Resources

Provincial Archives of New Brunswick / Archives Provinciales du Nouveau-Brunswick | Fredericton, NB

“The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick collects, preserves, and makes available for research, documents and records bearing upon the history of New Brunswick.”

“Les Archives provinciales du Nouveau-Brunswick recueillent, conservent et permettent la consultation de documents et de dossiers portant sur l’histoire du Nouveau-Brunswick.”

Nova Scotia Archives | Halifax, NS

“The Nova Scotia Archives acquires, preserves and makes available the province’s documentary heritage — recorded information of provincial significance created or accumulated by government and the private sector over the last 300 years.”

“One of Canada’s oldest archival institutions, we maintain a strong tradition of client service. Each year we assist thousands of researchers and general-interest visitors, both onsite and online, in finding out more about themselves, their families, their communities and their province.”

Prince Edward Island Archives | Charlottetown, PE

“The PARO (Public Archives and Records Online) Collections Database can be searched for item-level access to vital statistics records, census material, and some of our most popular archival content, including maps, architectural plans, photographs, and other material. Where available, a digital scan of the original can also be accessed through the online database.” Included are vital statistics records c.1777-1968, census records from 1841-1901, and more!

The Rooms Research and Collections, St. John’s, NFLD

“The Rooms collects and preserves materials relevant to Newfoundland and Labrador that have an enduring legal, fiscal, evidential or research value. From government and private records to maps, photos and film, our collections cover centuries of materials that tell the story of our province and its history. These records, along with expertise and assistance in accessing them, are available to researchers in the Reference Room.”

The Loyalist Collection |University of New Brunswick | Active

“The Loyalist Collection holds primary documents pertaining to the experiences of those supportive of the British cause during the American Revolution, including post-war resettlement. Predominantly, the material covers 1750 to 1850 from the British Atlantic World: eastern parts of both present-day Canada and the United States, Great Britain, and the West Indies. Due to this breadth, the Collection is also a great source to shed light on many topics relevant to this period.”

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Archives & Special Collections | University of New Brunswick | Active

“Collections of books and periodicals (c.48,000) which, for a variety of reasons, are held apart from the main library areas, are housed in the Archives & Special Collections Department of the Harriet Irving Library. Also found here are c.6,066 ft. of UNB’s institutional records and private papers (historical and literary) relevant to New Brunswick. All members of the university community as well as those outside the university are welcome to use the resources and services of the department.”

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Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives | Inactive

“The Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives (ACVA) features collections of digitized documents and images, accompanied by learning activities and commentary, of interest to a wide range of readers.” Visitors will find the searchable Winslow Family Letters, 1783-1785, the McQueen Family Letters, 1866-1930, and the Black Loyalists in New Brunswick, 1783-1854 as invaluable additions for research and teaching

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Tracing the Black Presence in Nineteenth-Century Westmorland, New Brunswick | Active

“In the nineteenth-century Westmorland County, in south-east New Brunswick, boasted a small but historically relevant community of black residents, the majority of whom were concentrated in Sackville and Westmorland parishes. By the early twentieth century a significant portion of this community had dispersed, and without a visible presence its existence was for the most part forgotten. Historically excluded from positions of power, black residents were treated in local histories—when they appeared at all—as anomalous, not as independent subjects worthy of study or comment, but rather as footnotes to the stories of white settlers.”

“This research attempts to: 1) draw attention to the resources available for tracing the lives and contributions of black residents of Westmorland; 2) illuminate aspects of black life in nineteenth-century Westmorland; and 3) demonstrate that an understanding of black life in the region enriches any understanding of Westmorland history more generally.”

Maritime History Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland | St. John’s, NFLD |Active

“The Maritime History Archive collects and preserves documents relating to the history of maritime activities in Newfoundland and Labrador and throughout the North Atlantic world.”
Of note, is the Keith Matthews Collection: “Dr. Keith Matthews, a founding member and former chair of the Maritime History Group, during his tenure at Memorial, amassed and created a huge collection of documents and papers relating the early fisheries and settlement of Newfoundland and the individuals who were involved in its economic and political life.” 

Research will also find digitized material via the Virtual Exhibits and Digital Collections.

Esther Clark Wright Archives, Acadia University |Wolfville, NS |Active

The Esther Clark Write Archives and Vaughn Memorial Library is home to impressive collections on the history of the Baptists in Nova Scotia; Annapolis Valley history through letters, diaries, and photographs; Acadia University history, and more general provincial genealogy. Researchers should also explore Chipman’s Corner, the repository for Acadia’s digital archives.

Mount Allison University Archives | Sackville, NB |Active

“Mount Allison University Archives are responsible for preserving records created by the university and making them accessible to the public.  These records come in many forms, from paper documents and photographs, to electronic records, maps, and films.  What makes them archival is their significant and enduring administrative, legal, financial, or historical value.  The custody and care of these unique, largely unpublished records differentiates archives from libraries, which assemble published materials like books or journals.  The archives also collects some artifacts similar to a museum.”

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic | Halifax, NS

“The Museum is a valuable historical, cultural and educational institution. It is the largest site in Nova Scotia that collects and interprets various elements of Nova Scotia’s marine history. Visitors are introduced to the age of steamships, local small craft, the Royal Canadian and Merchant Navies, World War II convoys and The Battle of the Atlantic, the Halifax Explosion of 1917, and Nova Scotia’s role in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster.”
Further resources and research links related to the fishery in Nova Scotia, Maritime shipbuilding, Atlantic heritage, and various Nova Scotia County Archives can be found.

Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 | Halifax, NS

“The permanent collection is a cultural resource that allows the public to explore and engage with Canada’s immigration history and the contemporary experiences of immigrants to Canada. The focus of the collection is intangible or digital-born and digitized items, including oral histories, written stories, and digital archival materials like documents and photographs.”

New Brunswick Museum Archives and Research Library | Saint John, NB

The Archives & Research Library collections include three principal libraries

“The Webster Canadiana Library was collected by Dr. John Clarence Webster (1863-1950), a prominent New Brunswick physician, who, upon his early retirement, renewed his interest in Canadian history. He was a member of several historical councils and museums and wrote various books and papers relating to Canadian history. Dr. Webster participated in the establishment of the New Brunswick Museum and donated his private Canadiana library to this institution.”

“The Ganong Library was the working library of Dr. William Francis Ganong (1864-1941), who is recognized as having been one of New Brunswick’s most distinguished scholars. Although a botanist by profession, Dr. Ganong was also considered to be an authority on cartography. His library is the accumulation of a lifetime given to the study of New Brunswick from the scientific as well as from the historical point of view.”

The historical photograph collection provides a unique perspective on the province’s historical events and personalities. A large percentage of the almost 30,000 images date from the 19th century (early 1840s to 1900), with the remainder dating to the middle of the 20th century. The collection is extremely important as a resource of original prints by 19th-century photographers.

“The Museum Library, as well as the archival and photograph collections, are accessible for searching through the Inmagic databases, available in-house and online.”

King’s Landing Living History Museum | Prince William, NB

“Kings Landing takes aim at how history is told and pushes the boundaries of open-air museums. This 300-acre museum houses over 70,000 artefacts and offers educational exhibits, workshops, unique culinary experiences as well as a 19th-century village where you can step back in time with a community of costumed characters in 70 historic buildings.”

Atlantic Loyalist Connections | Active

“Atlantic Loyalist Connections shares research experiences involving The Loyalist Collection and relations within the British colonial Atlantic world.”

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The Acadiensis Blog | Active

“A forum for historians of Atlantic Canada to share their ideas and thoughts about Atlantic Canadian history and methods with each other and the public at large.”

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Unwritten Histories | Inactive (on hiatus)

“A blog dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of Canadian history as a field, discipline, and profession! Unwritten Histories is designed to be an accessible platform for Canadian historians and history enthusiasts, both in terms of resources, news, and access to a diverse community. In other words, we cover all of the thing you wish you had learned in school, but didn’t.”

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Borealia: Early Canadian History | Active

“The goal of Borealia is to provide an energetic, professional, and respectful space for conversation about research and teaching in early Canadian history… A dedicated forum for discussion, alongside broader historical associations and publications, will nurture informal networks of scholars and will demonstrate the vitality of the field among colleagues and the public.”

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