Archives for the Trent Valley and Peterborough County area and history book seller
Welcome to Trent Valley Archives
TVA wishes you a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!
Please note: we are closed December 24 to January 1. The archives will be reopen January 2, 2026 at 10am.
We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!
Trent Valley Archives Theatre Returning in 2026
June 4, 5, 6 and 7 — A Fundraiser for The Trent Valley Archives at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, Peterborough. Click here for more information.
The Kid from Simcoe Street
In our adaptation of this moving World War II era memoir, James Clarke recalls growing up in the poor and alcohol-ridden neighbourhood of downtown Peterborough.
As a boy, his father had been a foot soldier, but after coming home from the battlefields he turned to manic drinking and belligerence, shattering his wife’s dreams, and casting a dark shadow over James’ boyhood.
This story, told with emotion that is unflinching in its honesty, lets us see just how remarkable it is that James Clarke became not only a man esteemed and honoured as a judge of the Superior Court of Ontario, but as a respected poet, too.
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
There’s just something about a vintage or out-of-print book that can’t be beat (cue the “how were you able to find a copy of this?!” reaction when your recipient opens their gift!) Today is day 6 of our “A Little Something for the Local History Buff” gift guide, and to compliment our post with our top vintage/out-of-print book picks, we wanted to post a reel highlighting more of our selection! The prices vary based on the rarity and condition of each book, but most are under $25. All of these books can be purchased in person at 567 Carnegie Avenue (we’re open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm). If you are not local to Peterborough and would like us to ship one of these books to you, please call us at 705-745-4404 or email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com. We will be open tomorrow (December 20) and Tuesday (December 23) and then we will be closing for the holidays. ... See MoreSee Less
Today is day six of our “A Little Something for the Local History Buff” holiday gift guide! Today, we’re featuring books that are "Out of Print, But Not Forgotten." Just because a book is out of print, doesn't mean we don't have it in stock! Did you know that we carry a large selection of used books for sale, with an emphasis on local and regional history? We do, and our used bookshelf is filled with treasures waiting for a new home. We photographed a few of our favourite offerings (and shared even more of our selection in the reel accompanying this post), but there is so much more in store! Image 2: Our Peterborough by Ed Arnold and George Elliott [Softcover, $15] | Image 3: Historical Sketches of Peterborough by Martha Ann Kidd and Louis Taylor [Softcover, $10] SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR! | Image 4: By The Sound of Her Whistle by John Craig [Hardcover, $25, Softcover Also Available]. All of these books can be purchased in person at 567 Carnegie Avenue (we're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm). If you are not local to Peterborough and would like us to ship one of these books to you, please call us at 705-745-4404 or email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com. We will be open tomorrow (December 20) and Tuesday (December 23) and then we will be closing for the holidays. [NOTE: The Holy Land by Clare F. Galvin pictured in the first photograph has sold.] ... See MoreSee Less
Our fifth festive photograph was taken during the annual Santa Claus Parade down George Street in December of 1964! The Peterborough Examiner photographer took many photographs during the parade, but this one is our favourite since it illustrates how magical the parade would have been for the children who came to watch. Did you attend these parades as a child? ... See MoreSee Less
Today is day five of our “A Little Something for the Local History Buff” holiday gift guide! Today, we’re featuring the “Illustrated Historical Atlas of 1825 to 1875.”If you’re looking for the ultimate, splurge-worthy gift, this atlas is guaranteed to be the crown jewel in anyone’s local history book collection! Published by the Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation in 1975, this commemorative publication has over 100 pages of historical sketches, maps, building illustrations and resident lists for the City of Peterborough and the surrounding townships that make up Peterborough County.We’ve had several copies of this atlas for sale this year, but our latest copy is in near mint condition with almost no signs of wear, which is rare for a 50 year old book! When this one sells, it’s unlikely we’ll have another one in near mint condition for quite some time.The atlas can be purchased in person at 567 Carnegie Avenue (we’re open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm) for $150. [NOTE: The atlas advertised in our “A Little Something for the Local History Buff” email for $125 has sold. This atlas is in better condition than the one advertised in that email, which is why we increased the price.]Looking for another atlas? We have several local atlases for sale. Please call us at 705-745-4404 or send us a message with the atlas you’re looking for and we’ll see if we have it in stock! ... See MoreSee Less
Today is day five of our "A Little Something for the Local History Buff" holiday gift guide! Today, we're featuring the "Illustrated Historical Atlas of 1825 to 1875." If you're looking for the ultimate, splurge-worthy gift, this atlas is guaranteed to be the crown jewel in anyone's local history book collection! Published by the Peterborough Historical Atlas Foundation in 1975, this commemorative publication has over 100 pages of historical sketches, maps, building illustrations and resident lists for the City of Peterborough and the surrounding townships that make up Peterborough County. We've had several copies of this atlas for sale this year, but our latest copy is in near mint condition with almost no signs of wear, which is rare for a 50 year old book! When this one sells, it's unlikely we'll have another one in near mint condition for quite some time. The atlas can be purchased in person at 567 Carnegie Avenue (we're open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am-4pm) for $150. [NOTE: The atlas advertised in our "A Little Something for the Local History Buff" email for $125 has sold. This atlas is in better condition than the one advertised in that email, which is why we increased the price. The atlas pictured in the first photo was the $125 one, but the atlas pictured in the subsequent photos is the $150 one. Please contact us for more information.]Looking for another atlas? We have several local atlases for sale. Please call us at 705-745-4404 or send us a message with the atlas you're looking for and we'll see if we have it in stock! ... See MoreSee Less
The Kid from Simcoe Street
