Local History & Genealogy

If you are interested in the history of Grande Prairie, surrounding areas and our province, you will be pleased with our local history collections. These books are housed in the Isabel Campbell Room on the main floor. Most of our local history books can be taken out, but the ones that are marked R are for in-library use only.

The room includes a microfilm reader, a computer with dedicated access to Ancestry Library Edition, and microfilm of the Daily Herald Tribune dating back to 1913. The Isabel Campbell Room is open to the public during our operating hours. If you need help with genealogy research the Grande Prairie Genealogical Society is open for appointments.

To find online resources available through GPPL please see our Genealogy & History section in Digital Content. 

The Campbell Collection

The Grande Prairie Public Library, and the City of Grande Prairie, benefit greatly from the donation of the archival collection of local historian Isabel Campbell. She indexed and cross-indexed all articles in Grande Prairie newspapers from 1913 to 1961 for research purposes. The Campbell Collection is an extremely valuable resource for the Peace Country.

Grande Prairie Genealogical Society 

The local branch of the Alberta Genealogical Society offers a free service for individuals who require help with a family research project. You may book an appointment by email at: abromling@gmail.com.

Appointments are usually scheduled for Wednesdays from 7:00 – 7:45pm.

Other Resources: 

South Peace Regional Archives 

South Peace Regional Archives gathers, preserves, and shares historical records of municipalities, organizations, businesses, families and individuals within the region. The Archives offers access to its holdings through their website and through a public Reading Room. SPRA is located in the Grande Prairie Museum, in Muskoseepi Park.