Backus-Page House Museum

Backus-Page House Museum and Agricultural Centre operated by the Tyrconnell Heritage Society, situated in picturesque John E. Pearce Provincial Park, just south of Wallacetown, Ontario. We are in the heart of the Talbot Settlement, on the shores of Lake Erie. Enjoy the Spicer Trail, heritage gardens, historic barn, outbuildings, and our 1850's Georgian style house museum. Discover period room settings that tell the story of the Backus family and changing exhibits showcasing the rural communities of western Elgin County.

On site programming as well as rental "Backus Boxes" for local schools. Backus Box lessons are also available in digital formats without the artifacts included in the physical boxes.

Yet to be added

All programs and lessons have been written by Education Co-ordinator at Backus-Page House Museum with more that 20 years of teaching experience.

The Backus-Page House Museum is located within the grounds of the John E. Pearce Provincial Park, within a restored Georgian style house which was constructed in 1850. It is one of the first brick homes built in what would eventually become Dunwich Township, now the Municipality of Dutton Dunwich. The house was commissioned by Andrew and Mary Jane (Hamilton) Backus. The Backus family was one of several families that had obtained land from Colonel Thomas Talbot and settled in the area which quickly came to be known as Little Ireland (a namesake due to the Irish ancestry of the settlers). The property that Andrew built his house on was given to him by his grandmother, Mary Storey, who received her original land grant in 1809. The Backus-Page House and property was obtained by Jonas Page in 1925. Members of the Page family resided on the estate and farmed the property for over 40 years. Morley and Grace Page were the last of the Pages to live on the farm and they sold it to the Ministry of Natural Resources in 1968.