Inventory of Furniture for the New Government House, Journal of the House of Assembly, 1835.  Appendix C.  (RG4)

Government Records

The Public Archives is the official repository for the records of the Government of PEI.  Records date from the late 18th century to the present day and document the operations of the provincial government.  Examples of some government records available at the Public Archives include:

• Premier's papers (RG25)
• Court cases documenting case proceedings and rulings (RG6.1)
• Wills prior to 1920 (RG6.2)
• Vital Statistics records containing birth, marriage, and death information (RG19)
• Land records prior to 1900 documenting the settlement and ownership of land in the province (RG16) 

Lucy Palmer diary, 1888 (Acc4311/3pg1)

Private Sector Records

Private sector records make up a significant portion of the Public Archives' holdings.  These records have been donated by private individuals and come in a variety of formats.  Examples of private sector records include:

• Records of local businesses, such as Prowse Bros. (Acc4327) 
• Diaries and journals
• Records of local organizations such as Women's Institutes
• Correspondence
• Newspapers from across the province (1790s-present), available on microfilm

Five generations of the Poirier Family, 1903(Acc3466/HF70.1778.3.9.4)

The Public Archives has an extensive collection of genealogy resources, such as complied indexes, family files, and bound genealogies.  For more information about our genealogical holdings and resources, please visit our Genealogy page.

Victoria Row, Charlottetown, P.E.I., 1894 (Acc3218/28)

The Public Archives has a large photographic collection.  Images range from scenic rural views to individual and group portraits, from streetscapes to candid images of everyday Islanders and their families.  Some significant collections include:

• Charlottetown Camera Club collection (Acc2320)
• A. W. Mitchell fonds (Acc3466/HF72.66)
• Millie Gamble fonds (Acc2667)
• Arthur Newbery fonds (Acc3885)

Plan of the Island of Saint John, ca. 1760 (Map 0,450)

Maps can be useful in documenting the development of settlements and communities across Prince Edward Island.  The Public Archives map collection includes original maps dating from the late 1700s.  All maps are accessible through a map index available onsite in the reading room.  Digitized copies of some of our maps are also accessible through the Island Imagined website, a joint project between PARO, the University of Prince Edward Island’s Robertson Library and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.
 

Elevation of the Courts of Justice and House of Assembly, 1810 (Acc2333/1)

Built heritage is an evocative symbol of our past. Historic churches, houses and businesses speak to more than the day-to-day; they give us a sense of how those who came before us saw themselves, what they valued and how they hoped to be remembered.  The Public Archives has several collections of architectural plans, including those from the firm of Chappell and Hunter (Acc3607) and E. S. Blanchard (Acc3680).  For more information about the Archives' collection of architectural plans and to view a sample of digitized plans, please visit the Digitized Architectural Plans section of our website.

Photographer A.W. Mitchell (right) and Charles (Thomas) Leigh Jr. (left) on a rooftop on Queen Street in Charlottetown, ca. 1897-1900 (Acc3466/HF72.66.25.25)

The Public Archives has a small collection of sound and moving image material.  Much of this material consists of oral histories, interviews, and short films about PEI or Islanders.  Examples include:

• Belfast Historical Society fonds (Acc2924)
• Tignish Cooperatives video project fonds (Acc3010)

Accessing sound and moving image material usually requires advanced notice.  Users are encouraged to contact us to make arrangements prior to their visit to avoid disappointment.