Nova Scotia Archives is a governmental

archival An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

institution serving the

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

. The archives acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage – recorded information of provincial significance created or accumulated by government and the private sector over the last 300 years. The idea for a provincial archives and a Provincial Archivist first took root on April 30, 1857 when a resolution was put forward in the Legislative Assembly (moved by

Joseph Howe Joseph Howe (December 13, 1804 – June 1, 1873) was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, public servant, and poet. Howe is often ranked as one of Nova Scotia's most admired politicians and his considerable skills as a journalist and writer ha ...

, and seconded by James W. Johnston), making it the first provincial archives in Canada.

Thomas Beamish Akins Thomas Beamish Akins (February 1, 1809 – May 6, 1891) was a Canadian lawyer, historian, archivist, and author who was appointed Nova Scotia's first Commissioner of Public Records from 1857 until his death in 1891. He was designated a Person of Na ...

, a lawyer, historian, archivist, and author, was appointed Nova Scotia's first Commissioner of Public Records from 1857 until his death in 1891. Dal Cobb Chase Building

In 1931, the Nova Scotia Archives became the first provincial archives in Canada to have a purpose-built building. The Chase Building, designed by

Andrew R. Cobb Andrew Randall Cobb, ARCA, FRIBA (13 June 1876 – 2 June 1943) was a Canadian-American architect based in Nova Scotia. In his day, Cobb was one of the most renowned architects in Atlantic Canada. He is one of the first ''élèves'' of the � ...

, still exists and is now home to the Math department of

Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the fou ...

. The current Public Archives Building, designed by Keith L. Graham, opened in 1980 to provide additional vault space and allow for the storage of all archival records under one roof. The department itself was formerly known as the Public Archives of Nova Scotia and was renamed Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management in 1997 after it assumed responsibility of government record-keeping. The former name is still used in certain applications, such as at the agency's headquarters at Robie Street and University Avenue in Halifax. It is a Division of the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage. In 2011, the archives' official name changed to the Nova Scotia Archives. Public Archives of Nova Scotia entrance

The Nova Scotia Archives continues to digitize large parts of its collections for viewing on their website. Their website contains approximately 70 virtual exhibits and databases, and features thousands of archival photos and documents. Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics, the Nova Scotia Archives'

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

website, contains birth, death, and marriage records from 1763 to 1958 with new accruals being added every year.Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics Release Policy
/ref> The Nova Scotia Archives is the home of the

Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society The Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society is a historical society in Halifax, Nova Scotia that was founded in 1878 and is the second oldest in Canada (The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec is the first.) The Society is a voluntary organizatio ...

References

External links

Nova Scotia Archives Online

Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics
{{authority control 1929 establishments in Nova Scotia

Archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials – in any medium – or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or ...

Archives in Canada History of Nova Scotia