Local History & Genealogy

Visit our Muskoka Room to access the Muskoka collection, which encompasses both local history and genealogy material. A collection of historical and current material including fiction, and non-fiction works about Huntsville and the surrounding area. This collection also includes a section of works by local authors.

Note: All materials in the Muskoka Room are for use in the library only. For local history books that can be checked out, please view our Circulating Local History collection.

Muskoka Room online catalogue

Ancestry Library Edition

This genealogy resource includes census, birth, marriage, death, immigration, military records, and more. For extra information about how to use Ancestry, visit ProQuest Libguides for videos and step-by-step instructions.

Note: Ancestry is available for use only in the library.

Access Ancestry Library Edition

Canadiana Online

Canadiana Online is a digitized collection of books, government publications, periodicals, annuals, and newspapers about Canada published from European contact to the early 20th century.

Digital Archive Ontario

Digital Archive Ontario provides free access to digital material of historical importance to Ontario and Canada.

Digital Archive Ontario is a unique and vast digital collection of high-quality images, including Ontario maps, fire insurance plans and views of towns and cities over time, culled from Toronto Public Library's collection and dating back to the 1880s.

Huntsville Forester Online

Explore the Huntsville Forester newspaper from 1895 to 2018. Learn more about the local area, people, events, and local merchants and businesses. Find photographs, classified ads, birth notices and obituaries.

Hosted by the Canadian Community Digital Archives.

Huntsville Heritage walking tour

Welcome to the Huntsville Heritage walking tour, curated by the Huntsville and Area Historical Society, a local not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of our local history and built heritage. The app uses GPS to alert you to heritage stops and automatically plays the audio and brings up pictures of the location when you reach that location.

Muskoka Digital Archives

This online collection offers a snapshot into Muskoka's origins, development, culture, and people. Though predominately indexes, there are 500+ images available. The indexes link out to the Online Huntsville Forester for quick and easy access to more details.

Ontario Genealogical Society library collection

Get access to books, family histories, cemetery records, and more. A great resource for everyone whether you are beginning your journey to find family trees or are an expert researcher.

Toronto Star: ProQuest historical newspapers

Toronto Star: ProQuest historical newspapers is a fully digitized and searchable database of every issue of the Toronto Star from 1894 to 2021. Every page is included, from the headlines to the classifieds. It is an excellent resource for genealogists and history projects.