Archives & Local History

The Historical Forestry Database Project was a multi-partner effort to preserve one of Sault Ste. Marie's oldest collection of historical papers. St. Marys Paper Limited, formerly Abitibi Power and Paper Company, was one of the Sault Ste. Marie's first industries and the first northern Ontario paper company to start managing their forest resources to maintain sustainability.
Over the past 100 years St. Marys Paper has saved their wood management files. This extensive collection includes thousands of maps and aerial photographs and hundreds of thousands of other documents. The collection details seasonal and regulatory management of the company, their bush camps, forestry information, as well as the implementation and effects of government legislation.
If researchers intend to publish, display or exhibit any documents or images from the database in any public manner (including web display) they must first receive permission from the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Archives (archives.library@cityssm.on.ca).
To view any of the original documents a Document Retrieval Request Form must be completed and sent to Sault Ste. Marie Public Library – Archives, 50 East Street, Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 3C3, or faxed to (705) 759-8752, or emailed to archives.library@cityssm.on.ca

The Sault Ste. Marie Public Library's Archives

Archival records are the Real Thing. They are original records that document the activities of individuals, groups, businesses and institutions. The Sault Ste. Marie Public Library Archives collects records that document the history of Sault Ste. Marie and the District of Algoma. The records include written documents, photographs, maps, architectural and engineering plans, sound recordings and videos. The records date from 1822 to the present and include several collections that have been designated as Cultural Property by the federal government for their outstanding significance and national importance.

The archives has assembled a comprehensive collection of material related to Francis Hector Clergue and the industrial development of Sault Ste. Marie that includes records from Algoma Steel and its related companies as well as records from the Algoma Ore Division, the Algoma Central Railway, St. Marys Paper Ltd. and Great Lakes Power.  The Custom’s letter books of Joseph Wilson give a rare look into life in Sault Ste. Marie from 1843 – 1881. The Harry Graham Papers deal with the preservation and history of the St. Mary’s River, while the Glynn Smith Collection has information about the history of St. Joseph Island. The Edwin Durham Papers and the S. L. Penhorwood Papers document the personal experiences of these two men during World War I. Historical documents relating to the history of the General and Plummer Hospitals, the Algoma Health Unit and the schools of nursing can also be found in the archives. Other collections include land records, the Dr. Roberta Bondar Collection, the Algoma Art Society Papers, the Sault Opera Society Collection and the Morley Torgov Papers. The Guide to the Archival Holdings of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library has a detailed description of the Library’s archival holdings.

To help researchers locate information, the archives has a number of finding aids available including the award winning Historical Forestry Database. There are also online resources that researchers can consult. The Library’s  Local History Index (accessible via our online Catalogue) allows researchers to search for archival material by keyword and subject while Sault History Online allows you to explore Sault Ste. Marie’s history through original documents from the archives. Information about the archives holdings can also be searched through the Archives Association of Ontario’s information network Archeion and Archives Canada, the Canadian archival information network. Contacting archives.library@cityssm.on.ca can further help you refine your research strategy and identify appropriate resources.

 Local History

The Main Library’s Local History Collection includes books, pamphlets,  local newspapers and scrapbooks which extensively document area history. This collection is indexed by subject and keyword as part of the Library’s Local History Index. The collection is non-circulating and access to some materials is limited to reference staff who retrieve materials upon request.