Paige Groot (BA \u201922) spent the summer diving into diverse aspects of Niagara\u2019s history in hopes of encouraging members of the community to do the same.<\/p>\n
The Brock graduate, who begins in the University\u2019s Master of Arts in History program next month, has been working at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum researching and developing three exhibits that will remain on display into the fall.<\/p>\n
Groot\u2019s first exhibit celebrates Niagara\u2019s Women\u2019s Institutes and focuses on ways the local branches contributed to the community, including the role of the Allanburg Women\u2019s Institute in the founding of Brock University.<\/p>\n
Her second exhibit, which marks the anniversary of the Battle of Queenston Heights, examines how commemoration of Maj.-Gen. Sir Isaac Brock eclipsed the roles of Indigenous warriors and the Coloured Corps in the battle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it would be really interesting to look at how we commemorate the Battle of Queenston Heights,\u201d says Groot. \u201cI decided to look at all the commemoration we have done for General Brock and how the battle has become synonymous with Brock\u2019s death and his title as the hero of Upper Canada.\u201d<\/p>\n
Groot\u2019s third exhibit is a snapshot of the history of cycling in Niagara, including the cycling corps that trained in Niagara-on-the-Lake during the First and Second World Wars, and the impact of cycling on women\u2019s fashion.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost women\u2019s cycling suits were designed and patented by women,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
A cyclist herself, Groot had the opportunity to wear an early 1900s women\u2019s cycling outfit reproduced by museum volunteer Pam Mundy (BA \u201921), and even tried out events from the 1898 bicycle gymkhana held at the Queen\u2019s Hotel. The original tournament included cycling races such as the egg-and-spoon race, parasol race and tortoise race that was won by the slowest rider.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really fun. The major difference between how the participants in the 1890s would have competed and my attempt is that I was riding on a modern bicycle, on a well-paved road and wearing a helmet,\u201d Groot says. Participants in 1898 would have been using less sophisticated bicycles, wearing more voluminous clothing and riding on grass.<\/p>\n