This illuminating and comprehensive history of health care in the community of Mattawa was written by Greg Humbert, over the past several years.
Mattawa Museum Recipient of $26,000 Ontario Trillium Grant

Mattawa Museum staff and the Mattawa Historical Society are pleased to inform that the Honourable Vic Fedelli announced today that the Mattawa Museum is the recipient of a $26,000 Ontario Trillium Grant.
This grant was awarded as a result of a recent application to the Resilient Communities Fund.

These funds will enable the Mattawa Museum to finish our Digitization Process and enable us to have an Archive that will be accessible online to educators, researchers, and academics. We will be able to add photos, digital media, etc. that will be accessible to all. Creating an online archive will provide more accessibility to our Collection which is of utmost importance to be able to provide research and education.
While Covid-19 presented many challenges, it also created opportunities to evaluate and respond to need.
The process…
The Mattawa Museum collection has a vast array of artifacts but also includes approximately 10,000 photographs, as well as in-person recordings and videos. We will now have the opportunity to complete the task of adding accession cards to the Past Perfect Museum Software System. Photographs will be taken of artifacts and added to the system. We also have a treasure trove of first-person interviews with some of our elders who are no longer with us and these will be an invaluable addition to the Media part of this online archive.
We are very thankful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Community Resiliency Fund for this grant.
We invite all to join us in this celebration!
In Memoriam – Jan Argo – Lifetime Member of Mattawa Museum



Garry Thibert, President, Board of Directors
I had come to know Jan as a dedicated and hard-working individual. She was proud of her native culture and always attended at the museum, in full regalia, when we had huge groups visiting. She loved being a member of the museum board and was very strong in her belief in the preservation of the history of our beautiful little town. She will be missed.
Judy Toupin, Curator
Jan was one of the first people to greet me in my new position as Curator at the Museum and it was with one of her great big hugs and that beautiful smile. Her joy, enthusiasm and passion for life translated to us at the Museum, whether it was at a Board meeting, bringing a tour group through or just popping by to visit ‘her’ museum 😊. She is dearly missed.
Kim Duschene, Board of Directors
Jan Argo was the best at welcoming people young and old alike to our museum. She always had a warm smile and had so much knowledge about Mattawa. I didn’t know her before I became a member of the museum board but I did get to know her bit by bit in the last few years. Her strength and belief in using natural remedies left me in awe. She was one of a kind for sure.. Love, Kim
Tom Gibson, Vice-President, Board of Directors
Jan Argo and I met over 30 years ago, when I was a brand new Director, and Byron Casselman was President. Knowing her mostly from board meetings over the years, Jan was real serious about our museum. She was a real Life Member to me, and a wonderful person to know. Jan had a way about her that made you think in a different way… to smell the air and smile. She taught everyone she met, and all Mattawa knows that.
Bernie MacDonald, Board of Directors
Jan Argo. it was an absolute pleasure to be a board member at the museum with Jan. She always had a big smile lots of good ideas. She promoted the museum every chance she got. She was very proud of it. I am sure she will be keeping an eye on us. Rest in peace Jan.
