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History of Ontario


Ontario Tourism
Go to the Ontario Tourism web site

The Pioneers of Old Ontario
By W. I. Smith and Illustrations by M. McGillvray (1923). Lots of great stories in this book.
History of the County of Bruce, Ontario, Canada
By Norman Robertson (1906). This is a book about this county detailing how it was first settled and the progress it made.

The Bruce Trail

Reminiscences of Cromar and Canada
By Donald Robert Farquharson. This book first starts by the author talking about being brought up in Cromar in Scotland and then later goes on to tell you of his immigration to Canada and how they settled their land.|
History of the Settlement of Upper Canada
With Special Reference to the Bay of Quinte by Wm. Canniff, M.D., M.R.C.S.E. (1869) (pdf)

Fly Fishing

Caledonian
A Town in Ontario where all the street names are Scottish ones.
Kentiana
The story of the settlement and development of the County of Kent, Ontario By Kent Historical Society 1939.
Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
These are extracts from this publication which was printed in 1904. It looks to me as if around a quarter to a third of the people in this publication are of Scots descent.
Toronto

Learn more about Toronto

Black Flies in the Backwoods of Ontario

One Hundred Years History St. Andrew's Society of Toronto
A very interesting book and many famous names within.

Snowmobile Trails

Pioneer Life in Zorra
By Rev W. A. MacKay, (1899) Another Scottish settlement.
If you live in Ontario

Some fun facts about how folk know if they live in Ontario.
Sketches Illustrating the Early Settlement and History of Glengarry in Canada
By J. A. MacDonell (1983). This is a most interesting book as it covers the Glengarry settlement in Scotland and then moves to the USA where we read about the settlers that were forced to leave there due to the war of independence. It then goes onto Canada where they settled and were also involved in the war between the USA and Canada.

Burlington, Ontario

Alastair's Travel Journal
Here you will find my journal detailing the places I visited in Ontario during my six month first visit to Canada during 2004.
History of Toronto and County of York in Ontario
Containing an outline of the history of the Dominion of Canada, a history of the city of Toronto and the County of York, with the townships, villages, churches, schools, general and local statistics, biographical sketches, etc.
The Stories of the Counties of Ontario
By Emily P Weaver (1913). These are grand wee stories and well worth a read.

Kingston, Ontario

The Pioneers of Blanshard
With an Historical Sketch of the Township by William Johnston (1899)
Windsor: Some facts concerning its Early History
This is an early pdf file which is quite readable. I've also included a few YouTube videos.
The Story of Renfrew
From the coming of the first settlers about 1820 by W. E. Smallfield & Rev. Robert Campbell. (pdf)

15 Reasons why people love London

The United Empire Loyalist Settlement at Long Point, Lake Erie
By L. H. Tasker (1900)
Reminiscences of North Sydenham
A retrospective sketch of the villages of Leith and Annan Grey County, Ontario by Alan Henderson Ross (1924)
Reminiscences of the Early History of Galt
And the Settlement of Dumfries in the Province of Ontario
By James Young (1880)

Ottawa

City of London, Ontario
The Pioneer Period and the London of Today (1900) (pdf)
This is an interesting book with much good information. The book is a little faint but if you maximise the size of the display you shouldn't have any problems reading it.
County of Halton
This Sketch contains a huge number of names and could be an excellent resource for genealogists.

Toronto is North America's 4th largest city

Robert McLean Calder
A Berwickshire Bard who made his home in Chatham
Knox Presbyterian Church
Tiverton, Ontario - 150 years
Ottawa, Canada's Capital
Published by the Industrial and Publicity Commission. This provides a history of Ottawa (pdf)

1000 Islands

Oakville
Some history of Oakville.
Scotch Block
Records and Memories of Boston Church of the Scotch Block, County of Halton, Ontario. 1820 - 1920 By John McColl D.D.
History of the County of Brant, Ontario (1883)

Niagara Falls

The Thousand Islands on the St. Lawrence River
Their Recorded History from the Earliest Times, their Legends, their Romances, their Fortifications and their Contests. (pdf)
Muskoka

Northern Ontario
Muskoka Memories
Sketches from Real Life by Ann Hathaway (1904)

Muskoka

Elliot Lake
In Northern Ontario.
Thunder Bay
Formerly Fort William
Victoria Country Centennial History
By Watson Kirkconnel (1921)

Paddle Ontario

History of the County of Peterborough (1884) (pdf)
Fallbrook Farm Heritage Site
A documentary on the attempt to preserve this site for future generations.
Hudson's Bay Exploring Expedition 1912
By J. B. Tyrrell (pdf)

This is Winter

The Buggy from Glengarry
The Munro and McIntosh Carriage Company Ltd. Alexandria, ON. (pdf). A great look at the various types of buggies built in the old days.
Algoma Country
Is a group of 7 regions in Northern Ontario
Pioneer and Historical Association of the Province of Ontario, Canada (1888) (pdf)
Simcoe County Pioneer and Historical Society
Pioneer Papers No. 1 (1908) (pdf)
The Story of Castle Frank, Toronto
By The Rev. Henry Sadding (1895) (pdf)
Pioneer Days in London
Some Account of Men and Things in London before it became a City By Cl. T. Campbell, M.D. (1921) (pdf)
Toronto Property Market
A newsletter from Savannah Johnson.
The Annals of the Town of Guelph 1827 - 1877
Compiled under the direction of C. Acton Burrows, Editor of the Guelph Herald (1877) (pdf)
The Canada Company
Having had many inquiries from various parts of British North America, upon the thriving Town of Guelph, and the Wellington District, of which it is the District Town, have been induced to print the following Memorandum—which will, it is hoped, prove useful and interesting to those who may contemplate settling in Canada West, as it is furnished by a very intelligent and experienced Gentleman and Magistrate, long resident in Guelph (pdf)
Petrolia, Canada 1862 - 1908 (pdf)

Klondike Trail through Barrhead

In the Days of the Canada Company
The Story of the Settlement of the Huron Tract and a view of the Social Life of the period 1825 - 1850 by Robina and Kathleen MacFarlane Lizars with an Introduction by G. M. Grant, D.D., LL.D., (1896) (pdf)
A Brief History of Les Cheneaux Islands
Some New Chapters of Mackinac History by Frank R. Grover (1911) (pdf)
Old and New Mackinac
With copious extracts from Marquette, Hennepin, La Hontan, Alexander Henry, and others By Rev. J. A. Van Fleet, M.A. (Third Edition) (1880) (pdf)
Reminiscences of Canada
And the Early Days of Fergus being three lectures delivered to the Farmers and Mechanics' Institute, Fergus, by A.D. Ferrier in 1864 and 1865 (pdf)
Annals of the Diocese of Toronto
By Ernest Hawkins, B.D. (1848) (pdf)
Annals of Niagara
By William Kirby, F. R. S. C. (1896) (pdf)
The Story of Butler's Rangers and the Settlement of Niagara
By Ernest Cruikshanks (1893) (pdf)
The Six-Nations Indians in the Province of Ontario (pdf)
Toronto: A World in a City
Ethnic Diversity of Toronto
The Soos of Today
American and Canadian. The Key to the Great Lakes, a Nation's Commerce Passes by its Doors—The Greatest Locks in the World Illustrated and Described—The Establishment of Great Industries and the Development of the rich Algoma Country is Building up Great Cities where once the Red Man held Undisputed Sway—The Romance and Legend of the Land of Hiawatha. (pdf)
Petrolia
1862 - 1908, Its advantages as a commercial and residential centre (pdf)
The History of James Bay 1610-1686
A Study in Historical Archaeology by W. A. Kenyon (1986) (pdf)
A History of McKillop
By Lillian Grummett (1967) (pdf)
City of Brantford
Birthplace of the Telephone By William Watt (1886) (pdf)
Toronto of Old
Collections and Recollections illustrative of the early settlement and social life of the Capital of Ontario by Henry Scadding, D.D., Canon of St. James', Toronto (1878) (pdf)
East Gwillimbury
Including a video on Anchor Park.
Woooded Lands in Ontario
From 20 Cents to 50 Cents all along the line of the Railway (pdf)
Some Memories of Dundurn and Burlington Heights.
By Sir John G. Bourinot, K.C.M.G., LL.D., Lit.D. (Laval) (pdf)
The Parish Register of Kingston Upper Canada 1785-1811
Edited with Notes and Introduction by A. H. Young of Trinity College, Toronto for The Kingston Historical Society, Kingston, Ontario. (1921) (pdf)
Tobermory
Canada and Scotland
Orillia, Ontario
Information on the town
The Caves and Potholes at Rockwood, Ontario
By Prof. J. Hoyes Panton, M. A., F. G. S. (pdf)
Smiths Falls | Crossroads: Beyond Boom & Bust
For almost 50 years, Smiths Falls was proudly known as the chocolate capital of Ontario.
Napanee | Crossroads: Beyond Boom & Bust
As the centre of the amalgamated township of Greater Napanee, the historic downtown is being transformed by a retail and residential revival.
Cobalt
Cobalt is considered the home of the Canadian mining industry. After years of shrinking economic opportunities, resource exploitation seems poised to once again be a major employer as a new refinery struggles to get off the ground.
Hamilton
Toronto has always cast a long shadow on the city of Hamilton, Ontario, for a number of reasons: it's bigger, it's more economically successful, and people want to live there. But times are changing. Young people seeking opportunities are priced out of T.O., and Hamilton is proving to be the place that can provide them with both affordable housing as well as opportunity. Hamiltonians want us to know that great things come in mid-sized packages, too.
North Buxton
The village of North Buxton was settled in 1849 by a white Presbyterian minister and a small group of formerly enslaved people. Once a thriving Black community, its population has gradually shrunk to less than 200, but its history is more relevant than ever as a new generation leads the way.
Stratford
The city of Stratford is best known for its Shakespeare theatre festival. When the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 season, throwing thousands of people out of work, the city's prescient policy of pursuing high tech opportunities helped keep the lights on.
History of the County of Perth
From 1825 to 1902 by William Johnston (1903) (pdf)
Pioneers of the Upper Ottawa and the humors of the valley
By Anson A. Gard (1906) (pdf)
Pioneers of the Upper Ottawa and the humors of the valley
By Anson A. Gard (1906) (pdf)
Temagami Northeastern Ontario
Ontario Government Office in England
From the April 1932 edition of the O.A.C. Review (pdf)
Emigration to Canada - The Province of Ontario
Its Soil, Climate, Resources, Institutions, Free Grant Lands, &c, &c., for the information of intending emigrants issued by Authority of the Government of Ontario (1869) (pdf)
The Progress of the Settlement at Dryden
By the Ontario Department of Agriculture, (1898) (pdf)
Cleata Morris
Celebration of the life of Cleata Morris (pdf)
Lake Nipigon
The sixth great lake
The Free Grant Lands of Canada
From Practical Experience of Bush Farming in the Free Grant Districts of Muskoka and Parry Sound by Thom. McMurray, J.P. one of the first settlers in Draper and Ex-Reeve of the United Townships of Draper, Macaulay, Stephensonm Etc. Etc. (1871) (pdf)
Programs of The London and Middlesex Historical Society
Transactions 1902-1907, Pioneers of Middlesex by Sir John Carling, Founding of London by Cl. T. Campbell, M.D., (1908) (pdf)
City of London, Ontario, Canada
The Pioneer Period and The London of To-day (1897) (pdf)

Paris, Brant County, Ontario

Videos of towns in Ontario
YouTube videos
Programs of The London and Middlesex Historical Society
Transactions 1902-1907, Pioneers of Middlesex by Sir John Carling and Founding of London by Cl. T. Campbell, M.D. (1908) (pdf)
Reports on the Algonquin National Park of Ontario for the year 1893
Printed by order of the Legislative Assembly. (pdf)
Trades and Labor Congress of Canada
Report on the Proceedings of the Twenty-Sixth Annual Convention held at the Cities of Fort William and Port Arthur, Ont., September 12 to 17, inclusive, 1910. (pdf)
Oliphant and its Islands, Lake Huron
Historical and descriptive sketches written and designed by Irene Monkman and Roy Fleming (1912) (pdf)
1914 Rural Survey County of Huron, Ontario
By Co-operative Organisations of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches (pdf)
The Talbot Regime
Or the first half century of the Talbot Settlement by C.O. Ermatinger, K. C., Junior Judge, County of Elgin (Special Edition) (1904) (pdf)
Transactions of the Canadian Institute
Rural depopulation in Southern Ontario By S. A Cudmore, Lecturer in Political Economy. University of Toronto (1912) (pdf)
Historic Sketches of London, Ontario
Published by the London and Middlesex Historical Society, 1908 (pdf)
Transactions of the London and Middlesex Historical Society
Part IV 1911-1912 including The Fight at Battle Hill, The Roman Catholic Church in Canada (Part I.), Imperialism, The Bar of Middlesex (Part I.), Earlier History of the Western University, Reminiscences of a Sheriff’s Office, The Bar of Middlesex (Part II.), Some Politicians of Early London, Ceremonial of Six Nations (Indian) Reminiscences of Mrs. Gilbert Porte, The Mackenzies of Hyde Park (pdf)
Programs of The London and Middlesex Historical Society Parts 1-3
The First Bishop of Huron, the Settlement of London (pdf)
Autumn in the Ontario Canada Highlands, Peaceful River and Forest Scenes on Thanksgiving Weekend 2023
History of the Early Settlement of Bowmanville and Vicinity
By J. T. Coleman (1875) (pdf)
A York Pioneer Looking Back 1834 - 1884
At Youthful Days, Emigration and The Drinking Customs of Fifty Years Ago, Also, At the Cranks Met with In the Emerald Isle and Canada; With Amusing Incidents and Anecdotes of the Early Settlers in the Latter Place, the Rebellion of '37, and a Brief Sketch of The York Pioneers Society, by E. M. Morphy, Author of "The School Upon the Hill." (pdf)
Four Years on the Georgian Bay
Life among the Rocks, Information for Tourists, Campers and Prospective Settlers, Pprtraying the Fishing & Hunting Grounds, Islands and Summer Resorts to French River with Scenic Views & Descriptions (1799) (pdf)
Lunenburgh
Or the Old Eastern District, its settlement and early progress with Personal Recollections of the Town of Cornwall, from 1824; to which are added A History of the Kino’s Royal Regiment of New York and Other Corps; the Names of all those who Drew Lands in the Counties of Stormont. Dundas and Glengarry, up to November, 1786; and Several other Lists of Interest to the Descendants of the Old Settlers by J. F. Pringle, Judge County Court (1890) (pdf)
History of Brant, Ontario
Containing a History of the County; its townships, cities, towns, schools, churches, etc.; general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the six nation Indians and Captain Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea); history of the Dominion of Canada miscellaneous matters, etc. (1883) (pdf)
A Historical and Descriptive Sketch of the County of Welland
In the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada containing a succinct account of the various Municipalities composing said County; their settlement, resources, and present condition published by authority of the County Council (1886) (pdf)
Letters from Settlers in Upper Canada to their Friends in the U.K.
ontaining important practical Information relating to that Country, for the guidance of Emigrants. (1832) (pdf)
Ontario Public School History of Canada
Authorized by the Minister of Education for Ontario (1912) (pdf)
A Guide for every visitor to Niagara Falls
By F. H. Johnson (1852) (pdf)
History of Grand Rapids
With Biographical Sketches by Chas. Richard Tuttle (1874) (pdf)
Mackenzie's Own Narrative of the Late Rebellion
With illustrations and notes, critical and explanatory, exhibiting the only true account of what took place at the memorable siege of Toronto in the month of December 1837 (1838) (pdf)
Pen and Pencil Sketches of Wentworth Landmarks
A series of articles descriptive of quaint places and interesting localities in the surrounding county (1897) (pdf)


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