Fanshawe Pioneer Village is an open-air museum established in 1959 and located in the Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, Ontario. The village uses historical re-enactments to communicate the history of rural communities in the former townships of Westminster, London, North Dorchester, Delaware, West Nissouri and Lobo in Middlesex County from 1820 to 1920 and the founding and development of the City of London up to 1840.The pioneer village is owned and operated by the London and Middlesex Heritage Museum, a not-for-profit charity, with the support of the City of London, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, the Municipality of Thames Centre and the Municipality of Middlesex Centre. The intended purpose of the pioneer village is to involve the community in the preservation of history and tradition through living history experiences.HistoryFanshawe Pioneer Village was first conceived in 1955 under the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority's responsibility to conserve historic structures in the Upper Thames watershed. The Village officially opened on June 26, 1959 with support from Dr. Wilfrid Jury, Director of the University of Western Ontario's Museum of Indian Archaeology and Pioneer Life. In 1961, the site was enlarged to 2.2 acres and in 1963, the Authority set aside an additional 22 acres for future development. Wilfrid Jury had accumulated a large collection of pioneer artefacts which were exhibited at Middlesex College, University of Western Ontario. This collection was brought to the Village and formally donated to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority in 1978. By 1980, the Village consisted of 23 buildings placed throughout the original 22 acres. Today the village consists of 33 original and replica historic structures on 46 acres.
