About the Sign My Book virtual exhibit

The Sign My Book virtual exhibit was inspired by a mysterious envelope that came to the museum in 2022.

It was a hot afternoon in late July when James Jensen, our Executive Director, went out to check the mail. He found a large white envelope among the usual letters and flyers. The return address was Kirkland, which is near Seattle, Washington. But James didn’t recognize the sender’s name.

Intrigued, James opened the package, revealing an old and faded autograph book. The cover hinted at the history within its well-worn pages. It was burgundy, with detailed scrollwork and a picture of the Greek god Pan.

James opened the book, and read the name inscribed on the inside. The autograph book had belonged to Katie Kennedy, and dated back to January 2nd, 1884. Katie lived in Vernon, Ontario, which is in Osgoode Township. She was born in 1875, and received the book on her ninth birthday.

Through the faded ink, the late 1800s came alive.

Autograph books were a popular Victorian pastime. Girls and women of all ages used them to share poems, drawings and messages. Some even added mementos, like pressed flowers and locks of hair.

The autograph book gives tangible evidence of Katie’s social life. It looks very different than the social media apps that we use today. But autograph books and social media have a lot in common. They both let young people—especially teens—connect and share memories. They both offer an outlet to express identities and celebrate friendships.

James couldn’t wait to share his discovery with the team. Amazed by the book’s unexpected journey home, we wondered if we had more in our collection.

After persistent searching, we found another autograph book deep within our collection. It had a familiar burgundy cover, but with a different design. Embossed flowers framed a serene small-town scene with a church in the foreground.

On the first page, we saw a brightly coloured illustration of birds. The birds framed an artistic “Autographs” title. And the very first entry read, “From your sister, Katie E. Kennedy.”

Looking through our records, we found out that the book’s owner was Jessie Kennedy—Katie’s older sister! Jessie was born in 1871, and was four years older than Katie.

Our records showed that Jessie’s autograph book was donated in 1987 by Kathleen Kennedy (a relative of the sisters, but not the Katie Kennedy whose autograph book is in this collection). That means Jessie’s autograph book stayed in Osgoode Township for almost 150 years. But her sister’s autograph book travelled much farther. One day, we’d love to learn how Katie’s book ended up in Kirkland, Washington.

The two autograph books—and others that we discovered in our collection—sparked our curiosity about how teens connect. Through our research, we discovered that autograph books evolved into yearbooks. That led us to contact local high schools and add yearbooks to our collection. Put together, autograph books and yearbooks paint a picture of teens over the years. We get a snapshot of their lives through their own words and photos.

This journey back in time inspired our new exhibit and virtual experience. The Sign My Book exhibit explores the marks made by teens in the Osgoode Township from the 1880s to today. Through this exhibit, we honour the hopes and dreams of yesterday’s teens. And invite today’s teens to dream boldly and forge their own paths in the world.