Archives
Windsor’s Community Archives are now located at 85 Pitt Street East.
There are no public open hours and visits to the archives is by appointment only, with appointments resuming in January 2025.
Since 1984, the Windsor’s Community Archives has been acquiring, preserving and making available historic records of the City of Windsor, its boards and commissions. The archives contain over 7,500 photographs and 20,000 sets of architectural drawings, maps
and plans available for viewing by customers. Records date back to the late 1700’s, although records for Windsor start in 1854, the year Windsor was incorporated as a village. Documentation on communities that became part of Windsor (Ford City/East Windsor, Ojibway, Riverside, Sandwich, Walkerville and the Townships of Sandwich East, West and South) are included and available for viewing. The multi-media collection includes paper documents (journals, letters, diaries), posters, audio tapes and ephemera.
The Archives also holds a number of private collections such as the W.F. Herman Papers, Windsor Local Council of Women and Papers of Green Shield Prepaid Services Incorporated.
Everyone is welcome to research the Archives’ holdings, which cannot be loaned, but may be used in the Archives’ Reading Room. Requests have ranged from finding architectural drawings, to researching war criminals, to identifying an item, to researching old maps to finding sewer connections. What ever you may be in search of, there are guides and indexes to lead you through the collections and friendly, helpful staff waiting to assist with your questions. Some access restrictions may apply to certain records in order to protect privacy. Photocopying is available for most documents. Charges apply for reprographic services. To make the most of your visit, we ask that you come with paper and a pencil.
- Guide to Holdings (pdf)
MANUSCRIPTS
| Code |
|
| MS 1 | Arts and Letters Club, 1921-1943 |
| MS 2 | George F. Macdonald Collection, [ca.1831]-1963 |
| MS 3 | Morrison Literary Papers, 1925-1954 |
| MS 4 | A. Douglas Waddell Collection, [ca.1918], 1927-1953 |
| MS 5 | Hallam Collection, 1884-1982 |
| MS 6 | W. F. Herman Collection, 1920-1949 |
| MS 7 | The Honourable James Baby Chapter I.O.D.E., 1921-1975 |
| MS 8 | J. Lewis Robinson Collection, [ca. 1707]-1984 |
| MS 9 | Wallace Renaud Collection, 1928-1933 |
| MS10 | Fuller Family Papers, 1855-1918 |
| MS11 | Guillot Family Papers, 1870-1912, 1951 |
| MS12 | Leonard N. Simons Collection, 1838-1839 |
| MS13 | Deaccessioned |
| MS14 | Records of the Children’s Aid Society, 1888-1981 |
| MS15 | Gray Family Papers, 1854-1897 |
| MS16 | Davis Collection, 1888-1894 |
| MS17 | Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings, 1975, 1977 |
| MS18 | Ontario Association for the Control of Accidental Poisoning, 1956-1983 |
| MS19 | Windsor Local Council of Women, 1934-1978 |
| MS20 | George Y. Masson Collection, 1916-1981 |
| MS21 | Border Cities Wire and Iron, 1920-1981 (not inclusive) |
| MS22 | Music, Literature and Art Club Collection, 1902-1972 |
| MS23 | Rotary Club of Windsor Collection, 1914-1996 (not inclusive) |
| MS24 | John Stodgell Collection, 1780-1935 |
| MS25 | Papers of Green Shield Prepaid Services Incorporated, 1942-1984 |
| MS26 | Brophey Papers, 1847, 1895, 1926-1960 |
| MS27 | Papers of Walter P. Wall, 1919-1922, 1933-1975 |
| MS28 | Iler Family Papers, 1820-1821, 1884-1911 |
| MS29 | Windsor Centennial Music Festival, 1966-1989 |
| MS30 | Smith Family Papers, 1870-1969 |
| MS31 | Records of Lanspeary’s Limited, 1915-1968 |
| MS32 | Records of the Home of the Friendless, 1889-1934 |
| MS33 | Records of Windsor Medical Services Incorporated, 1939, 1951-1970 |
| MS34 | Windsor Symphony Society, 1929-1989 |
| MS35 | Allen Collection, 1906-1967 |
| MS36 | Windsor Theatre Guild Collection, [1930?]-[1971?] |
| MS37 | Haddow Collection, [after 1920]-1976 |
| MS38 | The Windsor Torch Club Collection, 1951-1987 |
| MS39 | The Lambie Family Collection, 1852-1905 |
| MS40 | The Walkerville Mercury, 1890-1891 |
| MS41 | St. Leonard’s Society of Canada Fonds, 1954-1988 |
| MS42 | N/A |
| MS43 | Bruce J.S. Macdonald Fonds [189-?]-1986 |
| MS44 | Charles R. Knight Collection 1948-1954 |
| MS45 | Education Council of Windsor 1944-1957 |
RECORD GROUPS
|
Code |
Details |
| RG1 | Records of the Chief Administrative Officer, 1955-1985 |
| RG2 | Records of the City Clerk’s Department, 1854-1993 |
| RG3 | Records of the Finance Department, 1853-1988 |
| RG4 | Records of the Building Department, 1904-1976 |
| RG5 | Records of the Amalgamated and Annexed Municipalities, 1858-1976 |
| RG6 | Records of the Windsor Utilities Commission and its Antecedents, 1892-1957 |
| RG7 | Records of the Amalgamated and Branch Libraries, 1906-1972 |
| RG8 | Records of the Windsor Police Services Board and Windsor Police Services, 1861-1994 |
| RG9 | Records of the Legal Department, 1864-1988 |
| RG10 | Records of the Planning Department 1919-1991 |
| RG11 | Records of the Mayor’s Office 1963-1992 |
| RG12 | Windsor-Essex County Development Commission Fonds 1927- [198-?] |
Contact:
Sue Perry,
Manager Public Service
sperry@windsorpubliclibrary.com