The Schmidt-Dalziel Barn stands just outside the north-west municipal border of the city of Toronto, in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The Dalziel Barn (pronounced "D-L") is classified as a Pennsylvania barn. It was built in 1809 by a settler from America named Johannes Schmidt, making it the oldest Pennsylvania barn in Canada. In 1828 the homestead was bought by John Dalziel. It was a working farm until 1954 when the Humber Valley Conservation Authority purchased the property and converted the barn into a museum.
What is it about barns that has captured the hearts of so many? Artists paint them, photographers shoot them, poets lionize them, and craftsmen rebuild them. Their image represents a simple time, a noble life, and a place we all want to be.1) ... it's huge. 8,200 square feet. One of the biggest on the continent.
2) ... it's old. The oldest Pennsylvania barn in Canada and one of the oldest in North America.
3) ... it's still standing on its original location and original foundation.
4) ... its design can be traced back to Europe and represents a style of architecture 450 years old.
5) ... its design represents a unique approach to farming - combining grain production and animal husbandry under one roof.
6) ... the logs used to build the barn remind us of a time when giant trees covered the landscape and natural resources seemed limitless.
7) ... its relationship to the topography makes it an excellent example of how early settlers adapted to their environment.
8) ... it represents a people that came to a new land, defeated the elements, and brought prosperity to a region void of infrastructure and community.
9) ... with an American-German builder and Scottish owner, it represents the melting pot of cultures that made Canada.
10) ... it became Canada's first agricultural museum, Dalziel Pioneer Park, and was the beginning of Black Creek Pioneer Village.
2009 was the 200th anniversary of the Dalziel Barn. This unique structure is a significant part of Black Creek's history, Canada's heritage, and an
excellent example of the building and farming skills of the early settlers.
This site is brought to you by Black Creek Village, a living history museum in Toronto. The purpose of this on-line exhibit is to gain a better understanding of the Schmidt-Dalziel Barn regarding its design, construction, history, and how it was used by the Schmidt and Dalziel Families for 150 years.
Illustrations are courtesy of C.W. Jeffreys and Eric Sloane. All other images were made possible with the federal government's Museums Assistance Program grant. The MAP grant allowed Black Creek to digitize (photograph) much of its collection.
Southern Ontario's history starts with the farmer and the Dalziel Barn tells the story of these pioneers - how they lived, what they produced, and where they came from. Use the menu to the left to find specific topics that interest you or click "next" at the bottom of each page to follow the story of the Dalziel Barn.
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