Burlington & Halton Local History Resources

Library Resources

Burlington History Room

The Burlington History Room, located on the 2nd floor at Central Library, houses the Burlington Collection, consisting of records pertaining to the history of Burlington and area. This collection includes:

published local histories
biographical files of pioneer families
architectural files of historic homes and public buildings
files on cemeteries, churches and schools
local newspapers and indexes
directories and gazetteers
maps and plans
municipal and regional government records
records of local institutions, groups and societies

Access to Local History Materials

NEW! The Burlington History Index is now available for researchers online! This resource consists of a listing of subjects derived primarily from non-catalogued materials found in the Burlington History Room. Selected topics from catalogued items from our regular collection have also been included. Identification of and access to the content in many of these documents is available ONLY through this alphabetical index.

Materials from the Burlington History Room are generally available whenever the library is open. To determine which materials you need, consult BPL's online catalogue and the Burlington History Index, or one of the local history finding aids found here on the library's Local History Resources website. A librarian is always available to help you with your search.

Access to the Burlington Collection is provided through Information Desk staff, who will provide you with the materials you need. Upon receipt of the materials, you will need to present your BPL library card or a piece of ID which bears your address, such as a driver's licence. Staff will check to see that all materials are in place before returning your ID. Materials must be used on the 2nd floor.

Care of Local History Materials

Many of these materials are unique, fragile, or irreplaceable. Please handle them with care, especially when photocopying. If you need assistance, a staff member is always available.

For Additional Help

If the materials you need are not readily available, or if your query involves detailed research, you may be referred to the librarian responsible for the Burlington Collection.

You may also contact the Burlington Historical Society by e-mailing an archivist.
[burlingtonhistoricalsociety@yahoo.com].

Donations to BPL's Local History Collection

Much of the Burlington Collection has been acquired through the generosity of our patrons. Does your attic or basement contain old family, organization or club papers, photos or other records or memorabilia? We would appreciate receiving any materials which shed light on Burlington's history, for future generations.

If you wish to make a donation, please contact Chris Mallion-Moore, Local History Librarian, Central Library phone 905-639-3611 ext 161 or e-mail mallionmoorec[at]bpl.on.ca

Recommended Sites

Brant Military Hospital - the history of this historical Burlington hospital including names of patients and staff.
Burlington Historical Society
Burlington History - a concise history of Burlington on the Burlington Public Library website. including information about early villages, churches, schools, Burlington Bay, etc.
County Marriage Registers 1858 - June 1869 - includes Halton and Wentworth Counties available on microfilm at the Archives of Ontario.
Directory of Heritage Properties in Burlington - from the City of Burlington.
Halinet Local History Indexes - a complete listing with links to all available Halton online history resources.
Halton Census Index, 1842-1901 - search the Census of Halton County by head of household.
Halton Heritage Network Directory - a directory of local heritage organizations.
Halton Hills Public Library - Genealogists
Halton Newspaper Index - online access to information from various Halton and local newspapers. Retrieve citations and then refer directly to the newspaper located within Halton libraries.
Halton Photos - these databases have a a number of images in common.
- Burlington Images - a searchable photo database currently contains 2100 images from the Burlington Historical Society photograph collection and the Ivan Cleaver postcard collection.
- Halton Images - search a collection of images of the past from Halton County - created and maintained by the public libraries of Halton Region, the Burlington, Esquesing, Milton, Oakville and Trafalgar Township Historical Societies using software developed by HALINET and OurOntario.
- Oakville Images
Halton Region Museum
Halton's Historical and Newspaper Records - search more than 300,000 local history records online. Included are:
- Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Census (now available for all of Halton 1842-1901)
- Land Records
- Surrogate Court Records
- Military Records
- Business Directories
- Photographs
- Newspaper Articles
- Books
Heritage Burlington - a Citizens Advisory Committee of Council reporting through the Community Development Committee of the City of Burlington.
Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Halton - In this Web version of the print Atlas, view documents and maps. Each page of the atlas can be viewed.
Index to Cemeteries - Halton-Peel Branch - a searchable database of cemetery records for Halton and Peel from the Ontario Genealogical Society.
Milton Historical Society
Milton Public Library - Genealogy & Local History
Museums of Burlington - Joseph Brant Museum and Ireland House
Oakville Historical Society
Oakville Museum
Oakville Public Library Local History & Genealogy
Ontario Genealogical Society - Halton-Peel Branch
Ontario GenWeb - Genealogy & Local History - County of Halton - Halton County GenWeb site consisting of the former townships of Esquesing, Nassagaweya, Nelson and Trafalgar.
OurOntario.ca - sponsored by Knowledge Ontario, this site features digitized collections from libraries and museums including texts, atlases, images, script music, audio and video material.
Research Archival Resources in Halton - 40 local resources for historical and genealogical research are listed.
Trafalgar Township Historical Society

Books & Print Materials

(BUR) refers to a non-circulating item located in the Burlington History Room. These items may be requested at the Information Desk on the 2nd floor at Central Library and viewed upon presentation of a BPL library card or other identification.
(RR) or Ready Reference, also (REF) or Reference, refers to an item that must be used in the library.

Genealogy

Cemeteries of Nelson Township, [1992] - 929.509713533 CEM (BUR)
County Marriage Registers of Ontario, Canada 1858-1869, by W. E. Britnell, 1979- - Vol. 11 includes Halton County - 929.3713 COU (REF)
Gore District Census and Assessment 1816-1850, by Margaret Beettam, 1990 - 929.371353 BEE (BUR)
Halton Marriage Register 1870-1873, by Alex S. Cooke, 1993 - 929.371353 COO (BUR)
Library Collection, by Ontario Genealogical Society. Halton Peel Branch, 2002- - 929.371353 ONT (BUR)
Halton-Peel Marriages Performed at St. James Anglican Cathedral Toronto 1800-1896 - 929.371353 HAL (BUR)
Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Halton, Ont., by J.H. Pope - 911.713533 POP (BUR)
Index to Census 1851-1901: Census District, Burlington - 929.3713533 IND (BUR)
Index to the 1871 Census of Ontario: Halton-Peel, 1986 - 929.3713 IND (REF)
List of Birth, Marriages and Deaths in the Halton Journal 1855-1858, by Alex S. Cooke, 1990 - 929.371353 COO (BUR)
Marriage Registers of Upper Canada/Canada West, Vol. 13: Gore District 1842-1856, 1995- - 929.3713 MAR (REF)
Milton Streets : the Stories Behind the Villages, Hamlets, Neighbourhoods and Roads, by John Challinor, 2007 - 971.353 CHA
Name Index for Halton County Surrogate Court Probate Papers, by Lois Knight, 1996? - 929.371353 KNI (BUR)
Partial List of Records of a Genealogical Nature in Halton County Repositories, 1986 - 929.371353 PAR (BUR)
People of Halton: Indexes to Genealogical Source Material, by Jan Speers, 1983 - 929.3713533 SPE (BUR)
Research in Halton and Peel: a Genealogical Handbook, by Jan Speers, 1980 - 929.1 SPE (BUR)
Roman Catholic Births, Marriages and Deaths in Halton and Peel Counties: 1830's to 1850's From St. Augustine, Dundas Records, by Trudy Mann, 1999 - 929.371353 MAN (BUR)
Surrogate Court Index of Ontario, Canada, 1859-1900, by June Gibson, 2005 - Vol. 23: Halton County - 929.3713 GIB (REF)
Wesleyan Methodist Baptismal Register: Halton County, 1829-1897: a Transcription: a Genealogical Guide, 2001 - 929.3713533 WES (BUR)

History

Brant Inn Memories, by Stewart Brown, 2008 - 917.13533 BRO
Burlington, by John De Visser, 1995 - 971.3523 DEV
Burlington: the Growing Years, by Dorothy Turcotte, 1992 - 971.3533 TUR
Burlington: Memories of Pioneer Days, by Dorothy Turcotte, 1989 - 971.3533 TUR
From Pathway to Skyway: a History of Burlington, by Claire Emery, 1967 - 971.3523 EME
From Pathway to Skyway Revisited: a History of Burlington, by Claire Emery, 1997 - 971.3523 EME
Remember the Brant Inn, by Dorothy Turcotte, 1990 - 917.13533 TUR
The Garden of Canada, by Martha Craig, 1902 and 1973 - 971.353 CRA
The Sand Strip: Burlington/Hamilton Beaches, by Dorothy Turcotte, 1987 - 971.352 TUR

City Directories

Burlington Public Library has copies of Vernon's Burlington and Hamilton Suburban Directory 1959 - present. Searching can be done by name, address or phone number. Please ask at the Information Desk, 2nd floor at Central Library to use this resource.

Tweedsmuir Histories

Two excellent local history resources are held in the Burlington History Room - the Nelson Tweedsmuir History and the Aldershot Tweedsmuir History. While the originals are fragile and cannot be accessed, genealogists may view these resources on microfilm.

What is a Tweedsmuir History? - the Tweedsmuir History Books, or Tweedsmuirs, have been prepared by the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario
Tweedsmuir History Resources - list of available resources on the Tweedsmuir Histories at BPL

Other Local Resources

Assessment Rolls - 5 microfilm reels - 336.2220216 BUR (REF) - BPL has tax assessment information for Burlington (previously known as Wellington Square) for the years 1856-1953. Please ask at the Information Desk, 2nd floor at Central Library.
[Fire] Insurance Plans, Burlington, Ontario - 912.713533 INA (REF/BUR) - 1900, 1900 revised 1911, also for years 1910, 1924, 1924 revised 1932 and 1971, available on microfiche. Please ask at the Information Desk, 2nd floor at Central Library.
Voters' Lists - Vols. 1-4 - 324.64 BUR (REF) - for the City of Burlington from 1923-1969 are available on microfilm. Please ask at the Information Desk, 2nd floor at Central Library.

High School Yearbooks

BPL has high school yearbooks for some of the Burlington high schools for selective years.
These include:

Aldershot High School - Leonidata
Assumption High School - Odyssey
Burlington High School - Rarebits (1930-1932)
Central High School - Via Trita
General Brock High School - Forward
Lester B. Pearson High School - Flashback
Lord Elgin High School - Reflections
Nelson High School - Victory
Notre Dame High School - Legacy
M.M. Robinson High School - Quest
Robert Bateman High School

For further assistance, please e-mail askalibrarian[at]bpl.on.ca.

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