Research guides: ANT318 Archaeological Fieldwork: Resources for Research: Archives and Text Collections

Online Newspapers, Archives and Collections

WWI Christimas Card by crabchick on flickr Online text collections are primary sources. Primary sources have been generated within the time period you are studying. In this course, you may find yourself doing hands-on explorations with primary sources, as well as gathering information about such sources through interviews with staff at Heritage Mississauga and other local organizations listed in the neighbouring text box.

Canadian Census Records
Canadian census records are held by Library and Archives Canada, and have been made available electronically on their website.
1859 Tremaine’s Map of the County of Peel Canada West
You are looking for the Schreiber property located in the County of Peel, in South Toronto Township. The map is available online courtesy of the Ontario Historical County Maps Project, hosted by the U of T Library.
1877 Illustrated Historical Atlas of the County of Peel (Pope 1877)
The atlas is available via the McGill University website.
The Globe and Mail: ProQuest Historical Newspapers
Canada's Heritage from 1844. Consider looking for names of people in Deaths, Marriages, Legal Transactions or Real Estate Transactions. Springfield-on-the-Credit may be a better search term than Springfield. Please consider also looking for references to landmarks such as St. Peter's Anglican Church, or references to Charlotte Schreiber.
INK-ODW Newspaper Collection
This is an extensive and thoroughly searchable database. Two titles of note are "The Georgetown Herald" and the "Markdale Standard" as well as other Halton papers. There are no Peel region papers. "Erindale" appears only in or after 1918, but Springfield or Toronto Township are trickier to search. Springfield-on-the-Credit may be a better search term than Springfield. Please consider also looking for references to landmarks such as St. Peter's Anglican Church, or references to Charlotte Schreiber, any Adamsons, the Magraths, the "River Credit".
Mississauga Historic Image Gallery
The Historic Images gallery with centralized access and online searchable database, brings together the image collections of multiple institutions, including cemeteries. Please check out the Charlotte Schreiber Gallery as well as artifact galleries (grocers' aprons with business names and addresses, etc.)

Various Online Guides

Various online guides to field methods:

Bottle Dating guide (Society for Historical Archaeology)
Historic Artifact Guide (Utah Division of State History -- Christopher W. Merritt)
Parks Canada Guidelines for the Management of Archaeological Resources
Parks Canada Culture and History -- Archaeology

Organizations to Visit or Contact

There are many collections or organizations you may wish to visit both online and in person. Curators at these institutions can help you find unique documents or point you towards new ideas.

Heritage Mississauga
Heritage Mississauga, also known as the Mississauga Heritage Foundation was founded in 1960. In 1994 Heritage Mississauga took on the role as the only independent organization devoted to city-wide heritage matters. From its offices at "The Grange", the historic Robinson-Adamson House (1921 Dundas Street West, Mississauga) within walking distance of UTM, Heritage Mississauga provides the community with a comprehensive Heritage Resource Centre open to the public.
Archives of Ontario
AO give access to a unique and multi-faceted collection that includes records dating back to the late 16th century and contains everything from hand-written ledgers to electronic files, hand-drawn maps, architectural drawings, photographs, films and sound recordings. Contact the AO Reference Desk at reference@ontario.ca.
Ontario Archaeological Society Resources
The OAS maintains a page of resources helpful in carrying out archaeological research in Ontario. Consider getting in touch with the OAS to see if any experts or additional resources are available on your topic of interest.
Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA)
Historical Archaeology is the study of the material remains of past societies that also left behind documentary and oral histories. This subfield of archaeology studies the emergence, transformation, and nature of the Modern World.

Print-Only Directories or Collections

These resources are not available online, and they will point you to documents that are also mostly in print. Despite lack of convenient access, they will offer unique documents well worth the search time.

Ontario ethno-cultural newspapers, 1835-1972 : an annotated checklist by Duncan McLaren
Call Number: Z6954 .C21 O54 (Robarts Library)
Publication Date: 1973

A Local History Podcast

"Bright Lights, Big Sauga" with host Claire Carver-Dias explores the intersection of Mississauga, academia, and human stories.

Episodes you might find helpful:

Layers in Time: In the inaugural episode of "Bright Lights, Big Burbs" host Claire Carver-Dias looks at the roots of modern Mississauga: How what happened back then shaped the place as it is now, ultimately changing the lives and experiences of those who pass through this place.
To get a closer look at these layers in time, Claire visits with Mississauga historian Matthew Wilkinson. Join them to find out about, among other things, what happens when two West roads meet, and what is Mississauga's connection to Queen Victoria.
Juxtaposition: In our second episode, the first under new title "Bright Lights, Big Sauga," Claire Carver-Dias explores the many juxtapositions that define the relationship between Mississauga and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). Claire delves into the contrast between history and modernity, nature and architecture, and the personal versus the academic, all with the help of local experts.
Haunted: Host Claire Carver-Dias delves into the supernatural that coexists with the ordinary in "Haunted," the perfect episode to accompany the foggy, moody, and rainy days of late winter and early spring in Mississauga. Our invaluable local history experts and a beloved UTM professor help us discover and reflect on those (former) residents of our community who just cannot seem to move on.