905-309-0796​

Preserving and Sharing Grimsby's Past For the Future​​​​

Hours at the GHS Archives


Monday and Friday 9am-1pm

Research Requests can be submitted




GHS Speaker Series​​​​
presents....

Sarah Oatley
Grimsby Public
Art Gallery

​"Celebrating GPAG's
50th Anniversary"

Thursday April 10, 2025
7:30pm-9:00pm

Livingston Activity Centre
18 Livingston Ave
Grimsby, Ontario

GHS Members: complimentary admission

Guests: $10.00 payable at the door

Sarah is an art historian and researcher working as a program assistant for the GPAG's 50th anniversary.  She has conducted research and produced exhibits across Canada including the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, the Bachinski-Chu Print/Study Collection and the Fashion History Museum.

Presentation features the history of the foundations of the art gallery from basement beginnings to the new building.  Highlighting significant moments in  the gallery's history including prominent exhibiting artists, interesting and unconventional programming, permanent collection features and vault storage upgrades 
Click on the video to
discover the GHS Archives!
The GHS has created a special video, in collaboration with Geet Collective, showcasing who we are, what we do, and how the community can get involved.  

Whether you're interested in joining, volunteering, or simply learning more about our rich history,  there's something for everyone to discover!

Let's come together to celebrate and preserve our collective heritage!
GENEALOGY:

Ancestry ($) - www.ancestry.ca

Blacksheep Ancestors - www.blacksheepancestors.com (linked to Ancestry however you may get a couple of weeks free)

British Home Children - www.britishhomechildrenregistry.com

Britsh Newspaper Archives ($) - www.britishnewspaperarchives.co.uk

Canada Census recores 1842-1921 -

Cyndi's List - www.cyndislist.com

Family Search - www.familysearch.org

Family Search Wiki - www.familysearch.org>wiki

Find My Past ($) - www.findmypast.com


​​
Grimsby Research Links:

Grimsby Chautauqua - Grimsby Chautauqua


Ready to Start your Research?

MAPS :

1862 Tremaine Atlas - Lincoln Welland Township Maps

​1876 Atlas HR Page & Co - Grimsby Township Map

​($) - may require a subscription

Changing Shape of Ontario - 1788-1899

Fire Insurance Maps (Goad) - Fire Maps

Historical Map Websites - www.oldmapsonline.org

Niagara Navigator - https//maps.niagraregion.ca




MILITARY:

Library and Archives Canada Military Heritage - Military Heritage

Library and Archives Canada - First World War- WWI

Fold 3 ($) - US Military - www.fold3.com

Ships sunk by U-Boats - uboat.net


OUR ONTARIO GRIMSBY NEWSPAPERS:

Grimsby Independent copies from 1885-1949 - OurOntario


The Grimsby Chautauqua​​​​

According to an article written by ​​Dorothy Turcotte, local historican and GHS Archive volunteer, and published in Niagara This Week (July 2018) the Chautauqua Institution was founded on 750 acres at Chautauqua, N.Y. in 1874 as a place where Methodist Sunday School teachers and others could go to learn about the Holy Land and enjoy the restful beauty of the lake.

In that same year, it is believed, Noah Phelps visited Chautauqua and returned to Grimsby determined to establish a similar institution here. A strong Canadian connection developed. There were regular excursions from Chautauqua to Toronto. Chautauqua had a baseball team which sometimes came to Canada to play games.

So what happened to the Canadian Connection? According to Jon Schmitz, archivist and historian of the Chautauqua Institute in New York, it was the demise of the Temperance movement in both Canada and the United States.

After all, the Methodist church had been built largely on support for temperance. In Canada in 1925, it joined with the Congregational Church and some Presbyterians to become the United Church of Canada. By that time, the Ontario Methodist Camp Meeting Company had been disbanded, and Grimsby Park had become Grimsby Beach, a quiet summer community.

Check out the  Grimsby Chautauqua collection that was developed in partnership with the Grimsby Historical Society, Grimsby Public Art Gallery and the Grmsby Public Library and made available thanks to the financial support from the Government of Ontario.