City of Halifax Municipal Archives
Hours: Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Wednesdays & Thursdays
Location: 81 Ilsley Avenue, Unit 11, Burnsdale Industrial Park in Dartmouth, NS B3B 1L5
Contact: (902)-490-4643; archives@halifax.ca
Access: Call to make an appointment before visiting.
Website: https://www.halifax.ca/index.php/about-halifax/municipal-archives
The City of Halifax Municipal Archives houses an extensive collection of fonds and documents concerning the social, political, and economic development of the City of Halifax. The Archives is the official repository for the historical municipal government records of Halifax, Dartmouth, Bedford and the former County of Halifax, as well as the community records from the region. Records include documents, maps, plans, photos, and audio-visual materials from as early as the late 18th century, but primarily from 1900–2000. All records relate to the history of the Halifax region, and especially the five municipal governments that were amalgamated into the Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996. The five municipal governments include: The City of Halifax (1841-1996), County of Halifax (1879-1996), Town of Dartmouth (1870-1996), Town of Bedford (1979-1996), Halifax Regional Municipality (1996-present), and Metropolitan Authority (1963-1996).
The City of Halifax fonds (1841-1996) consists of 1000 meters of textual records, 20 videocassettes, 10,000 photographs, and 10,000 architectural drawings and cartographic materials. The fonds includes the Board of Health Records series (1841-1940), which contains of 68.5 cm of textual records. The series consists of documents created and accumulated by the City of Halifax Board of Health and includes meeting minutes, laws and by-laws of the board, health inspector reports, lists of infectious disease cases, and physicians’ death certificates.
The Halifax Public Health and Welfare Committee Records series (1940-1974) includes 185 cm of textual records and 8 photographs. The series consists of documents created and accumulated by the Public Health and Welfare Committee and its associated committees, and includes meeting minutes, correspondence, and reports.
The Halifax Tuberculosis Hospital Records series (1926-1941, 1946-1957, 1959) includes 16 cm of textual records. The series consists of primarily hospital admittance records but also includes one folder of correspondence from the Commissioner of Health and Public Welfare regarding the importance of the hospital before its closure in 1959. Admittance records from 1926-1940 are in alphabetical order and list patient’s name, date of admittance, age, religion, birth place, friends’ addresses, date of discharge or death, and length of stay. Later admittance records are arranged chronologically by admittance date and only include patient name, date of admittance, date of release, and length of stay.
The Halifax Board of Health Records series (1970-1994) consists of 2.49 meters of textual records, 36 photographs, 1 map, and 1 technical drawing. The series consists of records created and accumulated by the Board of Health. Records are primarily related to enforcement of regulations concerning rodent and pest control, health and sanitary conditions of properties, food establishments and other businesses, and handling of sewage, water, and garbage.