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Ottawa History Guide

We're not an old city, but we have a rich heritage nonetheless. We started out as a rough and tumble lumbertown called Bytown became a headquarters for the federal government along the way, and we're now evolving into a moden, high-tech city.

Local History Links

• 1857 - A Capital Choice
• Ancient Ottawa
• Archaeological and Historical Landmarks
• Barrymore's: 1978-1988
  Originally opened as the Imperial Theatre in 1914, the building we now know as Barrymore's lasted for nearly four decades as on of Ottawa's premier movie theatres. It closed in 1955, spent a number of years as a furniture warehouse, and then re-opened in the 1970s as concert hall, and then as a restaurant/discotheque.
• British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa
• Bytown or Bust: Pioneer families
  A genealogical site run by Al Lewis containing information about pioneer families who settled in Ottawa starting in the early 1800's.
• Bytown Museum
• Central Canadian Exhibition History
• Closed Canadian Parks: Britannia Park ... Victoria Park ... Rockcliffe Park
• Colonel John By - Canadian Heritage Gallery
• Commonwealth Historic Resource Management - Projects
• Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa
• Cumberland Township Historical Society
• Eastern Ontario Ghost Towns
  Here's an idea for a weekend getaway: explore Eastern Ontario's ghost towns. This site features photos and information about dozens of abandoned towns in Ontario and across Canada.
• Encyclopedia of Ottawa Movie Theatres
• Friends of the City of Ottawa Archives
• Goulbourn Historical Society
• Growing Up in Ottawa
  A blog by Mark Daley: "I was born in Ottawa in 1969 at the Civic Hospital. My Family moved quite a bit while I was growing both within and outside of Ottawa – although I've always considered Ottawa to be Home. I went to St. Mark's Elementary School, St. Pat's Jr. High and Hillcrest High School. I now live and work in Toronto, On (moved in 1997). These are my fond memories and stories from growing up in Ottawa."
• Heritage Ottawa
  This site is full of interesting articles and facts. One of the best features is an archive of their newsletters, dating from 1974 to the present. Editor Gordon Cullinham remarks: "Don’t be surprised if you are visited by déjà vu from time to time; the battles are the same, the conditions are the same, and unhappily, the arsenal for engaging the wrecking crews is not much improved."
• Historical Society of Ottawa
  "...founded in 1898 as the Women's Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa. Its objective is to increase public knowledge of the history of Ottawa through its publications, meetings, tours, outreach programs and participation in local heritage events..."
• Imperial Theatre (now Barrymore's)
• Kanata Timeline History
  This site highlights important personalities and events tells, telling the story of Kanata from 1977 to 2000.
• Lansdowne Park History
• Lebreton Flats and Chaudiere Area Photo Album
• One Room Schoolhouses
  From local author Joy Forbes, who recently published her book, "Perseverance, Pranks and Pride - Tales of the One-Room Schoolhouse". It is a collection of 75 stories from English- and French-speaking individuals who attended or taught in local one-room schoolhouses, capturing the fascinating history of our rural education system.
  
• On To Ottawa Historical Society
• Ottawa Chapter of the Ontario Archaeological Society
• Ottawa Family Tree (blog)
• Ottawa Genealogical Society
  If you're looking for ancestors with an Ottawa connection, this should be your first stop. It's an extremely worthwhile resource, with plenty of material and suggestions to get you started on your search for your great-great-great-great-grandparents.
• Ottawa 150 (from CBC Ottawa)
  To mark the city's 150th anniversary, CBC Ottawa presents information on the myriad of people and organizations from each time period of Ottawa's history.
• Ottawa Citizen: 150th Anniversary of Ottawa
  A collection of articles from the Citizen's continuing series marking Ottawa's birthday.
• Ottawa History (brief)
• Ottawa Mayors
  Some mayoral trivia: Bytown's first mayor was John Scott (1847). Ottawa's first mayor was John Bower Lewis (1855). Ottawa has had three female mayors: Charlotte Whitton, Marion Dewar, and Jacquelin Holzman. (from Wikipedia)
• Ottawa Railway History
• OttawaStart Blog: History
• Our Little Italy
  A history of Preston Street (aka Corso Italia), the heart of Ottawa's Little Italy, and the home of many of Italian immigrants in Ottawa.
• Parks Canada: Rideau Canal
• Radio history...
• Rideau Canal (1)
• Rideau Canal (2)
• The Story of the Glebe (alternate link)
• Sparks Street - the Commercial and Banking Centre
• Sparks Street Mall History
• Stories You Told Me
• Thomas Ahearn
• Transit history...
• Tulips in Ottawa (Tulip Festival)
• Victoria Memorial Museum Building
• Victoria School Museum
• Watson's 2002 Guide to the Rideau
• Watson's Mill
• Westboro
• Westboro Online Historical Database
• Vanished Ottawa
  A blog documenting "the vanished and the vanishing" in Ottawa, including buildings, landmarks, etc.
• Vintage Ottawa
  Facebook Group with photos of old Ottawa.

Ottawa History Books

• Ottawa: An Illustrated History. Author: John Taylor. One of the best histories of Ottawa available, it mixes maps and photographs with a detailed — but very readable text. Taylor is a history professor at Carleton University.
  
• An Acre of Time. Author: Phil Jenkins. "I've come here to unearth a story . . . the biography of the field beneath my feet". So begins a journey at once eclectic, invaluable, and unique. A great read for anyone who loves a good story -- not just history buffs. Also available in paperback.
  
• Almonte: The life of Juan Nepomuceno Almonte. Author: Frank Cosentino.
  
  
• An Ottawa album: Glimpses of the way we were. Author: by Marion Van de Wetering.
  
• Fire on Parliament Hill! Author: Jane Varkaris.
  
• GYPSIES, PREACHERS & BIG WHITE BEARS: One Hundred Years on Country Roads. Author: Claudia Smith .
  
• Ottawa Titans: Fortune and Fame in the Early Days of Canada's Capital. Author: L.D. Cross
  
• Over the Hills to Georgian Bay: The Ottawa, Arnprior & Parry Sound Railway.
  Author: Niall Mackay.
  
• Spies in Our Midst: The Incredible Story of Igor Gouzenko, Cold War Spy
  Author: L.D. Cross
  
• Up the line: More portraits of the Ottawa Valley. Author: Steve Evans
  
• WHERE THE HECK IS BALAHECK? Unusual Place-Names from Eastern Ontario. Author: Michael Dawber.
  
• Witches, Ghosts & Loups-Garous: Scary Tales from Canada's Ottawa Valley. Author: Joan Finnigan.

Related Guides

• Ottawa Books & Library Guide
• Ottawa Community Guide

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