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Dates of creation area
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1829-1973, predominant 1852-1972 (Creation)
- Creator
- Waterloo (Ont. : County)
Physical description area
Physical description
95.75 m. of textual records and other materials 134 photographs, 102 plans, 327 volumes, 364 journals, 932 microfiches, 3 paintings, 1 drawing
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Administrative history
The County of Waterloo was originally part of the District of Wellington. Proclaimed in 1840, the District of Wellington included the Townships of Waterloo, Wilmot and Woolwich. In 1849 the Baldwin Municipal Act was introduced abolishing the Territorial Divisions of Upper Canada into districts (12 Vic. Cap. 78 30 May 1849). The new County of Waterloo replaced Wellington District, and consisted of 27 townships. The Baldwin Act also provided for the temporary union of counties until the increase of wealth and population made it possible for each to function independently. Waterloo became part of the United Counties of Wellington, Waterloo and Grey.
An 1852 act to "make certain alterations in the territorial divisions of Upper Canada" reorganized Waterloo County boundaries (14 & 15 Vic. Cap. 5. 2 August 1851 Effective 1852). The County was reduced in size to the five Townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Waterloo, Wilmot and Woolwich.
The 1852 legislation also provided that as soon as a court house and gaol in any of the counties was erected the union between the counties could be dissolved. Waterloo County was ready to operate independently and in May 1852 established a Provisional Municipal Council. The Council immediately initiated construction of a court house and gaol. The county buildings were completed in Berlin by the end of the year and on January 22, 1853 the Provisional Council of Waterloo was formally set apart from the United Counties.
The first meeting of the Municipal Council of the County of Waterloo was held in Berlin on January 24, 1853 with representatives from the five townships and the Villages of Galt and Preston. As years passed the size of council grew as more villages and towns were incorporated. By 1896, thirteen municipalities were represented on council. When Berlin gained city status in 1912, it seceded from the county followed by Galt in 1915 and Waterloo in 1948. Only with the formation of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo in 1973 did the cities again participate in regional government.
Custodial history
The records were transferred from the County of Waterloo to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo and from there to the Region of Waterloo Archives.
Scope and content
Fonds consists of the County of Waterloo records, which document the activities of successive county administrations beginning in 1852 through to dissolution in 1972.
The records document the development of the County of Waterloo from a predominantly rural to an increasingly urbanized community. The records include letterbooks, council and committee minutes and reports, by-laws, correspondence, assessment records, property deeds and sales, and financial registers. They comprise bound books, handwritten and typed records, ledgers, and registers. Fonds also includes several photographs of council members. The fonds is arranged into the following series.
County of Waterloo Clerk/Treasurer letterbooks, 1852-1909
County of Waterloo Auditors' abstracts and statements, 1864-1970
County of Waterloo Financial day books, 1852-1919
County of Waterloo Accounting ledgers, 1852-1971
County of Waterloo accounts, 1851-1968
County of Waterloo Treasurer's cash books, 1852-1972
County of Waterloo committee reports, 1866-1972
County Engineer and Roads Superintendent records, 1861-1972
County of Waterloo property sales and taxe records, 1853-1948
County of Waterloo census records, 1966-1967
County of Waterloo Financial records, 1852-1971
County of Waterloo Assessment Commissioner records, 1951-1967
County of Waterloo Clerk-Treasurer's correspondence A, 1939-1972
County of Wateloo council minutes, 1852-1972
County of Waterloo Roads and Bridges Committee records, 1907-1972
Suburban Road commissions records, 1917-1972
County of Waterloo committee minutes, 1861-1971
County of Waterloo budgets, 1966-1972
Court house building, 1957-1966
County of Waterloo journals of proceedings, reports and by-laws, 1852-1972
County of Waterloo Centennial records, 1952
County of Waterloo Clerk-Treasurer's correspondence B, 1943-1973
County of Waterloo land deeds, 1829-1972
Waterloo Area Local Government Review records, 1966-1972
Association of Counties and Regions of Ontario convention records, 1967-1971
County of Waterloo Clerk-Treasurer's correspondence C, 1956-1973
County of Waterloo Assessment rolls, 1854-1968
Old Age Pension and Mothers' Allowance Local Board records, 1920-1949
Indigent hospitalization records, 1942-1973
Waterloo County forests records, 1943-1968
County of Waterloo Weed Inspector records, 1950-1970
County of Waterloo Clerk's Return and Declaration of Office records, 1950-1970
Children's Aid Society records, 1934-1972
County of Waterloo by-laws, 1852-1972
Waterloo County Board of Education records, 1965-1972
House of Industry and Refuge records, 1869-1972
Waterloo County Court house records, 1858-1871
County of Waterloo corporate seal, n.d.
County of Waterloo photographs, 1890-1972
Waterloo County Hospital Planning Council records, 1971
Waterloo County Area Planning Board records, 1964-1972
Ciounty of Waterloo Clerk's records, 1950-1974
County of Waterloo Committee of Adjustment records, 1965-1979
Regional Jail Sub-Committee records, 1965
County of Waterloo directories, 1971-1972
Waterloo County Library records, 1956-1975
Marriage Returns to the County Clerk, 1858-1969
County of Waterloo Warden's Dinner programme. 1972
Notes area
Physical condition
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Arrangement
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Restrictions on access
Access to some records are restricted in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Please consult the archivist regarding access to these records.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Associated materials
Accruals
Further accruals of unprocessed material expected.
General note
For the most part, this fonds was arranged according to the order that it was found in 2004/2005. Several series had additional items added, according to the perceived provenance of the series. At the same time, several series were modified to more adequately represent the contents of the series; the original series called “Council Agenda” was more aptly named, “Budgets,” while the series “Miscellaneous,” was dissolved and its contents appropriately placed within the suitable series. There is no discernible original order of the fonds as a whole.