Local History: Home
Interested in Local History? Use this guide as a starting point to learn about Winnipeg neighbourhoods and local landmarks, read about popular Manitoba history topics, and find historical photographs and directories.
Ask Library staff
- Ask Us!Phone or contact us online with your local history or basic genealogy questions.
Attend a program
- Local history and geneaology programsVisit our calendar to learn about and register for upcoming programs.
PastForward
- PastForward This link opens in a new window
PastForward is Winnipeg's history, digitized. View vintage Winnipeg and Manitoba postcards, search historic people and business directories, listen to people tell their stories, and more.
Visit the Local History Room
Located on the fourth floor of the Millennium Library, the Local History Room's materials are available for on-site use, including copying and scanning.
- Winnipeg city directories from 1880 to 2000 ("the Henderson's")
- Winnipeg and Manitoba telephone directories dating back 100+ years
- clipping files of local newspaper articles
- histories of Winnipeg and Manitoba communities
- biographies of local personalities
- rare prints of novels by local authors
- print runs of local magazines
Access local newspaper archives
- Handout | Newspaper archives in the Library collectionsFind a list of Winnipeg Public Library's newspaper archives holding in print, microfilm and digital formats.
- Winnipeg Newspaper Archives This link opens in a new window
This online database contains more than 2 million historical pages from the Winnipeg Free Press and all its earlier titles, such as the Manitoba Free Press, dating back to 1874.
- Winnipeg Tribune Archives This link opens in a new window
This database contains entire digitized collection of the Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg local paper from 1890-1980.
Search city directories
- Winnipeg Henderson's Directories 1880-1962Searching for ancestors who lived in Winnipeg? Try looking in our digitized collections of Winnipeg Henderson's Directories, accessible through PastForward. Note that the Millennium Library also has the Winnipeg Henderson's Directories from 1880 to 2000 in Microfilm and/or printed formats.
Explore Winnipeg neighbourhood histories
From the City of Winnipeg Archives
- Winnipeg In Focus
"Winnipeg in Focus is a database for archival descriptions and digital collections at the City of Winnipeg Archives. It allows users to search and browse holdings at the City of Winnipeg Archives and view digital reproductions of archival records. This website includes only a fraction of our holdings."
- Pathways to Winnipeg History
Online exhibits from the City of Winnipeg Archives.