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
We hope everyone who is celebrating is having a very Merry Christmas with their loved ones! We wanted to share one final festive photograph with you today, which we think perfectly personifies the phrase "Christmas miracle!" It was published in the Peterborough Examiner on December 26, 1970 with the caption: Christmas at Civic Hospital (p.15):. Nurse Margaret Tolmie and baby, Brenda May Fallis. ... See MoreSee Less
Our final festive photograph perfectly captures the excitement many of us felt on Christmas eve growing up! Published in the Peterborough Examiner in December of 1962, it captures two young boys eagerly awaiting the arrival of Saint Nick, with one looking up the chimney in anticipation while the other feverishly writes his Christmas list in the hope Santa will get it in time!Thank you to everyone who has been following along with our "A Little Something for the Local History Buff" holiday gift guide posts and our festive photograph posts. We really appreciate your engagement with our content, and those of you who made the effort to shop local with us this holiday season. We hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! ... See MoreSee Less
If you still haven't found the perfect gift for that local history buff, don't worry, we've got you! We may be closed for our holiday break, but we still have a few last-minute gift ideas that can be purchased online from anywhere! 1. A Trent Valley Archives Membership | If you know someone who is looking to delve deeper into their family tree, wants to learn more about the history of their property, or is working on a research project, they'll really appreciate a Trent Valley Archives membership! Our members get unlimited access to our archival holdings, including our large genealogy wall, our extensive research library, ancestry institution on our in-house computers, and over 1,200 archival fonds (including our popular Peterborough County Land Records). They'll also enjoy other membership benefits and perks throughout the year. Annual single memberships are $60 and annual family memberships are $75, and can be purchased on our website, here: trentvalleyarchives.com/membership/2. Tickets to The Kid From Simcoe Street | Tickets to Trent Valley Archives Theatre's 2026 production, The Kid From Simcoe Street, are the perfect gift for local theatre lovers and anyone who spent their childhood in Peterborough! The play, based on the memoir of the same name, dramatizes James Clarke's boyhood experiences living on Simcoe Street in the 1930s and 1940s and illustrates how the many obstacles he was forced to overcome in his childhood helped him become a respected Ontario Superior Court Justice. Auditorium tickets are $30 each and cabaret tickets are $40 each, and can be purchased here: tickets.markethall.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=5263. A Donation in Their Name | If they're already an active Trent Valley Archives member, they would love a donation made to us in their name! Your donation will help the organization they cherish thrive in 2026 and beyond, and support us as we continue to preserve the documents, photographs, maps, films, and other archival materials in our care for years to come. Donations in any amount can be made on our website, here: trentvalleyarchives.com/about-2/donations/... See MoreSee Less
Our seventh festive photograph was taken by the Peterborough Examiner photographer in December of 1963, when they were travelling around town capturing the best Christmas lights the city had to offer! Many contenders were photographed, but this snapshot of an outdoor nativity scene is our favourite. The way the observant woman and child are positioned in the photograph, it makes them look like they're a part of the scene itself. Do you enjoy looking at the Christmas light displays in town? ... See MoreSee Less
We have enjoyed welcoming so many of you to our archives building this year! To give our volunteers a much-needed holiday break, we'll be closed from Wednesday, December 24 to Thursday, January 1, reopening on Friday, January 2. If you need to do some last-minute holiday shopping or want to pay us one final visit before 2025 comes to a close, we'll be open this Tuesday, December 23 from 10am-4pm (our last day open before our holiday break). NOTE: If you purchased a book or map on our web shop for local pickup, Tuesday will be your last opportunity to pick up your order before the new year. If you can't come in and pick up your order on Tuesday and need it before Christmas, please call us at 705-745-4404 or email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com to make alternate arrangements. ... See MoreSee Less
The Kid from Simcoe Street
