Henderson's Directories (1907-1987)
Henderson's Directories list home and building occupants. Trace the occupants alphabetically in another section of the directory to find out what type of business was there, or in the case of a house, the occupation, marital, and ownership status of past occupants.
Henderson's may not list every occupant, spouse, occupation or ownership status, but they can indicate who has owned or lived in a particular home, a rough estimate for when the home was built, and a hint as to the structure's current status (for example, whether it still stands).
Henderson's Directories may also lead to another source. A complete listing of occupants may lead to further biographical or relevant information from City correspondence file or newspaper clipping files.
Many Henderson's Directories are available online at Henderson's Directories: A Directory of Prairie Life, University of Alberta.
Building Permits (1907-1976)
City of Edmonton building permits were issued on a first come, first served basis. There is no index for these permits, so this type of search can be labour-intensive. Building permits may offer information on the original homeowner, builder, architect, and estimated cost.
Blueprints and Plans (1910-1977)
The Archives has thousands of original building and house plans. However, plans do not exist for every home in the city. Blueprints can provide detailed information on building construction and they may also name the architect and/or builder.
Maps
The Archives has over 250 maps, and almost 150 are of the Edmonton area exclusively. These maps visually record the growth and change of the city over the course of a century, spanning the 1880s to the 1980s. They are easily accessible for research and photocopying.
Fire Insurance maps from 1912, 1925, and 1953-1966 are also held by the Archives. These maps detail the location, lot position, building materials, and lot numbers of buildings and property in Edmonton.
Photographs
The Archives does not have a photograph for every house and building. However, photos of prominent streets, historical buildings, and neighbourhood landmarks are available. Many of these photographs are featured in a joint City of Edmonton Archives and Edmonton Public Library project - the Lost Buildings photo collection.
Newspaper Clipping Files
The Archives has an extensive collection of newspaper clipping files about Edmonton businesses, events, and people. These files provide an excellent source of biographical information or histories of streets, buildings or neighbourhoods.