Much more of Richmond’s history is now just a computer mouse click away.
The City of Richmond Archives has launched a new and enhanced online database, presenting a convenient clickable map searching feature and double the amount of photographs to access.
This upgraded database allows the archives to provide a new level of efficient online service, available 24 hours a day through the City of Richmond’s website (Richmond.ca).
“The new online database makes it easier for users to engage with, and access the unique contents of the City of Richmond Archives,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “The Richmond Archives is a vibrant organization with an active volunteer group, including the dedicated Friends of the Richmond Archives. It is fitting that we now have a dynamic website which reflects the work that we do here at the City of Richmond Archives, collecting and preserving the rich 137-year history of the city.”
The new site, made possible by funding from a 2015 one-time, council expenditure, has the capacity to easily add new content as material is acquired, processed and digitized. The new site improves the user’s experience by having an advanced map search, popular topics for all records search, high-resolution photographs, a user-friendly interface, simplified navigation and handy search tips.
Newly featured on the site are clickable maps that allow users to focus their search to a particular location. There are more than 1,000 maps now available online which show Richmond’s development from a small fishing and farming community to a large modern city.
The new site also features more than 5,000 newly digitized photographs from Ted Clark’s vast photographic collection of streetcars, trolley coaches, Interurban trams and trains.
Clark, a Richmond resident and streetcar enthusiast, developed a significant collection of prints, negatives, and slides admired by traction enthusiasts across Canada. His Interurban Tram collection has its own convenient search page, as does the BC Packers collection.
Since 1979, the City of Richmond Archives has been the official repository for the records of enduring and historic value to the City of Richmond and its community. The City of Richmond Archives preserves and protects these records while making them accessible to the public. The Archives acquires both public and private records for the use of present and future generations.
The City of Richmond Archives holds more than one kilometre of textual records, 170,000 photographs, 20,000 maps and plans and more than 500 sound and moving image recordings that date back to 1880.
In addition, the archives maintain a small reference library with collections of subject and biographical reference files.
