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Photographic slides of various archaeological digs from around the world and in Northwestern Ontario. Slides of various forestry field studies in several regions from 1952-1995. Includes images of trees, equipment, erosion, fire damage, forest management audits, land use, geology, and genetics and tree improvement.

Research notes and correspondence of Dr. Elizabeth Arthur, professor of history at Lakehead University.

The Ontario government's planning process for forestry and land management through the late 1990s and early 2000s, represented in the records of the Boreal West Round Table, Lands for Life planning process, and Living Legacy Trust.

Lands for Life was a comprehensive land-use planning process that also considered environmental protection in Ontario. It was announced in February, 1997 by the Minister of Natural Resources. The goal was to address the increasing demands for access to the province's natural resources. It was designed for all areas of the Precambrian shield south of 51 degrees latitude.

The project created three "Round Tables" made up of citizens with knowledge of the land, or who were involved with resource based businesses. The Round Tables were: Boreal West (Northwestern Ontario), Boreal East (Eastern Ontario), and Great Lakes - St. Lawrence (Southern Ontario).

As the Lands for Life project concluded, the Province designated the Living Legacy Trust fund to support land use planning and natural resources and environmental management. This fund ran from 1999 to 2004.

Teaching and research materials of Dr. Gerd Schroeter, professor of sociology at Lakehead University. His work focused on teaching sociology at Lakehead and at other institutions, and research into the history of sociology (particularly re Theodor Geiger and Max Weber). Records are divided into three series: Personal, Teaching, and Research.

This collection consists of data on over 12,000 probated decedents in Ontario and Manitoba for 1872 to 1927. The historical probate wealth data was collected for four regional areas: Wentworth County, Ontario (1872-1927), Thunder Bay District, Ontario (1885-1927), Ontario (1892, 1902) and Manitoba (1873-1927). The data is in the form of hard copy survey sheets (paper records) and compiled spreadsheets (electronic records.)

A full description of the project and data can be read here: https://libguides.lakeheadu.ca/ld.php?content_id=36498994

Records include meeting minutes, financial information, and some personal/member information of branches and districts of the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario. The records relate to work at the branch and district level of the organization, with the majority being within the Thunder Bay district.

Most of the records are minute books that also include financial information; they also contain newspaper clippings related to organization. There are also reports and convention information pamphlets.

Area: Northwestern Ontario
District: Thunder Bay
Branches: Port Arthur; Beardmore; Raith; Finnish Branch; Murillo.

Records of the Northern Ontario Pastoral Institute, a nonprofit organization providing clinical pastoral education in Thunder Bay. Established in 1990 and dissolved in 2025. A member organization of the Canadian Association for Pastoral Practice and Education, which later became the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care.

Primarily records of the Board of Directors, including meeting minutes, correspondence, and financial records. These originated with and were kept by two long-time board members, Ernie Epp (a Board member since 1990 and long term Treasurer), and Rev. Ed Long (a Board member since 1990 and former Treasurer and President.)

There are also records relating to programming, and relating to pastoral services in Thunder Bay and the surrounding region.

The Canadian Injured Workers Alliance was founded in 1990 as an umbrella organization of injured workers' groups across Canada. It has engaged in advocacy, research, and the creation of educational information for members. Records relate to the labour movement, disability, legal and legislative rights for workers, and the operation of the organization.

Derek Burney was a Canadian diplomat, who served as Ambassador to the Republic of South Korea (1978-1980) and Ambassador to the United States (1989-1993), and was instrumental in negotiations of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Burney was born in Fort William in 1939, and received a BA and MA from Queen’s University in Kingston. He served in the federal public service from 1963 to 1993: including diplomatic work, ambassadorial postings, and as Canada’s first Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister (1987-1989), working with Brian Mulroney.

After retirement from public service, Burney worked for Bell Canada, 1993-1999, and sat on the boards of several other corporations. He returned to federal government work leading Stephen Harper’s transition team in 2006.

Burney served as Chancellor of Lakehead University from 2013 to 2017. He also received an Honourary Doctor of Laws from Lakehead in 1990, as well as honourary degrees from Queen's, Carleton, and Wilfrid Laurier Universities.

Most of the records in this fonds relate to Burney’s career with the Department of External Affairs. There is also a small amount of material relating to work in private business, and other writings and memorabilia.

The 1978 Young Canada Works "Herstory" project's aim was to compile material on women pioneers in Northwestern Ontario with the intention of using the material to write a book on the same theme. The hope was to illustrate the lives and achievements of Northwestern Ontario women and stimulate further interest in women's contribution to Northwestern Ontario history.

The material here was collected through interviews with over 100 women around Northwestern Ontario. Records include 70 audio cassettes with taped interviews, recorded largely in 1975, and mostly accompanied by transcripts. The records also contain research notes, news articles and photographs, related to Northwestern Ontario communities and fields of activity relating to women's history. They also include correspondence, reports, financial and other administrative records of the project leaders and workers.

The project work did not continue through to the writing of a book. These records were held but largely untouched until a project review in 1993.

In the Decade Council's 1993 report, three objectives were listed: To validate women’s contributions within the context of NWO; to restore and catalogue the records of women’s lives in NWO; and to create a resource that would provide a perspective on women’s Herstory in NWO. A detailed summary of those interviewed, their location and details on whether there is a transcript or release form were created. This report concluded with multiple recommendations with the aim of preserving the tapes and collected materials for eventual public use. This project was not continued, and the material was stored in various locations until its donation in 2024.

The fonds consists of publications and clippings in Finnish, including some of Terttu Koivu’s own writings in Canadan Uutiset and other publications. Terttu Koivu immigrated from Finland in 1953, and died in Thunder Bay in 2013 at age 95.

Card catalogue from the Suomi Koti library.

Suomi Koti of Thunder Bay is a seniors' residence in Thunder Bay. The organization was founded in 1984; the building, consisting of 60 apartment units, was opened in 1988. Suomi Koti was developed to meet the needs of Finnish-Canadian seniors

The library was built from donations and purchases by residents over the years. It held titles in Finnish and in English; the Finnish-language materials were often published in and brought from Finland and were difficult to access through Canadian libraries or booksellers. This library reflected a body of reading material of Finnish-speaking people in Thunder Bay in the later part of the twentieth century.

In 2025, the library collections were weeded significantly to make room for new furniture and better meet the needs of current residents. Some titles were donated to Lakehead University Library at this time. The Finnish-language card catalogue has been acquired by the Archives to preserve a record of the library's former collections and how it reflected the culture of its users.

Records include reports and administrative materials; program handbooks; and materials reflecting life and culture at the Faculty of Education. The latter include yearbooks, photographs, and ephemera. Both student and faculty/staff experiences are reflected.

Material collected related to the creation and publication of the book "Sweating with Finns: Sauna Stories from North America," edited by Kaarina Kailo, Raija Warkentin, and Jorma Halonen, and published 2005 by the Centre for Northern Studies, Lakehead University.

These records relate to the activities of the Suomalainen Puistoyhdistys [Finnish Garden Committee] of Thunder Bay, in developing the Finland Monument at the International Friendship Gardens in Thunder Bay.

The International Friendship Garden was developed as a Centennial Project in 1967 by the Soroptimist Club of Fort William and Port Arthur. At the intersection of Victoria Ave and Waterloo St, it includes monuments representing 18 different ethnic groups. The International Friendship Garden project provided designated spaces; each garden was planned, designed and funded by different cultural organizations to represent their country.

The Finnish Garden is one of these eighteen dedicated garden spaces, and was created in two stages. Suomalainen Puistoyhdistys, the Finnish Garden Committee, was founded in November 1971, sponsored by the Central Organization of Finnish Societies. Work began in 1972. A sculpture of two large bronze swans in flight was created in Finland, by Professor Armas Hutri, with the base built locally with granite from Dryden, Ontario. The Whooper Swan is the national bird of Finland. The Immigrants Statue celebrating the Centennial of Finnish settlement in 1876 was unveiled on Juhannus, in June 1976. The Finnish Garden was dedicated on June 24 1979.

These records reflect the development of the garden/monument, and also include photographs, books, and news clippings from the period after the Gardens were established. They appear to have been collected and maintained by Pentti Junni, Chairman of the Finnish Garden Committee.

Photographs, news clippings, and other materials relating to Lakehead Athletics in the late 1960s.

Kathy Kangas was hired as Assistant Director of Athletics at Lakehead University in 1968. During her time at Lakehead she also taught gymnastics, dance, volleyball, archery, and other sports.

Recording of an oral history conducted with Rose Allard (1909?-2002) by her daughter Sandra Allard, beginning December 16, 1981. Rose Allard was the child of Italian immigrants to Northwestern Ontario. In these interviews she speaks about her family, childhood, and life in Port Arthur and in Beardmore.

The fonds consists of one diary, with entries made sporadically between 1938 and 1952. Entries relate to family, to the work of mink farming, and to weather and wildlife.

Arthur Ellsworth "Elza" Swaim (1881-1953) was CNR section foreman in Larson, Ontario, where he also established and earned renown for a large mink ranch. He lived in Larson with his wife Josephine "Josie."

The fonds consists of notes, correspondence, bird observation data, and the natural history journals of Dr. Allen. The fonds contains the following series:
-Dr. A.E. Allen Bird Observations
-Natural History Notes of A.E. Allen
-Dr. A.E. Allen Ephemera

The correspondence, receipts, newspaper clippings, and several articles of the Canadan Uutiset, a Finnish-language newspaper based in Thunder Bay.

A vast and varied collection of records documenting the experiences of Finnish immigrants to Northwestern Ontario. Includes correspondence, manuscripts, photographs, interviews, published material, and ephemera. The photograph collection is extensive and covers a wide range of subjects.

The records are arranged into the following series:
A - Bay Street Project
B - Finnpraxis Project
C - Collections
D - Photographs
E - Miscellaneous
F - Finnish Experience

Collection is organized into the following series:
I. Hoito Restaurant
II. Port Arthur Workingmen’s Association: Imatra no. 9
III. C.T.K.L. (Canadian Industrial Unions: Port Arthur’s Finnish Association)
IV. C.U.T. (Canadian News Service) and C.T.K.L.
V. Finlandia Club
VI. Finnish Socialist Local no. 6: Port Arthur
VII. Lumber Workers’ Industrial Union of the One Big Union
VIII. New Attempt Temperance Society
IX. Finnish Athletic Club: Nahjus
X. Finnish Building Company
XI. Miscellaneous

Lakehead University evolved from the Lakehead Technical Institute (LTI), which was established in 1946. From LTI, Lakehead became the Lakehead College of Arts, Science and Technology in 1956. The Lakehead University Act was given Royal Assent by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario in 1965, and Lakehead University was established. The first degrees granted by Lakehead University were in Arts and Science in 1965.

The Lakehead University fonds includes records of administrative offices and former administrators.