Hutchison House Museum

Hutchison House Museum is one of the oldest limestone houses still standing in Peterborough, Ontario. It was built in 1837 by local citizens to persuade one of their resident doctors to remain in the town. The ground floor open-hearth kitchen and the main floor rooms have been restored to reflect the life of Dr. John Hutchison and his young family in the 1840s. The upper floor depicts the 1860s lifestyle of the Harvey family, who purchased the house in 1851. Space in the museum is also devoted to Sir Sandford Fleming, a cousin of Dr. Hutchison, who called Hutchison House home for nearly two years when he came to Upper Canada at the age of 18 in 1845. Fleming is best known for his role in mapping the Canada Pacific Railway and his concept of Standardized Time Zones. Hutchison House Museum is owned and operated by the Peterborough Historical Society.