The Oxford County Archives in Ontario launched a new three-episode video and podcast series, Tracing Your Roots: Uncovering the family histories behind the council table, to coincide with Family Day that was held on Monday, February 16.
Inspired by the long-running British genealogy documentary series, Who Do You Think You Are?, Tracing Your Roots highlights how archival records can help people better understand their family history.
Liz Dommasch, Oxford County archivist, said, “By sharing these stories, we’re showing how archival records can bring family history to life and help residents better understand where they come from. We hope the series encourages people to explore the archives and discover the records that can help tell their own family stories.”
In each episode, archives staff work with an Oxford County councillor to explore records that reveal meaningful stories of family, place and community.
The series features:
- Councillor Brian Petrie (Town of Ingersoll), whose episode highlights a variety of archival records and the role Archives play in family history research
- Councillor Jim Palmer (Township of Norwich), whose episode explores how land records can reveal stories of settlement, ownership, and family connections
- Warden Marcus Ryan (Township of Zorra), whose episode focuses on tracing family history using online tools and digital resources that make research more accessible
Episode 1 with Mayor Brian Petrie is now available on Oxford County’s YouTube channel. It runs for 12 minutes. The podcast can be found on Spotify.
The three-episode limited series was developed as part of the 25th anniversary of the Oxford County Archives in 2025. It coincides with the 175th anniversary of the incorporation of Oxford County and the 60th anniversary of the Oxford County Library system.
