Guelph Museums En coulisses

McCrae House

McCrae House

McCrae House, a c.1857 stone cottage located along the banks of the Speed River, is the birthplace of Lt. Col. John McCrae (1872 – 1918).  McCrae was a doctor, soldier and author of the WWI poem “In Flanders Fields”, which he wrote after burying a young friend, Alexis Helmer, who was killed during the Second Battle of Ypres.  The poem was first published in Punch magazine in December 1915 and the poppy quickly became the symbol of remembrance throughout the Commonwealth. The Museum features exhibitions on the life of McCrae, two period rooms reflecting the 1870s when the McCrae family occupied the house, a programming space, and heritage gardens. McCrae House has two designations through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada: one for John McCrae as a person of national significance and one for the house as a place of national significance.  A number of special events, afternoon teas, and programs take place throughout the year. In 1983, Guelph Museums was established consisting of McCrae House and Guelph Civic Museum.