station tickets, and interactive models showing how the railway helped build Wrenford into a thriving service centre.
Visitors can view the collection at 12 Mill Street from Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The exhibit focuses on the years following the railway’s arrival in 1859, when Wrenford transformed from a quiet milling town into a regional hub for trade and transport. Curated by the museum’s heritage team, the display highlights the workers who laid the tracks, the merchants who relied on freight trains, and the families who built homes near the rail line. Guests will also find a restored 1920s railway lantern and a working model of the original Centennial Bridge rail yard.
“We are thrilled to bring this piece of Wrenford’s story to the public,” said Mayor Danielle Okafor-Price. “Railways were the lifeblood of our early economy, and this exhibit gives visitors a hands-on way to understand how those tracks shaped the neighbourhoods we live in today.”
The museum is offering free admission for the opening weekend. Families are encouraged to bring children for the Railway Builder craft station, which runs Saturday mornings at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. No registration is required. If you have old railway photographs, tickets, or personal stories to share, the museum’s archives team welcomes donations. Please contact the museum at 519-555-0133 or visit the front desk to speak with a coordinator.
For more information on local museums, heritage walking tours, and upcoming culture events, visit our Arts & Heritage page. You can also view the full list of Explore local museums and galleries or check the News & Events calendar for seasonal programming.