Oakville Historical Society
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Phone: 905 844-2695

Archival collections, libraries and exhibits on display

Discover Oakville's history through our archival collections, libraries and exhibits:

The Society has an extensive collection covering various aspects of the history of Oakville and the former Trafalgar Township. It includes original documents, pictures, newspapers, maps, albums, ephemera, letters, diaries and both archival and reference books. Our main reference library contains over 1,500 works dealing with arts and crafts, costumes, Oakville history, family histories and genealogies, municipal directories, cookbooks, Trafalgar Township and numerous others. A separate section includes aids to genealogical research.
Feel free to download these three items from our collection:
  • 1841 census of Trafalgar Township. Come to our library to see the notes thereto compiled by Hazel Chisholm Mathews dated 28 September 1965, plus an extensive collection of other material relating to the history of Oakville. 
  • Oakville Collector's Roll 1873
  •  A syndicate, the Cumberland Land Company, Limited, purchased about 200 acres which had formerly been the Anderson farm. The area called Brantwood is on the eastern side of Oakville, bounded by Colborne (now Lakeshore), Allan, Spruce and Gloucester Streets. This lavish marketing booklet was published in 1913 to attract home buyers. Photographs of existing houses and on page 22, the "Oakville Plan of Brantwood Survey" are of particular interest. This Heritage Research Report on 387 Allan Street, shows some of the work of Oakville's Heritage Planers. Brantwood Survey was named in honour of Chief Joseph Brant and the Mohawks originally of the area.     
  • "Oakville by the Lake", is from the July 15, 1893 edition of Toronto's The Saturday Globe.
Our climate controlled archival storage area has been inspected and approved by the Archives Association of Ontario of which the Society is a member. We continue to expand our collection through donations. 

If you have papers, photographs, or diaries that you think might possibly be of historical interest, please let us know - better yet bring them in and we'll advise you on them - perhaps we have additional information to share. Please contact us!


Picture
The George Sumner Diaries: Aug 6-7, 1869: a Charge of Bigamy, Eclipse of the Sun, & a Reclaimed Bull! Click above image to read all about it.
Picture
R.W. (Bob) Davis Marine Collection
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2021 Copyright & Legal notice:
The content of the Oakville Historical Society's ("OHS") website is to be used for general information only. The Oakville Historical Society and its officers and directors, members, webmaster and any other person contributing to this website do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any material contained herein. The Oakville Historical Society specifically disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to the use of this material or any results with respect thereto. The material contained in this website shall in no way be construed to constitute a recommendation by Oakville Historical Society Inc. The material contained within this website, except as otherwise indicated*, is owned by the Oakville Historical Society and is protected by copyright, trademark and/or other proprietary rights. You are free to copy and use the images herein for non-commercial purposes provided you give clear attribution to the Oakville Historical Society or the indicated copyright holder. Further details and restrictions are available here. Commercial uses are forbidden without OHS's or the copyright holder's written consent. Please use the Email Contact Form on the right side of our contact page and select information as the topic.
  • HOME
  • Contact
  • ABOUT
    • Our Story
    • Our Office
    • Our Gardens
    • The Thomas House
    • Our Volunteers
    • Our Interns
    • Archive Intern - Summer Paid
    • Our Sponsors
    • Our Plaques >
      • Plaque Process
      • Plaque Order Form
      • Plaque Payment
    • Supporting our Cadets >
      • 2020 Cadet
      • 2019 Cadet
    • Oakville History
    • Oakville Heritage Moments
    • Videos
    • Village Essays
  • DONATE
    • Donate Artefacts
    • Donations Online
  • Stories
    • Do You Have a Story to Tell?
    • The White House on Allan Street
    • Christena’s Story
    • A Child’s Wonderland
    • Growing Up at Holyrood
    • Oakville Children’s Centre
  • Books
    • Beautiful Oakville - 1897
    • Garden of Canada - c1902
    • Library
    • Telephone Book 1947
    • The Sumner Diaries
  • Archives
    • Archive
    • Basket Factory Memorial Plaques >
      • Basket Factory Questionnaire
    • Health Care As It Was >
      • Health Care As It Was - Continued
    • Munro Letters
    • Oakville Images
    • Oakville Memories
    • Ontario History Journal Digital Archive
    • Oakville Museum
    • Our Ontario
    • Photo Collection
    • Poppies WWI
    • World War I
    • Town of Oakville Online Collections
  • Membership
    • Membership New
    • Membership Fast Renewal
    • Membership Renewal
    • Membership Update
  • Activities
    • Speakers' Nights 2021 >
      • Speakers' Nights 2020
      • Speakers' Nights 2019
      • Speakers' Nights 2018
      • Speakers' Nights 2017
    • Guided Walking Tours
    • Self-guided Walking Tours >
      • Erchless Estate
      • Navy Street
      • Old Oakville
      • Trafalgar Road Heritage Conservation District
      • Trafalgar-Allan Corridor
      • Lot 12
    • In & Around Oakville
    • Yard Sale
    • Family Day >
      • Family Day 2020
      • Family Day 2019
    • Annual General Meeting >
      • 2019 AGM
    • Ghost Walk >
      • Ghost Stories
      • Video Ghost Stories
      • Question(s) or Comment(s)
      • 2019 Reviews
    • Doors Open
    • Oakville Family History Fair
    • Mayor's Historical Picnic >
      • 2019 Mayor's Historical Picnic
      • 2018 Mayor's Historical Picnic
      • 2017 Mayor's Historical Picnic
    • Family and Local History
    • Museum Camp
    • Members' Christmas Party
    • Snapshots: Society events
    • Archive >
      • 2014 Activities
      • 2015 Activities
      • 2015 Youth Art Contest
  • News
  • Store
    • Store
    • Art of Oakville
    • Store, Photo, Archive Payment
  • Links