Carving of the Holy Family

• This piece is carved in the style of Francois Baillargé (1757-1830). It is possible that this gilded woodcarving was the tabernacle door of the 1787 Assumption Church, which was replaced by the present Assumption Church in 1846. Gift of Walker Insurance Agency. 59.105

Police call box

• The first cast iron boxes were put on Windsor street corners in 1922. Fifty-two were eventually installed. Previously, it had been almost impossible to contact an officer on foot patrol. Some of the boxes had a blue light that would flash to alert a passing police officer. If an officer required assistance on the street, a key would be inserted into the box. This action activated a device that punched out a code on a paper at police headquarters, giving the location of the box. Gift of the Corporation of the City of Windsor. 76.1

Fire buckets

• Fire buckets were used prior to 1856, when pumpers were introduced and replaced the bucket brigade. The hand pumper was brought to the area after a fire in 1849. This machine pumped directly from the river, but tended to clog with sand.  If it failed, buckets were called back into use.
• Following the purchase of a steam pumper, oak cisterns were built at strategic locations, along the River. They measured c.10' - 12' x 5'x 5' deep. Often, the cistern ran dry before the fire could be put out. Mr. Cameron, 1st mayor of Windsor, set up the first waterworks at the foot of Langlois Ave, which are still visible today. Pumpers could then work off hydrants. A proper fire department was set up after the fire of 1849. Before that, the community relied on volunteers. Detroit often sent their own men over to help out. Gift of Macdonald Historical Collection. 57.4

Octant/Sextant 

• This instrument was used to determine the latitude, in terms of degrees of elevation of the sun above the horizon at high noon (High noon was located with another instrument). This octant/sextant was used on the Great Lakes by Capt. William Malott, born 27 September 1822. 
• He began sailing on the lakes, and built a dock on the lake front of his home property in Gosfield South.  He later moved to Kingsville and built a dock there. After he sold this dock, to the government, he became a harbourmaster. He was a commissioned Captain of the Essex Militia, 1856. He died in Kingsville 5 March 1890. Gift of Macdonald Historical Collection. 57.79

Ferry Ticket for the Argo

• The first steamer to sail the Detroit River instated in 1833 by Captain Burtis, before which horse-boats were used. There were two Argo ferries; a more conventional single hull steamer replaced the first in 1848. 79.17

Contempra Telephone

This bright red telephone was manufactured by the Northern Electric Telephone Company in the early 1970s. The original owner of the telephone Lou Capaccchione recalls finding the abandoned phone in a drawer in an apartment he was renting. At the time, people were still required to pay to rent from the phone company. The discovery of the phone allowed Mr. Capacchione to own and use a phone without having to pay any rental fees. The Contempra phone was one of the first Canadian phones to feature the dial in the handset. This artifact is currently being featured in the exhibit "Why's that in a museum?"

Gift of Lou Capacchione, 2008.21

Violin

This violin was manufactured by Joseph Gratiani in 1792. It was donated to the museum by Pat Sturn, a local artist and photogrpaher who received the violin from her father as a young girl. Ms. Sturn recalls her father obtaining the violin through a trade with a gypsy musician in their home country of Romania. Ms. Sturn had her heart set on playing the piano but grew to love and appreciate the violin.

Gift of Pat Sturn

"Devils Head" two dollar bill

This Canadian two dollar bill dating from 1954 has been dubbed the "Devil's Head" dollar due to the peculiar image that appears in the Queen's hair. Following the death of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II came to power and her image was quickly added to Canadian currency in 1954. Soon after the new banknotes were initially released, people began commenting on the peculiar image they saw in the hair behind the Queen's ear. Too many people it appeared as though the face of a smiling devil had taken up residence there. Money continued to be published with this image until 1956 when the offending face was airbrushed away for the launch of the new banknotes. (Click thumbnail image to see the full size version).

Gift of Don Tupling