Alberta References

  • Alberta Family History Society

Website:  afhs.ab.ca

AFHS is Calgary based genealogy group and has monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month except summer. A number of Special Interest Groups on Genealogy Basics, Writing, DNA, Ontario, English and Wales, Scotland and Ireland plus others are also organized by the Society. The calendar of events is available. The society also has a Facebook site.

A Resource Centre is located at 712   16 Avenue NW, Calgary with books and microfilms on a wide range of genealogical and historical areas. Databases available at the Centre include Canadian Newspapers and the centre is an affiliate of familysearch.org with access to microfilms locked form the at home accessed database.

A number of resources are listed at the following link. Included are Alberta organizations, libraries, land records, maps, newspapers and others. AFHS Links & Suggestions – AFHS Links & Suggestions

List of Loyalist books held at the Alberta Family History Society library. These books were contributed by Evelyn deMille and Audrey Wirtzfeld. UELAC Calgary Branch materials at AFHS Library

A number of databases are maintained by the society. Cemetery listings in southern Alberta are available at  Home – Discover Alberta Ancestors A database of birth, marriage, death and event notices in southern Alberta is available for searching at Routes to Roots There is also a database of settlers of southern Alberta based on books at the Resource Centre.

  • Calgary Alberta Family History Centre

Website: Canada Genealogy • FamilySearch

The genealogy cites of Ancestry and FindmyPast can be accessed at the centres.

The main centre is located at 2021-17th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta

  • Historical Society of Alberta

Main Website:  Historical Society of Alberta – Keeping Alberta’s History Alive

A number of local chapters across the province exist. These include Peace Country, Edmonton, Central Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge. The magazine Alberta History is available to members.

The Calgary Chapter is Chinook Country Historical Society. The website is Chinook Country Historical Society The Society also has a presence on Instagram, Facebook, X and Linkedin. There are monthly in-person meetings on the third Tuesdays of the month at 7 pm at the Central Calgary Library. A detailed list can be obtained at Programming Monthly newsletters are issued. The society organizes Historic Calgary Week at the end of July, over the Heritage Day weekend in August with  presentations and tours each day. The 2024/5 president is Jackie Kleiner.

The Lethbridge and District Chapter is Lethbridge Historical Society. The website is Lethbridge Historical Society The Society also has a presence on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. There are monthly in-person and Zoom meetings generally on the third Tuesdays of the month at 7 pm at the Lethbridge Public library. Up to date information is available at Events — Lethbridge Historical Society The 2024/25 President is Belinda Crowson.

  • Alberta Genealogical Society has branches across Alberta.

Main Website:  www.abgenealogy.ca

The society has a number of branches across the province including Brooks, Calgary, Camrose, Drayton Valley, Edmonton, Grand Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer and Wetaskiwin.

Resources available are for Alberta Homesteads from 1885 to 1930, Alberta Records Name Index and sites to search Alberta newspapers.

The Lethbridge Branch is Lethbridge and District AGS Branch. The website is Lethbridge. The branch has meetings on the third Thursday of each month at the Provincial Admin. Bldg. 909 3 Ave. N. The 2024/25 President is Barry Simmonds.

A newly formed Calgary Branch of AGS meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at Willowpark Chapel 940 Acadia Dr. SE. the 2024/25 President is Susan Haga.

  • Calgary Public Library, Central Branch has reference material on Loyalists and Genealogy and microfilms

Website:  http://calgarylibrary.ca/

Genealogy list: https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/search?&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=genealogy

Loyalist list:  https://calgary.bibliocommons.com/search?&t=smart&search_category=keyword&q=United%20Empire%20Loyalist

The genealogy database Ancestry is available at library branches across Calgary.

  • Glenbow Museum Archives

Website: Library + Archives | Glenbow Museum The Archives of the Glenbow Museum are now held at the University of Calgary. The digital collection can be accessed at the above web connection.

The university now holds a large number of collections including for the Military Museums, Canadian Architectural,  Stampede, Alberta Law, Historical Maps, Early Alberta Newspapers and many more.

  • Provincial Archives of Alberta

Website:  Provincial Archives of Alberta The archives has access to Alberta birth, marriage, death and stillbirth indexes, Homestead Records, Newspapers, Faith organizations archives, Premiers papers and other publications.

  • Peel’s Prairie Provinces

Website: Peel Library A number of newspapers of Alberta, images and maps are held at the University of Alberta and available on line.

  • Southern Alberta Pioneers and their Descendants

Website: Southern Alberta Pioneers and their Descendants There are meetings and activities throughout the year. They have a presence on Facebook and X. There are profiles of pioneers on the website. Their Archives holds documents, photographs, audio recordings, family histories, newspaper clippings, and many other artifacts.

  • Canadian Genealogy

Website:  Canadian Genealogy Resources The website has connections to a number of databases for Alberta and the rest of Canada, although some have not been maintained.