Skip to Main Content Scroll to the top Icon
About the Archives Background Image

About the Archives

The Simcoe County Archives


​​​The Simcoe County Archives has been collecting, preserving, and making available records pertaining to the history of Simcoe County since 1966. As a regional archives, SCA manages the permanent records of the County of Simcoe along with its constituent municipalities. To learn more about the evolution of the Simcoe County Archives visit our History of the Simcoe County Archives​ page. 

Simcoe County Archives entrance

information about

the Simcoe County Archives


The Simcoe County Archives endeavours to:

  1. Acquire, preserve and make available both the documentary heritage of Simcoe County, and the permanent corporate record of the County of Simcoe and its constituent municipalities. 
  2. Pursue a leadership role in the field of local / regional archival services. 
  3. Promote a healthy work environment for the staff which stimulates excellence in service delivery, personal / professional growth and safety. 

Adopted November 26, 2002 

Roles of the Simcoe County Archives:

The Archives has two principal roles. The first is the preservation and promotion of Simcoe County’s cultural and visible heritage. The Archives collects, preserves, and makes accessible to the public, the documentary history of Simcoe County. The Archives’ extensive and important collection of maps, photographs, original manuscripts, magnetic and digital recordings, newspapers, and other records make it one of the most highly regarded regional archives in the country. The archival collection documents the political, social, and economic history of Simcoe County. In addition to private manuscript collections, the Archives houses the records and documentary histories of schools, churches, businesses and all manner of institutions. The Archives’ second role is to provide efficient permanent-records management services to the executive, management and administrative departments of the County of Simcoe. The same services are provided to the municipalities which comprise the County, and also, through a service agreement, for the separated City of Barrie. The Archives provides storage, organization and public access for the permanent-retention, inactive public records of the various levels of Simcoe County government. 

Records are deposited at the Archives by the County of Simcoe, its lower-tier municipalities, and the City of Barrie, as well as by private organizations, businesses, families, and individuals. 

Collections include: 

  • Corporate Records 
  • Municipal Records 
  • Private Collections 
  • Reference Library and Special Collections 
  • Simcoe County Newspapers 
  • Microfilm 

In person services

The Archives Reading Room is open for in-person research by appointment onlyDuring a Reading Room appointment, researchers will be able to review archival records and reference material with assistance from Archives staff. To maximize the amount of time spent on research during an appointment, potential researchers are encouraged to call or email the Archives regarding their research project or schedule a virtual reference interview in advance of booking an in-person appointment. Refer to our Booking Archives Services​ page for more information. Please visit our guide on How to Prepare for a Visit to the Archives for more information before booking a visit. 

Online services

As records are processed, descriptions are entered into the Archives’ Descriptions Database. The database is uploaded nightly into the searchable  Collections Database. Selected records are also featured in the Archives’ blog​, and  Online Exhibits​ Visit our Services page for more details on services offered by the Simcoe County Archives.

The Simcoe County Archives does accept record donations from the general public. Please refer to our Donor Portal for more information on the donation process. You can also book a Donation Assessment Interview to discuss your potential donation. Please note that donations will not be accepted without an appointment.

1149 Highway 26 
Minesing ON  
L9X 0Z7 

The Archives operates: 

Monday to Friday: 8:30AM – 4:30PM 

The Archives is open to the public: 

Monday: 1:30PM – 4:00PM ​
Tuesday to Friday:  9:00AM-11:30AM, 1:30PM-4:0​0PM 
Please note that the Simcoe County Archives is open to the public by appointment only. Refer to our Booking Archives Services page for more information. The Archives is closed on all statutory holidays.

Contact information 


​​​

Archives’ staff can be reached by email and phone: 

Email: archives@simcoe.ca

Telephone: 705-726-9331
Toll free: (1) 866-893-9300