WHHS –
Building a Canadian Archive of Hockey Memories
Recently Aquired – Nesbitt Street Pond Hockey
Thank you for your contributions! Keep them coming!
The large and exciting collection of artifacts, photos and
memorabilia on display at the Windsor Hockey Heritage Society’s Museum
has arrived from donors, largely, one piece at a time. The kindness of
individuals in sharing their hockey treasures for all to appreciate at
a central location such as this wonderful little museum is almost unbelievable.
While the bulk of the material has come from the town and immediate surrounding
area, much has come from other sites in the Maritime provinces. Stock
skates have come by courier from as far away as Marysville, Ohio. Photos
have come from Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Letters with information
are received from across the country. Visitors come from all over the
world and chat excitedly about their discoveries. Fans who visit make
notes in the visitor’s book to the effect that they get a real feel for
how the game began and what it was like in the early days of development.
Visitors frequently are reminded of some possession of theirs that they
feel would best be displayed here at the museum to be enjoyed by future
visitors.
See pictures of some of WHHS artifacts in the Evolution
of Equipment.
See more of WHHS photo archive in the
Hockeyists.
See posters, advertisements, flyers, etc. in the WHHS
– Ad Collection.
If there is an object you would like to donate to the Windsor Hockey
Heritage Society for display in the museum you may mail it with a description,
name and address of donor, to the address below.
Windsor Hockey Heritage Society
P.O. Box 430,
Windsor, Nova Scotia,
B0N2T0
If you would like to email us directly –
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Proposed Museum and Sports Centre (artist’s redering)
Many items received in recent months have necessarily been placed securely
in storage because we’ve run out of display space. However, a committee
is actively planning the construction of a new free-standing Windsor Hockey
Heritage Centre which will contain adequate space for an interpretive
centre, artifact exhibits and interactive displays. Therefore, please
feel free to send anything you’d like to us for this purpose, knowing
that it will be appreciated and used for the enjoyment of visitors. Then
you will want to visit yourself and visualize how you have become a part
of the creation of this magnificent ice hockey heritage collection.
The hockey equipment used in the early days of the game, including gloves,
trousers, shoulder pads, shin pads, elbow pads, helmets and face masks
varied so in their character that any and all are acceptable as the variety
is impressive to visitors.
See pictures of some of WHHS artifacts in the Evolution
of Equipment.
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Windsor Royals – two of whom are wearing "band aids"
Year end photos of teams were usually formal arrangements in the old
days and revealed the variety of jerseys, trousers, skates, sticks and
trophies used by players in different areas. Some photos have shown rubber
pucks with fancy rolled edges, stick blades with brand names stamped on
them, players wearing toques, and others with central hair parts revealing
styles in different eras. Before padded gloves were invented in 1904,
all players usually appeared in photos bare handed and some wearing kid-leather
gloves or mittens. With the invention of shoulder pads, players suddenly
appeared to be much larger than their counterparts of previous seasons.
Players appearing with band aids on their faces tell of injuries and the
need for facial protection. All these variations go to tell the story
of the development of protective hockey equipment. You may well have photos
that would add significantly to the collection. We would be pleased to
have you take part in the development of the displays and exhibits by
sending us your gifts.
See more of WHHS photo archive in the
Hockeyists.
A Wooden Puck Autographed by Jean Beliveau
Memorabilia such as posters, calendars, programs, rule books, items autographed
by hockey’s icons, snap shots of games on ponds, players standing by house,
barn or pond in a hockey outfit, kids at hockey play, road hockey and
the like, all make wonderful conversation pieces and are much appreciated
by viewers. Generally speaking, if an item is appealing to you, it will
find a welcome home here. This collection is about depicting how the game
originated and developed moreso than what it is like today. Certainly
as time goes by, things used today will become old fashioned and find
their place in the collection. We collect those things as well and will
find uses for them in good time.
See posters, advertisements, flyers, etc. in WHHS
– Ad Collection.
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Many artifacts that depict the original equipment used as Ice Hockey evolved
as a winter game are to be seen in the collection at the Windsor Hockey
Heritage Society’s Museum. The Mi’kmaq carvers of Nova Scotia have given
examples of their "Crooked Knives", "Draw Knives",
and "Square Saw" that were used to shape Hockey sticks from
young Hornbeam trees and Birch trees.
Mi’kmaq Making "MicMac" Hockey Sticks
Learn more about Mi’kmaq Making "MicMac" Hockey
Sticks
– in Origins – "MicMac" Sticks
A fine photo of native carvers at work making sticks is a recent acquisition
from an interested fan. Examples of their sticks, in excellent condition,
are on display. Fine examples of various models of skates made by the
Starr Manufacturing Company of Dartmouth have been donated by fans from
all over the province and country. Hockey players from the early 1900s
have offered their equipment kit bags and hockey gloves, socks, skates
and shin pads. Early leather helmets from the 1940s along with early model
elbow and knee pads are finding their way into the collection as are photos
of teams wearing them. As the collection expands and becomes steadily
more interesting, the WHHS continues to accept donations of such artifacts
for display to the visiting public. All donations are acknowledged and
identified as to source.
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