Local History: Home
JANUARY 2023 NOTICE
Access to the Millennium Library's Local History Room collection is not available during renovations. Please consult online resources linked to from this guide or contact the Library at 204-986-6450 with any further questions.
Local History at Winnipeg Public Library
From books to online archives, newspaper clippings to historical postcards, Red River to the Winnipeg General Strike, local history associations, museums and more, we hope this Guide supports and inspires your research. Keep checking back for updates or contact us for help with your searching.
Use this guide to find:
- lists of titles related to specific Manitoba history topics or about the history of the province in general.
- Library databases with local history content such as Canadian Reference Centre and Newspaper Archive.
- online historical resources and organizations websites that can assist in your research.
- information about the Local History Room collection located on the 4th floor of the Millennium Library
- Ask Us!Have a local history or genealogy question? We are happy to provide you with suggestions for your research. We are also able to complete some searching for you. Examples of searches we conduct are: obituary clippings from select Winnipeg and Manitoba newspapers; city directories listings; Manitoba birth, death and marriage information (as publicly available), census data. *Please note: we may limit the amount of searching we undertake.
- Library programs - Genealogy and Local HistoryWinnipeg Public Library hosts a variety of genealogy and local history programs throughout the year. Many require registration.Contact the host Library branch for details.
Henderson's Directories
Henderson's Directories for Winnipeg and Manitoba can also be consulted in-person in the Local History Room at the Millennium Library. Print copies exist up to the year 2000.
- Winnipeg Henderson 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.
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.
Winnipeg newspapers
- SEARCH SMART - Local NewspapersCan I get access to archives of Winnipeg and Manitoba newspapers through the Library? Answer: Yes. Find a list of Winnipeg Public Library's archival newspaper holdings in print, microfilm and electronically.
- 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, the pages are fully searchable by name, keyword and date, making it easy for you to quickly explore historical content, research your family history, or simply read about a person or event of interest. - 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. Fully searchable by keywords and dates, this is an excellent resource for local events and personalities not covered in the Winnipeg Free Press.
The Local History Room at the Millennium Library
The Local History Room was opened in 2005 as part of the renovated Millennium Public branch and is located on the 4th floor. The overall goal of the Local History Room is to raise awareness of the Manitoba's historical heritage through its printed and electronic resources. Its purpose is to provide centralized and easy access to unique and rare resources devoted to the history of the city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba, and create an environment that will appeal to general readers as well as researchers.
While there are books covering a wide range of topics, the strong points of Local History collection includes: histories of Manitoba communities as well as of the city of Winnipeg Winnipeg, Metis history (including the Riel Rebellion), local genealogy, biographies of local personalities, and rare prints of novels by local authors.
The collection also includes:
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Winnipeg Henderson's Directories from 1880 to 2000
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Winnipeg and Manitoba telephone directories dating back 100+ years
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Local History Clipping Files of local newspaper articles
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A collection of magazines focusing on Manitoba topics
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Rare prints of fiction titles from Manitoba authors