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.
Purchase your copy from Exile Editions
Have you seen the updated Heritage Gazette?
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
If you wish you could go back to the summer of 76 to relive your youth or experience it for the first time, we have exciting news for you! One of our volunteers, Will Pearson, has created a new exhibit for the Trent Valley Archives titled "A Peterborough Summer: 1976." ![]()
![]()
Featuring photographs he scanned from our Peterborough Examiner collection of negatives, the exhibit highlights what summer in Peterborough looked liked 50 years ago through its thoughtful curation of snapshots taken by Examiner photographers in 1976. ![]()
![]()
The exhibit will be coming to Dreams of Beans Café (141 Charlotte Street in Peterborough) in August, and will officially open on Friday, August 7 during the First Friday Art Crawl from 6pm-9pm. After the opening, the exhibit will be available to view anytime the café is open between August 7 and September 2. ![]()
![]()
Prior to the exhibit opening, it will be popping up at the DBIA Second Saturday Sidewalk Sale tomorrow, July 11, from 10am to 4pm on George Street and at the DBIA "Movies in the Park event on Saturday, July 28 at the Quaker Foods City Square on Charlotte Street. ![]()
![]()
We hope you'll take the opportunity to be transported back in time this summer!
Picture this: you're a resident in turn-of-the-century Peterborough. You pick up your copy of the Peterborough Examiner, eager for the latest local news. On the front page, you notice that tragedy has befallen yet another family in the community. You wonder when it will be your turn. ![]()
![]()
Peterborough was a developing city at the turn-of-the-century, and it would have been an exciting time for many residents. With new employment opportunities created by local factories, the introduction of the streetcar network and electric streetlights that made getting around town easier, and other improvements in comfort and efficiency, residents must have been enthusiastic about the city's future. ![]()
![]()
However, with progress also came tragedy. Safety standards struggled to keep up with the industrial revolution, new technologies were not yet perfected, and humans continued to experience personal conflicts that sometimes ended badly. People who didn't adapt risked getting left behind, or loosing their lives. ![]()
![]()
On our Tragic Tales tour, join knowledgeable tour guide Mona Wilkes in Little Lake Cemetery to hear the stories of many of these tragedies. Some of them were public and impacted the whole community. Others were personal, impacting those close to the victim. All of them provide a glimpse into what life in Peterborough was like at that time, and are worth remembering. ![]()
![]()
The tour is running on two Friday evenings this month: July 17 and 31 at 7pm. Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased on Eventbrite, here: www.eventbrite.com/cc/ghost-walks-3369799 NOTE: This is a walking tour in Little Lake Cemetery that covers a large portion of the cemetery grounds. It stays on the main roadways whenever possible, but covers some uneven and hilly ground and may not be accessible to everyone.
Thank you Hustle and Heart Oldies 96.7 for spreading the word about our tours!Trent Valley Archives is hosting four Friday evening history walks this month – two in Peterborough’s downtown core and the two in Little Lake Cemetery.![]()
![]()
On July 10th and 24th, researcher Madison More will relate stories about historic crimes committed in the downtown core. The tour will begin at 7 p.m. from the cenotaph in Confederation Park.![]()
![]()
FULL STORY 👉 PTBOTODAY[DOT]CA
Summer is the perfect season for trying new things, and if you're in the market to try something new, our local history walking tours might fit the bill! Join us on our Peterborough Perpetrators and Tragic Tales tours this July, and our Mainstreet Music tour this August and experience local history up close. As you listen to our guides tell stories about our community's history at the sites where the events took place or at the final resting places of the people who were involved in them, you'll feel fully immersed in the happenings of Peterborough's past. ![]()
![]()
On our Peterborough Perpetrators: True Crime tour on Friday July 10 and 24, true crime enthusiast Maddie More will take you on a walk through downtown Peterborough to visit the scenes of both prolific and lesser-known crimes that happened in our community in the 19th and 20th centuries.![]()
![]()
On our Tragic Tales tour on Friday July 17 and 31, knowledgeable tour guide Mona Wilkes will take you on a walk through Little Lake Cemetery to tell some of turn-of-the century Peterborough's most tragic tales. Highland Park Funeral Centre & Little Lake and Highland Park Cemeteries![]()
![]()
On our Mainstreet Music tour on Friday August 7 and 21, live music enthusiast Maddie More will take you on a walk through downtown Peterborough to the sites, both past and present, of some of our community's iconic music venues.![]()
![]()
Tickets to all three tours cost $20 each. To learn more about each tour and to purchase tickets, head to our Eventbrite profile, here: www.eventbrite.ca/o/9633726313. All three tours are walking tours that stick to the main sidewalks and roadways whenever possible but may not be accessible to everyone. If you have any questions about the accessibility or content of our summer tours, please email us at admin@trentvalleyarchives.com or call us at 705-745-4404.
Thank you to PtboCanada for helping to spread the word about our summer tours! Our first one is this Friday, July 10th:From infamous crimes to heartbreaking tales from beyond the grave, Trent Valley Archives is inviting history lovers to explore some of Peterborough's most fascinating and tragic stories this July.![]()
![]()
The local organization is once again hosting its popular Friday evening walking tours, offering guided experiences through downtown Peterborough and Little Lake Cemetery.![]()
![]()
The first tour, Peterborough Perpetrators, takes place on July 10 and 24 at 7 pm and delves into some of the city's most captivating true crime stories.![]()
![]()
Led by researcher and guide Maddie More, the tour will revisit cases including the fatal shooting of Grand Hotel owner Murray Green, the daring jail escape of career criminal John Parks and the story of Edward Jackson, the last man hanged at the Peterborough Jail.![]()
![]()
Learn more on our website.