Resources about Bytown and the Rideau Canal
It is amazing what we can discover in our many Archives about Bytown and the Rideau Valley as they were before 1855. Archivists Signe Jeppesen (City of Ottawa) and Pam Cooper (Ontario Ancestors) have worked hard to provide selected listings of their holdings which you can explore in the documents linked below.
The City of Ottawa Archives houses the collections of the City of Ottawa and the Historical Society of Ottawa.
Ontario Ancestors of the Ontario Genealogical Society has some great ancestral and geographical holdings, with much of relevance housed in the same building as the City of Ottawa Archives, so you can explore both on either a single trip.
The Ontario Archives houses deep collections of texts, library and art including gems such as the Thomas Burrowes sketch above.
The Ottawa Public Library and its Ottawa Reading Room have long been invaluable to researchers of Bytown and the Rideau Valley with many out-of-print holdings to delve into.
We at the Historical Society of Ottawa wish you good luck in your sleuthing!
How To Search the Archives
The City of Ottawa Archives (COA)
Identify the titles and call number (s) from this Bytown 200 reading list compiled by the City of Ottawa Archives.
Telephone 613-580-2857 to have the relevant file boxes pulled to be viewed in the reference room at 100 Tallwood Dr., Nepean Ontario K2G 4R7.
The Historical Society Of Ottawa (HSO)
For the Historical Society of Ottawa pamphlets and much more, see the following links:
Ontario Ancestors: The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS)
Identify the titles and call number (s) from this Bytown 200 and the Rideau Canal selected resources in the OGS Ottawa Branch library.
Telephone 613-580-2857 to have the relevant file boxes pulled to be viewed in the reference room at 100 Tallwood Dr., Nepean Ontario K2G 4R7.
The Archives of Ontario (AO)
Go to this link to Search the Archives of Ontario.
Select which Collection to Search (All, Art, Archival, Library, Immigration, Legal Case). Try and be as specific as possible before broadening your search.
Follow instructions to download files to your computer or to view them (whichever is available) in the reading room at 134 Ian MacDonald Blvd, Toronto, Ontario M7A 2C5.
The Ottawa Public Library
Go to the Ottawa Public Library website and search the catalogue on that page. Try to be as specific as possible before broadening your search. The results will show whether the file/book is available for inter-library loan or for in-house reading only at 120 Metcalfe St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5M2.
