Westfield Heritage Village | Ontario Agritourism

Westfield Heritage Village

The Heritage Attraction at a Glance & the Story Behind the Site

Westfield Heritage Village is a living history museum that preserves and interprets rural life in Ontario during the 19th century. Located in Rockton, in the heart of the former Township of Beverly, the village brings together a collection of historic buildings that reflect how early communities in the region lived, worked, worshipped, and supported one another.

The village was established to protect local heritage at a time when many original structures were disappearing from the countryside. Historic homes, churches, mills, workshops, and service buildings were carefully relocated and restored to create a cohesive village setting. Through costumed interpretation, demonstrations, and educational programming, Westfield Heritage Village presents settlement-era life in a way that is engaging, accurate, and accessible to modern visitors.

Interpretation at the site also recognizes that the region’s history did not begin with European settlement. The village is located on lands traditionally stewarded by Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, and later associated with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. Acknowledging this deeper history helps place the settlement story within a broader and more complete historical context.

Agriculture at the Heart of the Story

Agriculture was the foundation of rural life in the Westfield area, shaping settlement patterns, family life, and the local economy. Early residents relied on mixed farming, livestock, mills, and hand-crafted tools to meet daily needs and support growing communities. Farming determined the rhythm of the year, from planting and harvest to food preservation and winter preparation.

Westfield Heritage Village’s farm buildings, tools, and demonstrations illustrate how land was cleared, fields were worked, and animals were cared for using traditional methods. These exhibits help visitors understand the physical demands of early agriculture and the close relationship between people and the land. They also provide an opportunity to reflect on Indigenous land knowledge and stewardship practices that existed long before settlement and influenced how landscapes were understood and used.

By placing agriculture at the centre of its interpretation, the village highlights farming as both a practical necessity and a defining force in shaping rural Ontario.

Rooted in the Local Community

Westfield Heritage Village is deeply rooted in the Rockton area and the surrounding rural communities. Supported by volunteers, educators, historians, and local residents, the village reflects a strong sense of community pride and shared responsibility for preserving regional heritage.

The museum continues to serve as a gathering place for learning, seasonal events, and cultural activities that connect past and present. Through inclusive storytelling and acknowledgment of Indigenous histories alongside settler narratives, Westfield Heritage Village encourages visitors to view local history as a shared and evolving story.

Set within an agricultural landscape that remains active today, the village plays an important role in Ontario agritourism heritage, celebrating rural life, community connection, and the enduring relationship between land, culture, and people.

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