Working to preserve Ottawa's past
for future generations.
In 2023 we asked ourselves the question – are there ways the Historical Society of Ottawa can be of assistance to teachers who would like to expand their students knowledge of the Ottawa area’s local history? To that end, we have assembled an “Educational Resource List” and have made it available on our website. This Educational Resource List consists of more than 30 helpful links to specific stories from Ottawa’s past as well as links to additional resources. The links include short essays, pamphlets and video presentations from our own…
Published in
Society News
Tagged under
In January 2024, Andrea Bissonnette, Ben Weiss and myself had an extraordinary experience—the opportunity to sit down with Madame Adrienne Clarkson at the Château Laurier Hotel to have tea and chat about her past and Ottawa history more generally. For those who might need a reminder, after a stellar career as a journalist, Madame Clarkson was Canada’s governor general from 1999 to 2005, and the Historical Society of Ottawa’s patron. The story began in the spring of 2023 when Andrea contacted the Historical Society of Ottawa regarding an old family…
Published in
Society News
Tagged under
We started 2024 off in grand style with a Zoom concert from noted singer / songwriter Paul Weber, which took place on the evening of January 10, 2024. Paul, who was also part of our 125 th anniversary celebration last summer, is a storyteller, a “people’s poet”, who uses his music to make history more accessible to the general public. He shared six songs with us and the stories behind them. “The Great Fire” is a fictional tale based on the all too real Great Fire of 1870 that Paul…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Our final speaker series session of 2023 was held via Zoom on the evening of November 29th. We were excited to welcome Peter Tilley as our guest to talk with us about The Ottawa Mission, its history, its role and the ongoing challenges that it and our community face. Given the housing and opioid crisis we are experiencing today, Peter’s presentation could not have been more timely. Peter is the current CEO of The Ottawa Mission, having joined them in June 2013. Before this, he had spent 14 years as…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Our final in-person speaker presentation of 2023 took place on the afternoon of November 12 and was again hosted by the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. We were pleased to welcome Marc Aubin, author, community historian, former President of the Lowertown Community Association and member of the King Edward Avenue Task Force, who spoke to the 60 attendees about the devastating effects on the Lowertown community of urban renewal projects that took place between the 1950s and 1970s. He began by giving us a brief history and description…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Tagged under
The Historical Society of Ottawa is excited to announce we’re launching a blog! Are you a historian, heritage professional, or member of the public who is actively engaged in historical research related to the Ottawa area, who is interested in sharing your research? While you may be familiar with our other publications, including our pamphlets and Ottawa Stories, this platform provides a space for those interested in showcasing their work in a shorter blog format. As a start, we will publish one blog post a month which will be posted…
Published in
Society News
Tagged under
We were fortunate to have two guest presenters for our Zoom speaker session of October 25, 2023. Paul Litt, an author and Professor of Public History at Carleton University, (cross-appointed to the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies), met with us live via Zoom while Brenda Norris, daughter of Phyllis Turner Ross, sister of John Turner and a remarkable individual in her own right, graciously pre-recorded an interview with Paul Litt and Ben Weiss to share with us. Paul told us that Phyllis Gregory’s parents were both from the Maritimes.…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Randy Boswell, noted journalist, educator, researcher and frequent presenter for the Historical Society of Ottawa was our guest speaker at our in-person session of October 21, 2023, hosted again by the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. Randy, who estimates that he has written some 400 – 500 animal based stories throughout his career, thoroughly entertained his audience, which despite inclement weather and Queensway closures, numbered 37. Randy noted that Ottawa has lots of green space, waterways and semi-wilderness areas and as such is a wonderful place for animals…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Our first virtual speaker session of the year was held on September 27, 2023, and featured a pre-recorded presentation by Jim Stone, supported by Merv Sarazin who introduced Jim and remained with the presentation to answer questions and provide additional background. Jim, a retired Foreign Service officer and amateur historian, focussed his presentation on the life of Grand Chief Pierre Louis Constant Pinesi (1768 – 1834) and the turbulent times in which he lived. Jim also provided a more general history of the Alongkin* peoples of the Ottawa area in…
Published in
Speakers Presentations
Tagged under
Page 2 of 10
Quick Links
About
Supporting Partners
