Welcome to Trent Valley Archives

Scene from Crossing Over. Two men fighting

Trent Valley Archives Theatre
Returning May 2025

Crossing Over: Sequel Tide of Hope
A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives

Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Peterborough

May 29, 30, & 31 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, May 31 at 2 PM

Commemorating the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Peter Robinson settlers from Ireland to our district in 1825, ‘Crossing Over’ is a fictionalized account of the voyage of the emigrant transport ship, John Barry.

Get your ticket, step back in time, and set sail with the Hagertys, Nagles, Owens, Regans, Ryans, Slatterys, Sullivans, and Youngs on their perilous, six-week journey across the Atlantic. This story of tremendous courage in the face of the unknown is narrated by John Keleher, an experienced seaman and Peter Robinson settler.

Prepare yourself for the ride of your life: storms, seasickness, scarlet fever, family feuds, petty larceny, plots and counterplots, rotting potatoes, mutiny, and the lash.
(More information.)

*** Purchase Your Ticket Today! ***

Tickets are $30 or $40 for cabaret table seating.
Tickets can be purchased from the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre box office, Monday to Friday, noon to 5 PM, by phoning (705)-749-1146 or by emailing boxoffice@markethall.com.


Have you seen the updated Heritage Gazette?

We are pleased to continue and expand on the pioneering work of archivist Elwood Jones and Steve Gavard as we explore the near and distant past in this full colour publication.
View the current and past issues


If you're a Trent Valley Archives member, there's no need to line up to get your tickets to our 2025 local history tour season, as advance registration is open now! As a special membership benefit for 2025 (and beyond) we're giving our members an exclusive sneak peak at our 2025 local history tour season and a chance to purchase tickets to the ones that catch your eye before the general public. Our tours have a tendency to sell out quickly, so we hope you will appreciate this chance to get your tickets in advance! Check your inbox for an email from us with our full 2025 local history tour lineup and your exclusive links to the event listings for each tour date on Eventbrite. If you're a member but didn't receive this email, please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com to let us know and we will forward the email to you. If you're not a member, don't worry! We'll be sharing our full tour schedule with the general public this Sunday, May 11 at 12:30pm. Make sure you're subscribed to our mailing list, here: trentvalleyarchives.com/newsletter-signup/ so you'll receive the email when it launches. ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Trent Valley Archives
It's that time of year again! Join us at the Highland Park Cemetery Visitor Centre on Thursday, May 22 at 7pm for our annual general meeting and an engaging presentation by guest speaker Dennis Carter-Edwards.⁠Dennis Carter-Edwards is a local historian and the author of the recent Peterborough Historical Society Occasional Paper "From Tap to Toilet: The Introduction of Water Works and Sewers to Peterborough" about the development of Peterborough's water and sewage systems. Though taken for granted today, the supply of safe water and the treatment of human and industrial waste had a major impact on the quality of life for Peterborough citizens and the progressive development of our community.Although essential, these improvements were frequently the subject of endless debate at city council where community leaders argued about whether or not these services should be public or private. In the end, Peterborough acquired a sewage and water system that put it at the forefront of municipal development, but not without some contention. Using new images and documentary sources, Dennis will tell the full story of how these systems arrived in (and completely transformed) our community.The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session with our guest speaker, and then our annual general meeting. The presentation is free to attend and open to the public, but the AGM is only for our members. Registering for the event in advance is not required but if you would like to register, it will help us get a sense of how many people will be attending. You can register for our AGM via our Eventbrite listing, here: www.eventbrite.com/organizations/events Light refreshments will be provided.⁠If you are a TVA member, we will be sending you an email soon with the agenda and relevant documents for the evening's meeting. If you do not receive this email, please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404 and let us know. A few physical copies of the documents will be available at the meeting for those who require them.Image Caption: A construction crew installing a sewer in Peterborough. ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Trent Valley Archives
🎉 Celebrating 25 Years of May is Museum Month! 🥳Peterborough County is proud to announce the official proclamation of May 2025 as Museum Month, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of our region and significant contributions of museums to our communities 📜This year, Museum Month also includes International Museum Day on May 18th, a global celebration recognizing museums as centres of education, innovation, and cultural connection 🤝“Residents and visitors are encouraged to take this opportunity to explore the many museums, galleries, and heritage sites across Peterborough County, including Lang Pioneer Village Museum, one of our region’s premier historical attractions. With its immersive 19th-century village experience, Lang Pioneer Village offers a unique window into the past and showcases the stories that shaped our communities.” 💬 Warden Bonnie Clark, Peterborough CountyMuseums like Lang Pioneer Village Museum do more than preserve history - they foster learning, inspire curiosity, and contribute to our local economy and shared identity ❤️Join us in celebrating the dedicated organizations, volunteers, and staff who help keep our heritage vibrant and accessible for future generations! 👏Read the proclamation from Warden Clark here 👉 www.ptbocounty.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=cc1067bf-18e3-443f-a835-c3dc747c6ed4#ptbocounty #MuseumMonth #thekawarthas Christ Church Community Museum The Canadian Canoe Museum Trent Valley Archives The Friends Of Hope Mill Township of Asphodel-Norwood Buckhorn District Tourist Association Township of Cavan Monaghan Curve Lake Economic Development, Employment & Training, Culture & Tourism Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township of Douro-Dummer Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan Selwyn Township Municipality of Trent Lakes North Kawartha Discover North Kawartha @followers Peterborough Museum & Archives ... See MoreSee Less
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4 weeks ago

Trent Valley Archives
Hoppy Easter! 🐰 We hope everyone is having a restful long weekend. This photograph from our Examiner negative collection, taken on April 8, 1971, was featured on the cover of last year's April issue of the Heritage Gazette and is one of our favourites. The caption that was published alongside the photograph in the Examiner reads: Will The Real Easter Bunny Please Stand Up? (p.13): Laurie Christensen, 1 ½ , daughter of photographer Bruce Christensen with bunnies. ... See MoreSee Less
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4 weeks ago

Trent Valley Archives
Our April issue of the Heritage Gazette of the Trent Valley has arrived! Our Heritage Gazette committee, including our new editor Alicia Bertrand, our photograph editor Madison More, and our archivist Elwood Jones, have worked hard to include a diverse collection of stories in this issue that they hope you will enjoy reading as much as they did. There is an article from Crossing Over co-playwright Ed Schroeter about the historical liberties he took to dramatize the voyage of the John Barry for the stage; a fascinating portrait of the surveyor J.W. Fitzgerald through the lens of four carefully curated primary sources by local historians Elwood Jones and Dennis Carter-Edwards; Mike Parnell's vivid personal reminiscences of Kelly's Island in Chemong Park, and much more! If you're subscribed to our mailing list, check your inbox for an email from us with links to download the issue. If you're not already subscribed to our mailing list, you can do so, here: trentvalleyarchives.com/newsletter-signup/. Once you've read the issue, we'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment down below with your thoughts on this issue and any suggestions you have for our next issue. ... See MoreSee Less
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