Special Notice
This site has recently been expanded to include historical information from the Cobourg History site. All information previously on this site is still here. Some Google searches may now end up here - use the site search box if you don't immediately find what you are looking for.
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For Genealogists
There is quite a bit of Information for genealogists on this site - it is best accessed using the search feature above. The best additional source of info for researchers is at the Cobourg Library where they have a local history room stocked with many historical books and documents. They do have some photos on-line but not much more - you need to visit.
Meetings
Monthly meetings are held in Cobourg's Victoria Hall.
Cobourg and District Historical Society Meetings are held every month except May, June, July, August and December. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday in the Month. Meetings start at 7:30 pm but coffee and cookies are available starting at 7:00 pm. Meetings are $5 for non-members and free for members of the society and students.
More on our About page.
Cobourg and District Historical Society
Mission
The Cobourg and District Historical Society promotes interest in the history of Cobourg and district and beyond, encourages the preservation of historical, archaeological and architectural heritage through meetings featuring speakers, the publication of presentations and organizing and participating in special events.
Meetings
Monthly meetings are held in the Citizens' Forum, Victoria Hall on the fourth Tuesday from September to May, excluding December. The doors open at 7:00pm and people enjoy this opportunity to socialize before the meeting convenes at 7:30 p.m. Meetings are free for members of the society and students.
Programmes include topics of local interest e.g. The American Summer Colony, Cobourg-Rochester ferries as well as subjects of more general interest e.g. The Barnardo Children or Preserving Your Family Archives. An annual dinner or bus trip is held alternately in May.
For more about the Cobourg and District Historical Society, go here.
Monthly meetings are held in Cobourg’s Victoria Hall.
Cobourg Ingenuity
- Details
Over 50 patents were filed by ingenious Cobourg residents between 1870 and 1918. At our October meeting Ken Strauss explained patents and why they matter. 
Ken StraussIn addition he presented the stories of some of Cobourg's successful inventers, our dabblers and our weird!
Ken worked at one of Canada's first computer service firms, was principal in a software development company serving the printing trade and later filled a variety of information technology positions at Ontario Hydro. Ken has had a lifelong fascination with mechanical devices and delights in converting ideas to metal in his home workshop. Since retiring in 2003 he has mentored high school students participating in the F.I.R.S.T. robotics competition, worked with the Tetra Society, an international group that builds solutions for people with physical disabilities and with the University of Toronto to build experimental prosthetics. Since moving to Cobourg he has been active in the CDHS and has served in various positions including editing our Historically Speaking newsletter since 2010. Ken is passionate about responsible government. He is a founding member and currently a director of the Cobourg Taxpayers Association.
If you missed this meeting you can watch the recorded version on YouTube. No special sign-in is required and you can view the video on computers, tablets, smartPhones and smartTVs.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epVqq9bBXus
Temperance, Tonics or Both?
- Details
Members joined us on-line via Zoom, Tuesday evening, September 28, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., and learned about two celebrated women and their connections to Cobourg.
Robert Washburn presented Letitia Youmans, a Canadian school teacher who became an activist for the temperance movement. Youmans founded and served as the first president of the Ontario chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Carla Jones presented Lydia Pinkham, the iconic maker and marketeer of the company's famous "Vegetable Compound" and other remedies meant to relieve female complaints among other ailments.
Robert Washburn is an award-winning educator in the Journalism Program at Loyalist College, where he teaches new and emerging technologies in journalism. A practicing journalist for nearly 40 years, he is known locally for his weekly current affairs radio show, Consider This Northumberland, covering local politics and community life. His hyperlocal news website, https://consider-this.ca/, is an archive of his journalism and academic work. Washburn is a member of the James Cockburn Society and the author of several history plays about Cockburn, the first speaker of the House of Commons and the Father of Confederation for Northumberland County.
Carla Jones, our CDHS President, joined the CDHS in 2011. She immediately volunteered to be our newsletter distributor and moved on to further roles as our Secretary and then Membership Director. Although Carla's career has been in the software business as a Sales and Marketing executive, she has enjoyed a long-time love of history