Gananoque council to decide fate of local artifacts

On Tuesday, Gananoque’s council will vote on a recommendation to refresh the town’s civic collection, adding three historical artifacts while saying farewell to eight others that no longer fit the bill.

Among the proposed newcomers: a Shuttlehead spinning and quilting machine, a colour print of the Gananoque Carriage Company, and photographs of the Thousand Islands Bridge. Each tells a story of craftsmanship, industry, and the connections that shaped this town.

But history is also about tough choices. The council will consider permanently removing a set of furniture, four chairs, a crate, a hutch, and a stove – items that, according to the artefact oversight committee, do not comply with the civic collections policy.

Zane Smith, collections manager at the 1000 Islands History Museum, is set to present the committee’s findings before council, advocating for a carefully curated approach to preserving the past.

The town’s annual contribution to the committee, which oversees and maintains the collection, is set to gradually increase from $21,400 in 2025 to nearly $24,000 by 2029.

Essentially, council’s decision will shape what pieces of Gananoque’s story remain on display and which ones fade into history. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in Town Hall’s council chambers.