History
The Vancouver Public Library has many resources for researching Indigenous peoples' history in British Columbia and Canada.
British Columbia Historical Source Material
Comparative Vocabularies of the Indian Tribes of British Columbia: With A Map Illustrating Distribution
497 A11t6
1884
Compiled by George M. Dawson and Dr. W. F. Tolmie in the winter of 1875-76. Tolmie had a long connection with the First Nations of the west coast as an officer for the Hudson's Bay Company. The author's aim was to compile a short series of the principal words of all the languages and dialects spoken in the province. Book and accompanying map have been posted on web.
Jesup North Pacific Expedition
970.1 J58p
The 11-volume work that resulted from the anthropological expedition from 1897–1902 was published in 21 physical volumes, each dealing with a specific topic, such as facial painting, or a tribal group, such as Shuswap. The computer catalogue lists titles of each volume under the title above. A subject or subject keyword search will also lead you to any volume relevant to the topic that you are searching.
Tsimshian Mythology
398.2097 B66t
1970
Tsimshian Mythology was written in accordance with an act of Congress, approved March 4, 1909, when Franz Boas was authorized to continue his extensive ethnological researches among Indigenous peoples, including the Indigenous peoples of Hawaii. Boas' memoir is actually based on a collection of myths and tales recorded by the late Henry W. Tate, himself a Tsimshian. The appendices to this work are extremely useful in that they provide a summary of comparisons of myths between groups, a list of Tsimshian proper names and place names, a glossary, and a very comprehensive index to textual reference.
British Columbia Legislative Library Newspaper Index
This index is on microfilm and is selective, covering articles of permanent value historically, economically, and politically between 1900 - 1990.
The following newspapers are included in the index:
- Vancouver News Herald
- Vancouver Province
- Vancouver Sun
- Victoria Times
- Victoria Colonist
The newspapers containing articles retrieved from the British Columbia Legislative Library Newspaper Index can be found on microfilm on Level 5 as well as the Special Collections Division on Level 7.
The Fur Trade
The Guide Canadian History - The Fur Trade will help you find material in Vancouver Public Library on the Fur Trade in Canada. The Fur Trade was a very important part of the Canadian economy and from the 17th to 19th centuries attracted European merchants and settlers to Canada. Material on this subject can be found throughout the Central Library (350 West Georgia Street). Please ask the Information staff if you need help.
Louis Riel and the Red River and North-West Rebellions
Louis Riel helped to lead two resistance movements against the Canadian government: the Red River Rebellion and the North-West Rebellion. Material on these subjects can be found throughout the Central Library (350 West Georgia Street). Please ask the Information staff if you need help or access the guide Canadian History - Louis Riel and the Red River and North-West Rebellions
Useful Websites
Digital Library Resources
Northwest History Index
This card index in Special Collection provides access to the Northwest History Collection, a heritage collection covering the early history and exploration of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest.
The collection includes:
- magazine and newspaper articles
- pamphlets
- books
- chapters in books
- many other resources
As of August 1998, no new material has been added to the Northwest History Index. It is continued by the British Columbia Index.