Mitchell UCW members explore local history at Fryfogel Tavern and Shakespeare cairn

Members of the Main Street United Church Women from Mitchell tour the Fryfogel Tavern east of Shakespeare. Front row, from left, are Erma Lannin, Jean Morris, Beryl Ortelli, Sheila Gibb, Noele Taylor and tour guide Ali Doupe. Back row, Nancy Eaton, Hilda Lansbergen, Twyla Waddell, Marg Schrader, Dianne Moses, Helen Lockhart, Deb Thiel and Kate Johnson, a member of the Fryfogel Tavern staff. Gary West photo

By Gary West

Members of the Main Street United Church Women (UCW) in Mitchell spent Saturday exploring some of Perth County's earliest history during a tour of the Fryfogel Tavern and Arboretum east of Shakespeare.

Led by organizer Jean Morris, the group of 11 women visited the historic tavern, where they learned about the area's pioneer roots and the important role the inn played in the early development of the Huron Tract.

During their visit, the group also viewed the Fryfogel family cairn, which commemorates Sebastian Fryfogel and his family, among the earliest settlers in Perth County.

Tour guides shared the history of the three-storey stone inn, which served as an important stopping place for travellers making their way west from Berlin, now Kitchener, toward Goderich and Lake Huron in the 1800s.

In its early days, the inn provided food, lodging and rest for travellers journeying through what was then largely unsettled territory.

Today, the Fryfogel Tavern operates as a historic site during the summer months and offers guided tours highlighting its significance to the region's history.

Following their visit to the tavern, the group stopped in Shakespeare to view another local landmark – the historic stone cairn on Main Street that recognizes many of the earliest settlers who arrived in Shakespeare and North Easthope Township beginning in 1832.

The outing provided participants with an opportunity to learn more about the people and places that helped shape the communities of Perth County and the surrounding area.