SOUTHAMPTON – The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre (BCM&CC) says it is proud to accept the esteemed 2022-23 Dorothy Duncan Public History Award for its expansive newspaper digitization project, as announced on Dec. 12 by the Ontario Historical Society (OHS).
“We would like to sincerely thank the OHS for this award in recognition of the BCM&CC’s newspaper digitization project,” said archivist Deb Sturdevant. “This work provides new opportunities for students, educators, genealogists, and anyone interested in local history to discover the rich history of our communities, province, and country by enabling online access to historic newspaper content.”
The Ontario Historical Society’s Dorothy Duncan Public History Award is presented annually to an organization or individual that has demonstrated excellence and innovation in sharing Ontario’s rich history with the public.
The newspaper digitization project, which began in 2019, represents a significant milestone in the preservation and dissemination of local historical information. The initiative involved the skilled and meticulous digitization of a vast collection of newspapers spanning several decades of Bruce County history.
“This well-deserved recognition underscores the museum’s commitment to preserving local heritage through initiatives like the newspaper digitization project,” said Bruce County Warden Chris Peabody. “This award not only honours the hard work of museum staff, but also emphasizes the cultural significance and vibrant history of Bruce County.”
To date, more than 13,000 historic newspaper issues (over 90,000 pages) of historic Bruce County community newspapers, many of which are no longer in print, have been digitized. The newspapers can be searched by title and location across local municipalities. Content can be searched by keyword, but casual browsing is encouraged, with accessibility found anywhere with an internet connection. The digitized papers can be accessed at brucemuseum.ca/research.
Some local titles included in the project are the Walkerton Herald-Times, Walkerton Telescope, Bruce Herald and Times, Mildmay Gazette and Teeswater Times.
This project was made possible by grant funding by the Province of Ontario through the Municipal Modernization Program (Intake 2), and with additional funding provided in part by the Federal Museum Assistance Program.
The Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre offers adult and children’s programming, special events, and is home to the Bruce County Archives and Research Room. Its mandate is to preserve and make available the documentary heritage of Bruce County.
Founded in 1888, the Ontario Historical Society is a non-profit corporation and registered charity dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Ontario’s history for people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
