Bonavista Archives has been established by the Bonavista Historical Society in partnership with the Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador

Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador

Bonavista is a town on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike many Newfoundland coastal settlements, Bonavista was built on an open plain, not in a steep cove, and thus had room to expand to its current area of 31.5  square...

 and the Bonavista Historic Townscape Foundation. The Archives began as a natural outgrowth of the collection and research

Research

Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...

 done by the Bonavista Historical Society and the Bonavista Museum. The collection began with a few genealogy

Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...

 related items and grew into a substantial collection which now includes church

Local church

A local church is a Christian congregation of members and clergy.Local church may also refer to:* Local churches , a Christian group based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.* Parish church, a local church united with...

 records from thirteen communities in the area. The Archives has since grown to include business ledger

Ledger

A ledger is the principal book or computer file for recording and totaling monetary transactions by account, with debits and credits in separate columns and a beginning balance and ending balance for each account. The ledger is a permanent summary of all amounts entered in supporting journals which...

s, indenture

Indenture

An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...

s, photograph

Photograph

A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...

s, postcard

Postcard

A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....

s, map

Map

A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....

s, architectural plans, and audiotapes.

Archival Holdings

The Archives' textual records date from the 18th to the 20th century. They include material relating to the history of the town and citizens of Bonavista and the surrounding area.

• Business ledgers
• Indentures
• Photographs
• Postcards
• Maps
• Architectural plans
• Audiotapes
• Genealogy Material - The Archives has extensive material available for people researching their family history
  Family history
  Family history is the systematic narrative and research of past events relating to a specific family, or specific families.- Introduction :...
  
  . Sources include:Church Records, Cemetery
  Cemetery
  A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
  
   Inscriptions, Census
  Census
  A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
  
   Material, Will
  Will
  Will may refer to:* Shall and will, the word will as a modal verb* Will , instructions for the disposition of one's property after death...
  
  s and Land Grants, Family History Files, Directories.

Finding aids are available for most holdings

External links

• Bonavista Archives Official Site
• The Garrick Theatre
• Town of Bonavista