Archives Home

The Educational Archives and Heritage Centre is known to all of us who work here simply as
The Archives.

The Archives were first established by the Hamilton Board of Education in 1988, as a place to
house and properly preserve the official minute books, documents, student records and
significant historic artifacts that told the story and held the history of the Hamilton Board and its
schools. By 1998, the Hamiton and Wentworth County Boards of Education were amalgamated
to form the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) and the Archives began to
assume the responsibilty for the records and memorabilia of almost 350 former and present
public schools in the district.

Throughout the 1990's and into the 21st century, the Archives began to develop a formal structure
and to establish itself in more spacious and permanent facilities. Today, the Archives is
established in the former Vincent Massey School in Hamilton and is overseen by a not-for-profit
organization called The Friends of the Educational Archives and Heritage Centre. The EAHC itself
and its governing Friends are entirely volunteer-run. The Friends has an elected board of directors
and the day-to-day activities and work of the Archives are run by a manager and a diligent team
of more than 30 active volunteers.

Explore this website to find out more about the work of the Archives, our collection of valuable
historical materials and our fascinating and educational displays. And you can also find out how
you can make use of our resources and perhaps become a Friend or Volunteer yourself.