Contact the Geospatial Centre
Dana Porter Library, Room 328
University of À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ Library
À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ, Ontario N2L 3G1
Email: librarygeo@uwaterloo.ca
This initiative aims to provide scholars, researchers, and the public with a visual directory, index, and account of Kitchener's residential, business and industrial development.ÌýThis Historical GIS project takes decades of digitized Vernon city directories (years 1901+), cleanses, collates and geo-locates over a million searchable individual entries using a map platform. Users can filter, view and download historical facts about Kitchener's residents and businesses, offering endless discovery and research opportunities.Ìý
Access to the webmapÌýis available from . Access to the geocodedÌýfiles (.csv tabular data) areÌýavailable below individually by year (including business advertisements), or as a searchable comprehensive ÌýAÌýlist of all discovered and verified street name and street number changes haveÌýbeenÌý​​compiled for more accurate analysis. Additionally, several sample mapsÌýof the historical dataset have been created to demonstrate research potential.Ìý
To map the data yourself, simply go toÌý, and use the Import function to display the Excel files in map format.
For user convenience most abbreviations for occupations have been expanded, however for entries where they wereÌýnot, please refer to the Occupation and Name Abbreviation Lists.
The Kitchener Public Library has the available for viewing in scanned pdf format.Ìý
Themed analysis using historical GIS data:
Ìý
ÌýandÌýImages Collages: 1910-1930ÌýÌýand 1940-1960
Ìý& Streetview Compilation King Street E/W (EvenÌý&Ìý Odd) & Business Chronology
This project has been funded in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, as well as the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ Library. We would like to acknowledge support from Karen Ball-Pyatt, from the Kitchener Public Library as well as Darryl Bonk, from À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ Region Generations who have generously provided us with scanned versions of the city directories.Ìý
This project was created by staff at the UW Geospatial Centre with assistance from numerous individuals across several library departments. Special appreciation and recognition go to dozens of co-op students and part-time student workers who transcribed, geocoded and helped develop the final web maps.
Dana Porter Library, Room 328
University of À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ Library
À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ, Ontario N2L 3G1
Email: librarygeo@uwaterloo.ca
The University of À¶Ý®ÊÓÆµ acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.