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PO Box 523, Station B,
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5P6

PO Box 523, Station B, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5P6
Slide 1 - With Welcome Message - Bottom

Lady and Lord Aberdeen with the National Council of Women at Rideau Hall, shortly before their return to the United Kingdom, October 1898, Topley Studios/Library and Archives Canada, PA-029033

Truss Bridge over the Chaudière Falls, Ottawa River, watercolour by John Burrows, 1828, Library and Archives Canada, I.D. No. 2833217.

Timber raft on the Ottawa River, date unknown, John William Woolsey and family fonds, Library and Archives Canada, I.D. No. 319157.

Welcome

The Historical Society of Ottawa (HSO) is Ottawa’s oldest historical organization.The principal aim of the Society is to increase public knowledge of the history of Ottawa and the surrounding region through meetings, tours, awards, publications, and sponsored research.

Historical Society Articles

  • Time Travelling with the Historical Society of Ottawa

    21 March 2025 Society News
    Beginning on April 2, 2025, subscribers to Rogers TV will be able to enjoy a fascinating new weekly series, “Time Travelling with the Historical Society of Ottawa”, a collaboration between Rogers TV and the HSO. Each week's new episode will air Wednesday @ 7:30 p.m. and then be rebroadcast Friday…

  • The Story of Us - The History of the Women’s Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa

    20 March 2025 Speakers Presentations
    On the evening of Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Historical Society of Ottawa delved into its own past with an exploration of the early decades of the Women’s Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa (WCHSO) and the remarkable women who formed and ran it. We were pleased to again welcome Connie…

  • Heritage Day 2025

    19 February 2025 Society News
    The HSO team was happy to attend Ottawa’s Heritage Day celebrations at City Hall on February 18, 2025.

  • Dare to Test your Knowledge of Ottawa’s History?

    18 February 2025 Society News
    It’s quiz time! Again this year, the Historical Society of Ottawa had the honour of preparing the 2025 “Great Ottawa History Challenge”, published every February during Heritage Week in the Ottawa Citizen. Here’s your chance to see how much you know about Ottawa’s past: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/ottawa-history-quiz
See all articles

Upcoming Events

Mar 22 2025
Afternoon Series
1:00PM
Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch Auditorium

The Peace Tower’s Bells - The Musical Voice of the Nation

Andrea McCrady

Mar 26 2025
Evening Series
7:00PM
Online via Zoom

What was on the dinner table… in Bytown?

Holly Benison

Apr 9 2025
Evening Series
7:00PM
Online via Zoom

Ottawa’s Early Baseball History

Steve Rennie

Apr 22 2025
French-language
7:00PM
Online

L'été 1847 à Bytown - Élisabeth Bruyère face à une épidémie

Michael McBane

View Full Calendar

Ottawa Stories

Ottawa has an interesting and varied history.
Enjoy stories from this month in history or discover other Ottawa stories.

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