Local History Collection

The North Kawartha Public Library has many history books about local townships within Peterborough County and also about some townships in neighbouring counties. For example we have books about: Lakefield, Havelock, Harvey, Douro, Belleville, Bancroft and many more. Our collection also includes books such as “The Bad Luck Bank Robbers: the 1961 Havelock Bank Robbery” and “Timber Empire: the Exploits of the Entrepreneurial Boyds,” a book about the historical lumber business in the Bobcaygeon area.

Important Local History Books and Binders

  • Up the Burleigh Road** – History of Burleigh and Anstruther Townships
  • Loon Calls – History of Chandos Township
  • Memories of the Lives of our Pioneers: 
    Wollaston Township and Surrounding Area
  • Marvel Henning Books – Woodview
  • John Craig Books – Stoney and Jack Lakes
  • A One-Room School: S.S. No. 2 Burleigh
    Memories of Laura Ashenhurst Tucker**
  • Women’s Institute Tweedsmuir History Binders

 ** Available for purchase.  Please enquire at the Library.

There are three binders that were put together by the Apsley Women’s Institute detailing the early  history of Burleigh and Anstruther Townships

  • Illustrated Historical Atlas, Peterborough County 1825 – 1875

There are also two binders full of newspaper articles about our community, collected from approximately 1984 – 2002. You will find them on the reference shelf.

Some of these resources are only available to use in the Library and may not be loaned out.

To find a list of all of our local history books type the keywords local history into the Search Box.

Please contact the Librarian if you have any questions or for more information.

Contact Us

Apsley Branch
175 Burleigh Street
Box 335, Apsley, ON, K0L 1A0
705-656-4333

Woodview Branch
66 Northey's Bay Road
Woodview, ON, K0L 3E0
705-654-1071


CEO/Librarian
Sarah McConnell
T. (705) 656-4333
F. (705) 656-2538
E-Mail this contact
Map this Location

Land Acknowledgement

Long before today there have been First Nation peoples who have been stewards and defenders of this land. The North Kawartha Library with respect and gratitude acknowledge we stand on the traditional, ancestral and treaty lands of the Treaty 20 Michi Saagiig territory and in the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, which include: Curve Lake, Hiawatha, Alderville, Scugog Island, Rama, Beausoleil and Georgina Island First Nations.