City Departments

City Archives: Local History Resources

The Cambridge Archives houses a sizeable collection of documents relevant to the history of Cambridge and its predecessor municipalities. It is not practical to provide a full list in html at this time. We are, however, providing a summary list of the categories by which these document collections are known and a PDF file of the full archive collections list.

Here is the short list:
  1. Architects Index
  2. Art Collection
  3. Bob Leggett Blair Collection
  4. Book Collection
  5. By-Law Reference Manual
  6. Cemeteries Plot Indices
  7. Genealogical Resources
  8. Government Documents
    • Preston:
      Clerk, Public Works and Engineering, Board of Health, Preston School Board, Treasurer, Light and Water Commission, Public Utilities Commission, Planning Board, Board of Trade, Parks Board, Fire Department
    • Hespeler:
      Clerk, Fire Department, Police Department, Treasurer, Hespeler School Board, Planning Board, Arena Commission, Public Works, Hydro-Electric Commission, Cemetery Board
    • Galt:
      Clerks, Public Works and Engineering, Fire Department, Police Department, Parks and Recreation, Treasury, Hydro-Electric Commission, Board of Health, Planning Board, Galt Public School Board, Galt Separate School Board, Public Utilities Commission
    • Cambridge:
      Clerks Division, Community Services Department, Transportation and Public Works Department (formerly Engineering and Public Works), Planning, Corporate Services Department (formerly Treasury), Office of the Chief Administrative Officer/Economic Development (formerly the Business Development Department)

  9. Local History Clipping Files
  10. Manuscript Collections
    • MS 1: General Material (117 volumes and counting -- indexed)
    • MS 2: McCulloch Papers
    • MS 3: Silknit Papers (64 volumes)
    • MS 4: Chapman Papers (3 volumes)
    • MS 5: J.D. Riding Papers -- Hespeler Industrial Commission
    • MS 6: R.S. Hamilton Papers
    • MS 7: Galt Art Society Papers
    • MS 8: Dickson Papers (9 volumes -- indexed)
    • MS 9: Claudette Millar Papers (4 volumes)
    • MS 10: James Shaw Papers (2 volumes)
    • MS 11: Heritage Cambridge
    • MS 12: Hespeler Furniture Company Papers (8 volumes)
    • MS 13: Sheldon Engineering Company Papers (24 volumes)
    • MS 14: Cambridge Reporter (44 volumes)
    • MS 15: J.N. Courtney Papers
    • MS 16: Ontario Women's Institute South Waterloo District (8 volumes)
    • MS 17: McPherson's Heating and Sheet Metal Papers (2 volumes)
    • MS 18: Peter Hay Knife Company Papers (10 volumes)
    • MS 19: Preston Homecoming of 1949
    • MS 20: Preston Tennis Club
    • MS 21: MacGregor Papers (6 volumes)
    • MS 22: Cambridge Public Library Local History Collection (53 volumes -- indexed)
    • MS 23: Galt Horse Show (2 volumes)
    • MS 24: Brewster Family Papers (2 volumes)
    • MS 25: CanAmera Games Colour Photo Slides (3 volumes & 15 carousels)
    • MS 26: Newlands Inc Papers (24 volumes)
    • MS 27: Cambridge Flood Inquiry Papers (6 volumes)
    • MS 28: Highland Light Infantry of Canada (3 volumes)
    • MS 29: Kerr-Progress Printing Company
    • MS 30: Hilborn/Bridle Papers
    • MS 31: T.H. Westwood Highland Light Infantry of Canada Collection
    • MS 32: Trigger Advertising
    • MS 33: Galt Little Theatre Papers
    • MS 34: Preston Scout House Band (2 volumes)
    • MS 35: Cambridge Cultural and Recreational Events
    • MS 36: Papers for the Stamped and Enamelled Wares of American Standard
    • MS 37: Galt Kiltie Band
    • MS 38: Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterers of America -- Galt Branch
    • MS 39: Cambridge Museum Development Corporation Papers
    • MS 40: Peter Sturdy Collection
    • MS 41: Hespeler Horticultural Society Papers
    • MS 42: Hugh Thompson Collection
    • MS 43: Shurly-Dietrich-Atkins Collection
    • MS 44: McKegney-Dickson Research Collection
    • MS 45: Preston Horticultural Society Papers
    • MS 46: Grand Galt Reunion Papers
    • MS 47: Business and Professional Women?s Club of Cambridge Papers
    • MS 48: Shurly/Jennings/Dickson Family Papers
    • MS 49: Cambridge Sports Banquet Papers
    • MS 50: Galt Magistrate?s Court Records
    • MS 51: ?Our Millennium? Projects Collection
    • MS 52: Cambridge Neighbourhood Association Papers
    • MS 53: McDougall & Beatty Company Catalogues

  11. Map Collection
  12. Newspaper Collection
  13. Oral History Collection (taped interviews)
  14. Pamphlet Collection
  15. Periodical Collection
  16. Photograph Collection (7,700 photos)
  17. Photographers Index
  18. Research Files
  19. Slide Collection (1,300 slides of local scenes)
  20. Special Collections

A copy of the complete collection list is available in Related Documents below:

Related Documents

DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION DATE POSTED  
General
Archives Collections June 2003 A PDF overview of the full archive collections list. The collections list is 30 pages in length and describes all the record groups used by the Archives along with the types of documents that can found in each record group. 2003-06-17 PDF 225Kb