Research Information

Photographs depicting Agriculture Scenes:

• Barns and farmhouses
• Farming and agriculture 
• Livestock
• Maple Syrup

Items related to Farming and Agriculture:

• Account and cashbooks 
• Books referencing agriculture / farming
• Diaries (journals) 
• Equipment and objects
• Reports

Agricultural Organizations:

• All agricultural organizations
• Documents created by Agricultural Societies
• Folk Schools
• Junior Farmers

Creameries, Cheese Manufacturing & Dairy Resources:

• Archival records and resources
• Books referencing dairy-related industries
• Photographs
• Objects

Fall Fairs and Plowing Matches:

• Books referencing fairs
• Fall Fair documents
• Fall Fair photographs
• International Plowing Match resources

Artists whose works are featured in BCM&CC’s Collection have either resided in the County or have featured County scenes prominently in their works.

Paintings in the BCM&CC Collection

Some of our featured artists include:

• Works by Alan Weinstein 
• Works by Barbara Caruso
• Works by David Milne 
• Works by Hannah Rusk Kelly 
• Works by James Paddon (limited edition prints)
• Works by Jean Cameron
• Works by Paul Kane 

Learn more about Bruce County artists through these resources, available to view in the Research Room:

• Resources referencing Artists
• Barbara Caruso
• David Milne
• Mary Riter Hamilton
• Paul Duff
• Paul Kane

Bruce County Court records collection (1867 to 1939) at Bruce County Museum, including:

• a selection of civil docket books (1867-1923)
• two of criminal docket books (1885-1895; 1908-1930)
• full list of books and registers

Criminal Justice Records research guide (Archives of Ontario)

The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre is working to preserve and collect items that tell the local story of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

If you have correspondence, social media posts, journals, photos, videos or similar items that document the personal aspects of our Bruce County experience, please consider submitting them!

Below are links to images, and descriptions of items people have submitted reflecting their experiences:

• Photographs reflecting Covid-19 experiences
• Written submissions and artwork reflecting Covid-19 experiences
• Items used during the Covid-19 pandemic

Newspapers and government reports and council minutes may also contain information about our communities’ experiences during both the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2023)  and the 1918 Influenza pandemic (1918-1920).

Large stands of forests used to cover much of what is now Bruce County. The diversity and number of trees made this area an ideal place for talented and industrious individuals to create a living working with this rich resource.

• Brief History of Bruce County Furniture Factories
• Furniture Catalogues of Bruce County and Grey County
• Krug Bros. Co. Ltd. Furniture Catalogues (Krug family fonds, series 1, subseries 8, file 1)
• American and Canadian Furniture Company Catalogues, not including Bruce & Grey Counties (Krug farmly fonds, series 1, subseries 6
• Krug Bros. Ltd. Co. Business Records (Series 1 of Krug family fonds)
• Krug Farms and Chesley Chair Company Limited (Series 2 of Krug family fonds)
• View pieces of Bruce County furniture in our Online Collections

Cemetery Locator & Finding Aid
The Bruce County Genealogical Society and the Bruce & Grey Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society have transcribed tombstones in many of the cemeteries in Bruce County.  Click on the link to the Bruce County Genealogical Society website to discover tools to help locate cemeteries.   The Bruce & Grey Branch O.G.S. transcriptions are now available online for free.

Census and Vital Statistics Records
Microfilm copies of census records and birth, marriage and death indexes and registrations.

Directories and Telephone Books

Directories list names, occupations and other information about residents of towns/townships

Telephone books have similar information, without the occupation, in more recent times.

Family Histories
Search our Online Collections for family history books and family trees. Also browse the collection by name using the Term Search page of Online Collections

FamilySearch Affiliate  As a FamilySearch Affiliate, you may access many more records in the Research Room through FamilySearch.org, than what you can access at home.

Genealogy Resource Checklist
A checklist of materials in the Research Room & Archives that may be useful to family historians.

Newspapers

• Newspapers on Microfilm in the Research Room (contact archives@brucecounty.on.ca if your paper of interest is not listed here; this inventory is not exhaustive)
• Bruce County Historic Newspapers Online
• Bruce County Newspaper Digitization Project information
• Geographical Location of Bruce County Newspapers and Municipalities

Personal Papers

As the years go by, everyone amasses a great amount of records in the form of personal and business letters, journals, diaries, photographs and the like. Often, these materials are passed on from generation to generation and can find their way into the Archives. These records give us a first- hand account of what life was like in the past.  See our Online Collections to view descriptions, and in some cases images, of a selection of personal papers.

Online Collections – People Search

Visit the “Term Search” page of our Online Collections to see a list of people known to be associated with records currently described online.  As this represents only a small percentage of our records, visit the Archives & Research room to continue your research.

The Archives is the official repository for many of the permanently retained records of the Corporation of the County of Bruce.  Bruce County municipalities have also transferred some of their archival materials to the Archives. These records include Land Transfer Copy Books, Assessment and Collector’s Rolls, Voters’ Lists, Minutes, By-Laws, correspondence and more.

County of Bruce
The Bruce County fonds consists of administrative records for the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce (1850-1852), the United Counties of Huron and Bruce (1853-1866), the County of Bruce Provisional Council (1857-1866), and the County of Bruce (1867- ).   It includes by-laws, minutes and other records created by the various departments of the Corporation of the County of Bruce.

Municipality of Arran-Elderslie (including the former Arran Township, Elderslie Township, Chesley, Paisley, and Tara)

Municipality of Brockton (including the former Brant Township, Greenock Township, and Walkerton)

Township of Huron-Kinloss (including the former Huron Township, Kinloss Township, Lucknow, and Ripley)

Municipality of Kincardine (including the former Bruce Township, Kincardine Township, Kincardine, and Tiverton)

Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (including the former Eastnor Township, Lindsay Township, St. Edmunds Township, Lion’s Head, and Tobermory)

Town of Saugeen Shores (including the former Saugeen Township, Port Elgin, and Southampton)

Municipality of South Bruce (including the former Carrick Township, Culross Township, Mildmay, and Teeswater)

Town of South Bruce Peninsula (including the former Albemarle Township, Amabel Township, Hepworth and Wiarton)

Land Records:  See the “Land Records, Maps & Geography” section on our Useful Links page (for Bruce County records from external sources).

Local History Books:  Many published resources about various geographical parts of Bruce County are available in the Research Room.  Try entering your location in the “Place” field in the Online Collections advanced search page, with the “Library” catalogue checked at the top of that page.

Bruce Krug Local History Scrapbooks:  Bruce Krug created scrapbooks for every former township of Bruce County, consisting of newspaper clippings, historical notes, photographs, and summaries of interviews he conducted with Bruce County residents. Indices of the scrapbooks are available in the Finding Aid Links field in the Online Collections descriptions of each scrapbook.

First Nations:  For holdings related to First Nations, check out the Peter Schmalz fonds or use “First Nation*” as a keyword search in our Online Collections.

Newspapers

• Newspapers on Microfilm in the Research Room (contact archives@brucecounty.on.ca if your paper of interest is not listed here; this inventory is not exhaustive)
• Bruce County Historic Newspapers Online
• Bruce County Newspaper Digitization Project information
• Geographical Location of Bruce County Newspapers and Municipalities

Search by Place in Online Collections:  Use quotation marks when searching for places consisting of two words.  For example: “Port Elgin”

Weichel Research Collection:  For Southampton information and people, also consider reviewing the John B. Weichel research collection inventory, consisting primarily of notes and copies of newspapers and other published materials collected by author and historian, John Weichel.

Women’s Institute Tweedsmuir Community Histories 

• This link leads to a list of Women’s Institute minutes, administrative records and Tweedsmuir Community History books, categorized by branch, housed at the BCM&CC.
• This link leads to a list of W.I. Tweedsmuir Community History books at the BCM&CC
• This link leads to the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario’s Digital Collections, which include digitized versions of the W.I. Tweedsmuir Community History books.

Bruce County road maps

Fire Insurance Plans / Maps

Nautical charts

Township maps

• Albemarle Township maps
• Amabel Township maps
• Arran Township maps
• Brant Township maps
• Bruce Township maps
• Carrick Township maps
• Culross Township maps
• Eastnor Township maps
• Elderslie Township maps
• Greenock Township maps
• Huron Township maps
• Kincardine Township maps
• Kinloss Township maps
• Lindsay Township maps
• Saugeen Township maps
• St. Edmunds Township maps

Town, Village, Hamlet maps and plans

• Chesley
• Hepworth
• Invermay
• Kincardine
• Lion’s Head
• Lockerby
• Lucknow
• Malta
• Mildmay
• Paisley
• Port Bruce
• Port Elgin
• Ripley
• Riversdale
• Southampton
• Tara
• Teeswater
• Tobermory
• Walkerton
• Wiarton

The Research Room and Archives contain a variety of marine related resources related to Bruce County. These include:

• Arthur Amos Shipwreck Research Collection (download a general inventory here)
• Arthur Amos Shipwreck Collection item descriptions (a selection of items are online; processing of this donation is in progress)
• Books about local marine history
• Books about ships and shipwrecks
• Books about lighthouses
• Drawings of ships used in archaeological research
• Lighthouse Keepers logs 
• Magazines, journals and newsletters related to marine history
• Marine Heritage scrapbooks
• Marine navigation items
• Nautical charts
• Ontario Marine Heritage Committee collection
• Photographs of ships
• Photographs of lighthouses
• Photographs of harbours
• Shipwreck-related artefacts and lifesaving medals (part of the BCM&CC Collection)

Some of the items listed in the “Local History” section above, such as Township history books and newspapers are also excellent sources of marine information. 

Resources related to shipwrecks and underwater archaeology beyond Bruce County are accepted as part of the developing Ontario Marine History and Underwater Archaeology Research Centre at the BCM&CC. 

The military service of those connected with Bruce County is a popular research topic!

Online Military Records include:

• 160th Battalion records and images
• Bruce Remembers, a site containing information about Bruce County individuals in military service, battalions, cemeteries and monuments.
• Military-related photographs
• Military medals
• Military uniforms
• Newspapers
• Soldiers’ letters and diaries

To search for particular soldiers:

• Search Bruce Remembers’ Find People page, and
• Search Online Collections’ People 

Records available to view in the Research Room include:

• Additional 160th Battalion items
• Additional Newspapers, not yet available online
• Books about the First World War
• Books about the Second World War
• Books about the Korean War
• Most Township / Town local history books have a chapter on the military involvement of their community.
• Military Oral History Interviews – Video interviews completed since 2005 of local veterans around Bruce and Grey Counties, available to be viewed at the Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre in the Research Room.

World War-related records:

• Archival items related to the First World War
• Archival items related to the Second World War
• Archival items and objects related to the Korean War
• Objects related to the First World War
• Objects related to the Second World War

Historic newspapers recorded the social, political, personal, and economic events that influenced the development of our communities.  Read over 12,700 newspaper issues from almost 30 newspaper titles on BCM&CC’s Bruce County Historic Newspapers Website.  Even more newspapers are available to view on site in the Research Room (the in-house inventory below is not exhaustive, contact us to inquire about the availability of newspapers if your paper of interest is not on the microfilm list).  

• Newspapers on Microfilm in the Research Room 
• Bruce County Historic Newspapers Online
• Bruce County Newspaper Digitization Project information
• Geographical Location of Bruce County Newspapers and Municipalities
• Bruce County Newspaper Histories

Many of the resources listed in the Government Records, Local History, Maps & Charts, and Family History & Genealogy categories on this page may assist in discovering information about the history of a property or building.

This Researching Heritage Properties Guide by the Simcoe County Archives provides information about resources, most of which are also applicable to researching properties in Bruce County.

This “How to Research Properties” video, prepared by the Bruce County Archives at the BCM&CC focuses on research methods and resources directly related to Bruce County.

Also visit the “Land Records, Maps & Geography” section of our Useful Links page for additional land record resources.

This is a list of some of the organizations who have donated records to the BCM&CC, thereby making them accessible to the public.  The links lead to descriptions of the records in Online Collections.

Bruce County Historical Society

• BCHS fonds and series descriptions 
• BCHS item list
• BCHS Newsletters (see Transcripts area for download link)
• Download Index to BCHS Newsletters, 1958-2020

Canadian Order of Foresters

Chantry Singers

CFUW Kincardine

CFUW Southport

Concerned Farm Women

Country Sisters Community Club

Do-Cum-In Farm Forum, Culross

Gould Lake Ratepayers Association

Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, White Cloud Chapter

Lighthouse Squares

Loyal Orange Lodges

• Loyal Orange County Lodge No. C207, Bruce County
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 203 Tara fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 208 Ebenezer fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 460 Walkerton fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 609 Dobbinton fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 612 Purple Hill fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 753 Rosemount fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 765 Kincardine fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 898 Kinloss fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 968 Allendford fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1122 Underwood fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1226 Bethel fonds
• Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1284 Southampton fonds
• Royal Black Preceptory No. 436, Tara
• Loyal Orange Lodge Membership Certificates (collected by L.O.L. No. 765, Kincardine as other Lodges disbanded)
• Loyal Orange Lodges Objects

Oliphant Campers’ Association

Order of the Eastern Star

Peninsula Bruce Trail Club

Port Elgin Senior Citizens Friendship Club #976

Probus Club of Saugeen Shores

Queens Bush Rural Ministries

Rebekah Lodges of Bruce County

Rock of Friendship Temperance Society

Rotary Club of Chesley

S.H.O.W. Garden Club

Teeswater Rifle Association

Sauble Beach Ski and Snowshoe Club

South-Port Optimists Club

• S-P Optimist Club fonds and series descriptions
• S-P Optimist Club item list

Southampton Tennis Club

Underwood Presbyterian Church

Women’s Institutes

• This link leads to a list of Women’s Institute minutes, administrative records and Tweedsmuir Community History books, categorized by branch, housed at the BCM&CC.
• This link leads to a list of W.I. Tweedsmuir Community History books at the BCM&CC
• This link leads to the Federated Women’s Institute of Ontario’s Digital Collections, which include digitized versions of the W.I. Tweedsmuir Community History books.

Women’s Probus Club of Saugeen Shores

The Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre holds thousands of images related to Bruce County events, people, and places!   You may search over 20,000 image in the BCM&CC Online Collections.

Here are a few specific collections that you may also wish to browse online.

Krug Collection:  Over 3,000 negative images, featuring scenes from across Bruce County, Grey County and surrounding areas, taken by Howard or Bruce Krug are viewable online.  (Most online records have multiple images attached)  These are part of a collection of 22,000 negative images.  A full inventory of the images may be viewed and downloaded from this description:  Krug Series 4, File 7 – Negative Photographs.

Postcard Collection:  About 2,000 picture postcards featuring Bruce County scenes, holiday celebrations or messages from Bruce County residents are viewable through Online Collections.  (If an image has not been uploaded, the BCM&CC does not have copyright clearance for online display).

Scougall Collection:  Photographs (primarily glass plate negatives) taken by Kincardine photographer and town clerk John H. Scougall (1850-1922)

Thornburn Collection:  Port Elgin area photographs taken by teacher and photographer J. Lindsay Thornburn (1910-1995).   When viewing the results list, please note that many of the online records have multiple images attached.

Early Photography Presentation: 

For information about early photography, watch this presentation by Archival Assistant Krista Keller.

Bluewater District Schoolboard Records 

The Archives holds historic Bluewater District Schoolboard Records, including attendance registers, general registers, board minute books and cash books.  Contact archives@brucecounty.on.ca to inquire about records related to particular schools.  Access to some of these materials is restricted under privacy legislation. 

Yearbooks 

Yearbooks are used to understand family history, school history, social experiences, education, and other qualities of a community!  Our Collection includes: 

• Allenford Continuation School 
• Bruce Peninsula District School / Bruce Peninsula District High School 
• Chesley District High School 
• Hepworth Continuation School 
• Kincardine High School
• Port Elgin High School / Saugeen District High School / Saugeen District Secondary School 
• Port Elgin Saugeen Central School 
• Tiverton Continuation School 
• Walkerton District Secondary School 
• Wiarton District High School 

If you have yearbooks not listed here, please contact us if you would like to donate them to our Collection! 

School History Resources 

• Bruce County Genealogical Society Schools Clipping Binders:  Newspaper clippings and photocopies of school and class photographs and descriptions of school histories are organized in these binders. 
• Community History Books:  Books written about former townships, towns and villages usually contain a chapter on education or schools.  We have all the books in the Research Room!  
• General Registers:  The General Registers of schools often contain a page at the end in which historical information about the school is written 
• Research Files:  Other researchers exploring the history of schools over the years have donated their notes and files. 
• Photographs:  Photographs include class photos and building photos 
• Public School Photographs 
• High School Photographs 
• School Reunions:  Our collection includes historical booklets prepared for school reunions, photographs and memorabilia collected at reunions, and records documenting the reunion events. 

School Sections 

Before the County Boards of Education were formed, rural schools were known by their “School Section”, such as S.S. No. 6 Greenock (a.k.a. Narva School).   

When searching for these schools in Online Collections, use “S.S. No. #” with the quotation marks.