An Introduction to Researching Heritage Properties

Visitors to the Simcoe County Archives are often looking for information pertaining to their property. The reasons behind the quest are myriad, but the resources they consult are much fewer. By using this guide researchers should gain an understanding what kind of information is available, in what type of record, and at what location. You can follow the guide from beginning to end or chose relevant sections by clicking on the links below.

1. Identify your Property
2. View Official Land Records
   1. Simcoe County Land Registry Office
   2. Municipal Property Assessment Corporation
   3. Archives of Ontario
3. Check Local Resources
   1. Resources for Properties
      1. Patents
      2. Maps and Plans
      3. Tax Assessment Rolls
      4. Local Architecture Conservation Advisory Committees / Local Heritage Committees
   2. Resources for Buildings
      1. Building Permits
      2. Census Returns of Buildings, Lands, Churches, and Schools
      3. Fire Insurance Plans
      4. Architectural Drawings
      5. Photographs
      6. Newspapers
   3. Resources for People
      1. Census
      2. Tweedsmuir Histories
      3. Directories
      4. Business Records
4. Ask Local Experts
   1. Local Histories
   2. Special Collections

Identify your Property

There are three different ways to identify a piece of property. To illustrate, we will use the example of the Town Hall of Collingwood.

1. Municipal Address: 97 Hurontario St. This description can change over time as roads are renamed or closed.
   
   
2. Assessment Roll Number: 043 031 010 002 006 00 00 00. This description is found on your tax bill, and is useful when researching property values.
   
   
3. Legal Description: Plan 282, Lot 13 & part of Lot 14 . This description is found on your tax bill and the property deed, and is necessary when researching at the Land Registry Office or in early tax assessment rolls.

When researching a property you will need any one or all of these identifiers.

View Official Land Records

Simcoe County Land Registry Office

Using the legal description, ask for the Abstract of Title (Abstract of Conveyances) – both the Electronic and Microfilm Versions. The Abstract is an index to all of the registered documents pertaining to the property. It gives such basic details as the type of document (deed, mortgage, etc.), date, grantor, grantee, and monetary consideration. The left-hand column lists the instrument numbers that were assigned to the documents at the time of registration.

Microfilmed copies of the original documents are available also available at the Simcoe County Land Registry Office. They are filed in order by instrument number, and usually provide a much greater amount of information than is contained on the Abstract.

Municipal Property Assessment Corporation

MPAC is responsible for property assessment for the Province. A variety of information is available from the Office, including details about the actual assessment. Also available is a “Primary Structure Report” is available, for a fee (currently $12), and “includes all data elements in the Parcel report with structure code and description of the primary structure(s), year built, heating type, total floor area, air conditioning, total unfinished basement area, total finished basement area. Sale amount, date for all sales that occurred in the last three years are also included.”

Archives of Ontario

The Early Land Settlement Records held at the Archives of Ontario contain various types of records, including petitions, land grants, patents, Township Papers, maps, plans, and surveys. Many of the records are available for interlibrary loan; ask a local archivist or librarian for assistance.The Archives of Ontario has produced a guide to the Early Land Settlement Records and a guide to using the Ontario Land Records Index.

Local Resources

There are a variety of resources available in local archives, libraries, and museums that contain information about properties, buildings, and the people who owned them. As well as the usual suspects, there are often sources that are unique to a particular community.

Resources for Properties

Patents

Once the requirements for fully acquiring a property were fulfilled a grant was issued by the government. The Patent Book for Simcoe County lists the concessions and lots for each township, the name of the person or organization to whom the patent was given, and the date when it was issued.

Maps and Plans

Maps can show how an area was developed over time. Original surveys can show what was planned for a town site (whether or not a plan was realized is another issue).

Tax Assessment Rolls

Tax rolls were completed annually and included valuations of real property. By going through the rolls you can see the usual pattern of increases and note sudden spikes in the property value. This may suggest that something happened on the property (the construction of a home, the erection of driving shed or barn), especially if it occurs at the same time as record of loan or sale was registered at the Land Registry Office. The Simcoe County Archives’ main collection of tax assessment rolls begins in 1858. Search our database to see a catalogue of our holdings.

Local Architecture Conservation Advisory Committees / Local Heritage Committees 

Local Architecture Conservation Advisory Committees / Local Heritage Committees have been established in many communities. Contact your municipal office to find out if such a committee exists for your locality and, if one does, what records it has available for public research. The Collingwood Public Library holds the “Historical and Architectural Inventory of Collingwood;” a project sponsored by the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee of Collingwood in 1978.

Resources for Buildings

Building Permits

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to determine the exact date a building was constructed through building permits. The Canadian Building Code was put into effect about 1950 and the Ontario Building Code in 1975. Until then, municipalities did not necessarily issue building permits. As a result, there may be no official record as to when a house, barn or other building was erected. For those buildings which were constructed after the arrival of the Building Code, permits can usually be accessed at municipal offices. Retention periods vary, however, so consult with the clerk or records manager of your municipality. Click here for a list of contact information for the various municipalities in Simcoe County.

Census Returns of Buildings, Lands, Churches, and Schools 

As well as information about the populace, data pertaining to agricultural activities as well as buildings, lands, churches and schools was also gathered. The lands and building returns for 1861, 1871 and 1901 still survive and are available on microfilm; and on-line for 1901.

Fire Insurance Plans

These plans were created for the use of insurance companies, and were periodically updated. They still exist for a wide number of communities. Information to be found on them includes construction materials, site of water sources for fire suppression, and type of business or industry.

Architectural Drawings

In order to build a structure, plans of some kind have to be used. Check local directories to see what architects or builders were operating in the area at the time you believe your building was constructed, and then enquire about the evolution of the businesses. The Simcoe County Archives holds drawings by John Wilson (1881-1944) and Carswell & Griesbach (1924-1968), among others.

Photographs

Photographs can assist you in determining a date range for construction. General views, street scenes, and aerials can give you a pictorial history of buildings, landscaping, and structures such as lamps, fences, and gates.

Newspapers

Newspapers contained the local buzz, so you may find an article where a large new home with all of the latest conveniences was being built for one of the doctors or lawyers.

Resources for People

Many homeowners want to know more about their property than the lot size and the age of the bricks and mortar. Information about people can be found in a variety of records.

Census

Census returns of the population are available for Simcoe County Municipalities for 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911; returns for the former Ontario County municipalities of Rama and Mara are available from 1851 to 1911. Microfilm copies are held at the Simcoe County Archives. On-line transcriptions of and indexes to Simcoe County census are available for all years, and digital images of the 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 census are available on the Library and Archives Canada website.

Tweedsmuir Histories

The ladies of the local branches of the Women’s Institutes deserve a great amount of praise for the work they have done to gather together information about the small communities of the country. Named after Lady Tweedsmuir, who was very interested in the activities of the W.I., the Histories contain a wide variety of document and written summaries about people, farms, homes, churches, schools, halls, parks, and heritage sites.

Directories

Like census records, directories place people and businesses in a specific place at a specific point in time. The street directory can also help with the placing of buildings within town blocks.

Business Records

Records of private businesses, as well as organizations, provide a day-to-day perspective of activities.

Local Experts

Ask local experts what they know about various properties. For modern construction and destruction they can help you to determine what date to use as a starting point for your research. Someone’s grandmother may have been in service at the home of the bank manager before she was married.

Local Histories / Publications

Before you begin, gather some general background details so that you will understand the significance of the primary resources you discover.

Special Collections

While many records contain information that is applicable to all of Simcoe County’s municipalities and communities, there are many special collections containing details specific to one area. The Huron Institute, for example, was founded in 1904, and among the articles of its mandate was the preservation of historical records of the Town of Collingwood and the County of Simcoe. After the fire of 1963 many of the salvaged documents were transferred to the Town Hall, and then to the Simcoe County Archives.

Original Records

Browse through the Simcoe County Archives’ finding aids to see what other kinds of records, such as correspondence, diaries, and family papers, might be available to you.