Whether you’re interested in learning more about the signing of Treaty 7, Calgary’s boom-and-bust past, exploring your house’s history, who Deerfoot Trail was named after, or what Calgary looked like at the turn of the century, you’ll find the answers in this collection of community heritage and family history resources.
Visit Calgary's Story, presented by Walt and Irene DeBoni, on Level 4 of Central Library.
With gratitude, mutual respect, and reciprocity, we acknowledge the ancestral home, culture, and oral teachings of the Treaty 7 signatories which includes the Siksika Nation, Piikani Nation, Kainai Nation, the Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nation, consisting of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Good Stoney Bands, and the people of the Tsuut’ina Nation. We also recognize the Métis people of Alberta Region 3 who call Treaty 7 their home.
At Calgary Public Library we celebrate stories: the stories of the community and the land that we live on. We serve the community on Wîcîspa, Guts’ists’i, and Moh’kinstsis, which describes the gathering place where the Bow and Elbow rivers meet. We respect all people who share, celebrate, and care for the Treaty 7 territory of southern Alberta and we honour the original caretakers of the land who remind us of the ongoing histories that precede us. We recognize our shared responsibilities going forward to help bring everyone together on this journey of Truth and Reconciliation.
Available for six months each year, the Historian in Residence delivers specialized programs about Calgary's rich past, and meets one-on-one with Library patrons to discuss your history-related questions.
A timeline of important milestones in the Calgary Public Library’s history.
Try this virtual escape room with friends and family! You'll learn about Calgary's community history, from the time of the dinosaurs, to the Indigenous people who live here and other notable Calgarians and places in the city.
Historic Calgary maps from Calgary’s Story map collection.
Postcards showing local events and scenes offer a fascinating glimpse of Alberta's history.
Thousands of digitized photographs celebrating the history of Calgary Public Library.
Photographs tracing the redevelopment of the East Village, considered Calgary’s oldest and newest neighbourhood.
Photographs of Calgary’s historic buildings and residences, taken between 1953 and 1977.
Photographs depicting the construction, architecture, and development of Calgary from the late 1990s to present.
Over 500 Calgary residents share the history of their century homes built before 1912.
Over 250 Calgary residents share the history of their century homes built before 1913.
Photographs documenting locations on the City of Calgary’s inventory of Evaluated Historic Sites.
The Fidler Map is the first recorded map of the Blackfoot traditional territory. The map details insights from a Blackfoot Chief named Ackomokki — but was named after the European man who transcribed his drawings, Peter Fidler.
Miss out on a program, or want to rewatch one you loved? Check out the free history programs on our YouTube channel to hear accounts from experts in local history, international archeology, and more.
Community members have submitted their stories — in words, pictures, art, and video — to help future generations understand the COVID-19 global pandemic.
These videos are part of the Newcomer Stories Collection from the Centre for Newcomers, as their 30th Anniversary Legacy Gift to the Community.
Access historical materials from the Glenbow Library and Archives, the Library, and the City of Calgary Archives.
A history of flooding in Calgary, starting in 1883 through to the flood of 2013.
Keynote speeches from the Calgary Remembered conference in 2015.
