The local rich clay deposits were kilned to a distinctive soft red brick by at least three local brick factories active here in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tourism In Vankleek Hill two trompe-l’oeil murals at the corner of Home Avenue and Main Street East, and on the north side of the historic Methot building on High Street depict early Vankleek Hill storefronts, trades, community life, and the annual Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society Fair. A third mural at the corner of Main Street East and Highway 34 celebrates activities, landscapes, buildings that came to life in this agricultural community. There is a tribute to the military aid received during the 1998 Ice Storm. All three murals depict true-life Vankleek Hill people, and were created by regional artists Elizabeth Skelly and Odile Têtu. A ‘secret’ mural of Magical Beasts is located on a wall east of the Firehall and was created by local artist Susan Jephcott with her friends. The Vankleek Hill & District Historical Society threads the telling of local history through the buildings and their architecture. Home Avenue, contains the remains of the significant Higginson Tower, originally a windmill built in c.1832, that sits next to the once Higginson home c.1850. Next door is St. John Anglican Church celebrating 150 years. Derby Street brings the charming and colourful log home constructed c.1828 by Stephen Cafs, a United Empire Loyalist. Main Street East contains the Georgian stone home built c.1828 by blacksmith Julius Blaisdell, and several Victorian red brick homes that housed physicians such as 127, and 151 Main Street East. Look across the street from the red brick of 151 to find the mirror image in painted pine. Vankleek Hill hosts several annual cultural events including a Victorian Christmas Home Tour on the first Saturday in November, the May Show Festival during the long weekend in May and an annual Fiddling, Step-dancing and Squaredancing Competition on the July 1 weekend, every second year Family Local History Day in the fall and Yes Women Can! women's show in the spring, and the Vankleek Hill Fair held annually in August. A Festival of Flavours takes place the third Sunday in September. In 2008, a dining table stretched the length of Main Street where visitors could enjoy local foods from chefs cooking at their booths along the street. Four historical murals painted on some of the town's heritage buildings are a