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Our holdings
There are 200 fonds/collections in our holdings. All
processed collections have been described in our database at
the highest (fonds) level, while many have been further
described at the series, file, and/or item levels. These
descriptions of our holdings are fully
searchable online
. These descriptions also contain
images that have been scanned and connected to our
descriptions. These will be updated on a quarterly basis.
Collection Overview:
Our holdings contain many types of archival material,
relating to the history of Arnprior and McNab/Braeside and
the surrounding area. Highlights include:
• Lumbering Era This area was part of the
once-flourishing timber and logging industry in the Ottawa
Valley. There are collections on the Gillies Brothers of
Braeside, the McLachlin Brothers of Arnprior, and the
Stewart Family of Waba, as well as other private donations
of journals, photographs, and other items.
• Renfrew County Land Records The original land
registry documents from about 1850-1970 for the entire
Renfrew County are housed here. Besides the registry books,
there are individual instruments for land transfers, such as
deeds, quit claims, and wills.
• Photographic The Archives holds thousands of
photos and negatives. Besides those found in a number of
collections, there are two collections of special interest.
·
Handford Studio Collection – Contains thousands of
negatives from their Renfrew portrait studio dating from
just before 1900 to the 1970s. Many are the early glass
plate negatives. All of the nitrate negatives and some of
the other negatives have been scanned and are available for
viewing in the online search.
·
Charles Macnamara Collection - An amateur local field
naturalist, photographer, and scientist, this collection
contains hundreds of negatives and photos, as well as his
papers. Visit the
Virtual
Museum for a more in-depth look at this fascinating
gentleman.
• Cartographic (Maps and Plans) Over 400 maps
have been described at the item level. They include early
maps of Arnprior, McNab Township, and area. There are also
early Fire Insurance Plans for Arnprior, Braeside and other
valley towns. In the online search, choose “maps” as the
“Type of Material.”
• Other
• Municipal records, including assessment and collectors’
rolls
• Documents from the local museum
• Microfilmed local newspapers
• Community organization records, including local Women’s
Institutes’ Tweedsmuir Community Histories
• Private donations, including family histories and business
records
• Research files from Peter Hessel, local historian and
author. Includes a transcription of German Passenger Lists.
• Local census and cemetery records
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