NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY
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At the intersection of Line 3 and Old Barrie Road in Oro-Medonte Township, not far from the village of Edgar, sits the Oro African Methodist Episcopal Church, National Historic Site.
Built between 1846 and 1849, a small, single-room log structure, the church served as the centre for the local Black community for many years.
2019 marked the 200th anniversary of the founding of the historic Black settlement in Oro township. The Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) invites you to learn more about this historic settlement, its church, and the efforts to save it, when John Merritt speaks at our History Speaker evening on Feb. 19.
These Black settlers in Oro represented many of the different groups that made up the Black population of early-19th-century Upper Canada: free British citizens, immigrants from the northern U.S., and escaped slaves from the southern states. Many of the settlers had already been living and farming in the province for years. Some served during the War of 1812, the Rebellion of 1837 and even the First World War, volunteering for military service.
Between 1830 and 1870, the Black population here peaked at around 100 people, and then declined steadily. By the 1910s, only a handful remained. The last Black resident of the township left in 1947.
By that time, the Oro African Church had been abandoned, until a group of local residents, township and county governments banded together to restore and preserve the building. In the 21st century, the Township of Oro-Medonte undertook a second major restoration with financial support from the Trillium Foundation and a crowdfunding campaign. The Oro African Church remains as a monument to this historic community that sets Oro apart from many other areas of the province. In summer, visitors can take a guided tour inside the church.
Coming up
Join us on March 19, when Neil Barlow and members of the Orillia Silver Band Quintet share their storied history and treat you to a performance in celebration of the brass band’s 70th anniversary of bringing entertainment to Orillia and area.
Admission is free for the History Speaker Evenings, but donations to OMAH are appreciated. Doors open at 7 p.m. and talks begin at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.
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