The Brown Homestead 10/31/26 The Brown Homestead 10/31/26

1870s Graffiti: Kids Will Be Kids

In the early 1870’s, a group of youngsters made their permanent mark on the John Brown House’s attic door and stairway. Learn more about young Newton Chellew, his local Pelham connections, and what they mean for The Brown Homestead.

The Brown Homestead 9/18/26 The Brown Homestead 9/18/26

Japanese Canadian Farm Labourers in World War Two

This article discusses the history of Japanese Canadians who were forcibly dispersed from British Columbia to the Niagara Peninsula as farm labourers during WWII. Encounter the stories of several individuals who were exiled to Niagara during the war, illuminating the broader context of Japanese Canadian farm labourers in Niagara while grounding this context in real voices and lived experiences.

The Brown Homestead 6/24/26 The Brown Homestead 6/24/26

The Feel of History

The John Brown House asks for your attention. It asks you to notice how your body responds when you enter a space, to ponder who walked across that same squeaky floorboard generations before. And if you let it, the home stays with you long after you leave. That's the quiet work of a place like the The Brown Homestead – to invite you in, one small gesture at a time.

The Brown Homestead 11/4/25 The Brown Homestead 11/4/25

The Niagara Exercise of 1914

A series of early 20th c. black and white photographs from an old Powers Family photo album indicate that military training had taken place right here at The Brown Homestead just prior to WWI. This visit fits into the broader story of military training at Camp Niagara soon after. The following article illustrates these military manoeuvres through the heart of the Niagara Region, tracing the story through the eyes of The St. Catharines Standard reporters from June 8-12, 1914.

The Brown Homestead 3/10/23 The Brown Homestead 3/10/23

The Niagara Escarpment Biosphere

The Brown Homestead and community around us would not exist without the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For our stories to continue into the future, its preservation must be prioritized.