The view in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa on Sussex Drive on 22 February 1919, Library and Archives Canada IDC: 94473

The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie was Canada’s second Prime Minister, serving from 1873-78. Mackenzie was Leader of the Opposition until 1880 and then continued to sit as a Liberal MP until April 17, 1892 when he died from a stroke after suffering a fall at the age of 70.

This video was prepared for the Historical Society to celebrate Canada 150 and to raise awareness and appreciation of Mackenzie's life and times and contributions to Canada. 

Michael Kent from Library and Archives Canada explores the history and documents found in the repositories of Jewish synagogues and cemeteries in Ottawa and around the world.

On September 14, 2020, Michael Kent, Curator of the Jacob M. Lowy Collection at Library and Archives Canada, spoke to members of the Historical Society of Ottawa and guests via our first ever “Zoom” presentation. Michael’s fascinating presentation explored the hidden treasures of the Geniza in Ottawa and around the world. The “Geniza” is the sacred storage area in a synagogue or cemetery used for the disposal of worn-out religious books and papers.

At the HSO virtual presentation on October 14, 2020, Jo-Anne McCutcheon of the University of Ottawa shared with us how technology and digitization techniques of today can help us explore the past.

On November 18, 2020, Stephen Garrett, Project Manager of the archeological excavation of Parliament Hill in 2019, shared stories and discoveries from his work in a virtual presentation to the Historical Society of Ottawa.

Randy Boswell, Journalism Professor, Carleton University, explored the surprising history of Kettle Island in a virtual presentation to the Historical Society of Ottawa on December 2, 2020.

Rare film footage of Churchill's 1941 visit to Ottawa provided courtesy of Michael Evans.

Read about Churchill's visit in this recounting of the event by James Powell: Some Chicken, Some Neck - 29 December 1941.

Share some memories of the Girl Guide Camp Woolsey in this HSO presentation by Emma Kent on January 13, 2021.

Wendy Alexis shared stories and memories with us on February 10, 2021, about the day that Nelson Mandela visited the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument in Ottawa.

On March 10, 2021, Andrew King, Ottawa artist, cartoonist, columnist, and author of the Ottawa Rewind books and blog, shared some of his discoveries of long-hidden secrets from Ottawa's fascinating past.