Are you interested in the history of Windsor & Essex County?\u00a0 Have you been looking for information about your family\u2019s past?\u00a0 The Local History Branch is a reference library containing visual, print, microfilm, maps and digital information of numerous resources to help you understand the history of this wonderful community.\u00a0 Below is a list of research materials and links available to assist you in your studies.<\/p>\n
Local History encompasses photographs, Windsor\/Essex yearbooks, census records, voting lists, historical maps dating from 1790 forward, scrapbooks, newsletters, ephemera and access to early newspapers including\u00a0The\u00a0Provincial Freeman<\/a><\/strong><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Voice of the Fugitive<\/strong><\/em><\/a>. Please note: all print items are only for use within the Local History Library branch.<\/p>\n Internet access to historical and genealogical resources are also provided, as is the ability to create, print, or examine digital copies from print and microfilm originals.<\/p>\n We are located at 3312 Sandwich St. amid historic Sandwich Towne<\/strong>! Drop by and let us help you find what you need. You can also reach us with questions at localhistory@windsorpubliclibrary.com<\/a>\u00a0or call 519-255-6770 Ext 4437<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Recommended Reads \u2013 Black History (NF only)<\/strong><\/p>\n Print Resources and E-resources<\/strong><\/p>\n The titles listed below, are a sample of resources that focus mainly on black history from a local perspectives and experiences. Some recommended titles include:<\/p>\n Black Abolitionist Papers<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Vol 1-5<\/p>\n Record of Fugitives<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(Manuscript 1855) Vol 1-2<\/p>\n Black Moses: The Real Uncle Tom<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Jessie L. Beattie<\/p>\n We\u2019re Rooted Here and They Can\u2019t Pull Us Up<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(essays by multiple authors)<\/p>\n Tour Essex\/Kent County\u2019s Heritage Trail: Early Settlement of African Canadians: starting in 1750<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Chris Carter<\/p>\n The Colours of Essex County: Historic African Canadian Cemeteries<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Elise Harding-Davis<\/p>\n Our Own Two Hands: Black lives in Windsor from the 1700s<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Irene Moore-Davis<\/p>\n Freedom-Seekers: Blacks in Early Canada<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Daniel G. Hill<\/p>\n History of the Negro community in Essex County 1850\u20141860<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Carol Jenson<\/p>\n New Canaan: Freedom-Land: The Blacks of Colchester Township<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Edward Johnson<\/p>\n To The River: The Remarkable Journey of Caroline Quarlls A Freedom Seeker on the Underground Railroad<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Larry A. McClellan & Kimberly Simmons<\/p>\n Black Pentecostal Music<\/strong>\u00a0in Windsor<\/strong><\/a> by Paul McIntyre<\/p>\n Black Names in America<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Newbell Niles Puckett<\/p>\n Mary Ann Shadd Cary: The Black Press and Protest in the Nineteenth Century<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Jane Rhodes<\/p>\n Unwelcome Guests: Canada West\u2019s Response to American Fugitive Slaves 1800-1865<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0by Jason H. Silverman<\/p>\n The Black Presence in the War of 1812: Unsung Military Volunteers of North America<\/a> <\/strong>by Elise Harding-Davis<\/p>\n Victoria Pioneer Rifle Corps<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Other Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n Marsh Collection<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Marsh Historical Collection mandate is \u201cto collect, preserve and encourage research into the heritage of Amherstburg and the lower Detroit River district.\u201d The facility contains a large collection of photos, books, genealogical records, land instruments, maps, and reference files relating to the area. The office is open to visitors and researchers wishing to access the collection.<\/p>\n Heritage Project<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The H\u00e9ritage project is a 10-year initiative to digitize and make accessible online some of Canada\u2019s most popular archival collections encompassing roughly 40 million pages of primary-source documents.<\/p>\n Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive is home to online archival collections developed at the University of Windsor. It contains records of our local history through images, publications, directories, newspapers, and other materials. It is committed to assisting researchers in their exploration of southwestern Ontario history, genealogy and culture.<\/p>\n Internet Archive<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. The archive provides free access to researchers, historians, scholars, and the public.<\/p>\n War Museum and Canadian Great War Project<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Canadian Great War Project is intended\u00a0to promote interest in Canada’s participation in World War 1\u00a0and to research the Canadians who participated in it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Local Black History & Family Research<\/strong><\/p>\n Numerous resources such as church records, cemetery locations i.e. (designated cemeteries\/separated sections for black, slaves and indigenous peoples) family information are available. Here are some links for recently updated materials on genealogy and history:<\/p>\n Ancestry Library<\/a> <\/strong>(available in library branches only)<\/p>\n Family Search<\/strong><\/a> (available at Local History Branch only)<\/p>\n Essex County Black Historical Research Society<\/a> <\/strong>(ecbhrs@gmail.com)<\/p>\n Essex County Historical Research Society<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Harriet Tubman Institute<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Amherstburg Freedom Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The Buxton National Historic Site and Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A Black People\u2019s History of Canada<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n North Star: A Portal for Black History in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n We Were Here: Documenting Windsor\u2019s McDougall Street Corridor<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Famous Windsorites<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Windsor Mosaic: African Canadian Community<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Newspaper\/Periodical Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n Press Reader (1893-2010<\/strong>) library members only (online)<\/p>\n Press Reader (2011-Present)<\/strong>\u00a0library members only (online)<\/p>\n Progress<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(Emancipation Day publication)<\/p>\n The ODW Newspaper Collection (please note this site is currently undergoing changes in design)<\/strong><\/p>\n The collection brings together newspaper titles of communities outside the Windsor Essex area. Titles such as Voice of the Fugitive<\/strong><\/em> and the Provincial Freeman<\/strong><\/em> are available, as are community newspapers.<\/p>\n http:\/\/ink.ourontario.ca\/titles<\/a><\/p>\n This section of Our Ontario provides information and access to historical documents and information.<\/p>\n https:\/\/search.ourontario.ca\/<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Immigration Resources and Passenger Lists<\/strong><\/p>\n Canadian Lists<\/strong><\/p>\n Library and Archives Canada contains numerous resources about immigrants and their arrival. Passenger lists are available from to 1935. Other holdings include immigration records and guides, travel guides, letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, newspapers (some cultural titles), maps, art, photographs, music and film.<\/p>\n Online Passenger Index<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n United States<\/strong><\/p>\n Although this site focuses on American records, many immigrants that came to Canada arrived first in the United States. Many travelled to U.S. and Canadian border communities (i.e. Niagara Falls, Windsor). This website contains over 3,500 free access pages immigration reports, newspaper records, shipwreck information as well as pictures and descriptions of ships.<\/p>\n Ellis Island<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Microfilm<\/strong><\/p>\n There numerous research documents, church histories, vital statistics and demographics available both in print, online and microfilm that date back as far the18th c. available Some microfilmed materials that may be of interest are the\u00a0Alvin McCurdy Papers<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, Chatham Newspapers from 1844-1850, and several early county newspapers. The Voice of the Fugitive<\/strong><\/em><\/a> and the Provincial Freeman<\/strong><\/em><\/a> are also available on microfilm.<\/p>\n Digital, online, print and electronic resources can restrict usage due to licensing, subscription, migration, and other active digital audit activities. Be sure to check the copyright of the information you are using.<\/p>\n For more information, contact 519-255-6770, x 4437, or email\u00a0mgelissen@windsorpubliclibrary.com<\/a>\u00a0or localhistory@windsorpubliclibrary.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Written By:<\/p>\n Mary-Lou Gelissen MLIS (She\/Her) mgelissen@windsorpubliclibrary.com<\/p>\n Updated: July 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Are you interested in the history of Windsor & Essex County?\u00a0 Have you been looking for information about your family\u2019s past?\u00a0 The Local History Branch is a reference…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":5123,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5122"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5122"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5128,"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5122\/revisions\/5128"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/digital\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nLibrarian \u2013 Local History and Genealogy Branch
\nWindsor Public Library
\n3312 Sandwich St
\nWindsor On.
\nN9C 1B1<\/p>\n