Provincial Archives of Alberta celebrates 50 years

The Provincial Archives of Alberta moved into its current facility on Roper Road in Edmonton in October 2003. Source: Government of Alberta.

The Provincial Archives of Alberta (PAA) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a year of special events and exhibits.

The province is beginning the celebration of the 50th anniversary by unveiling a commemorative logo, and Albertans are encouraged to take part in the anniversary by exploring the facility.

Located in Edmonton, the PAA officially opened on December 6, 1967 during Canada’s centennial.

Ricardo Miranda, provincial minister of Culture and Tourism, said, “The archives makes Albertans’ lives better by preserving their past for future generations. It’s a place that holds incredible stories about who we are as Albertans and where we came from.”

The oldest document in the collection is a land transaction contract written on vellum paper (animal skin) in 1645.

This year, the PAA will also mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Alberta Provincial Police. The Let Justice Be Done exhibit at the PAA presents the story of the police force, which operated from 1917 to 1932 and established a reputation as one of the most efficient police organizations of its kind in the world.

This photo of agricultural school teachers Louise Perkins and Roberta MacAdams was the first donation to the Provincial Archives of Alberta. The donation dates from 1963, preceding the opening of the Archives by four years. Source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, 1963.0001.

The Dominion Archives, now called Library and Archives Canada, was founded in 1872. The provincial archives opened the following years.

• British Columbia — 1894
• Alberta — 1967
• Saskatchewan — 1945
• Manitoba — ?
• Ontario — 1903
• Quebec — 1920
• Nova Scotia — 1857
• New Brunswick — 1967
• Prince Edward Island — ?
• Newfoundland — ?

The Alberta government posted this 60-second video about its provincial archives on YouTube.