The Barrie Historical Archive’s interactive walking tour explores downtown Barrie in a whole new way — revealing a surprising number of historical hotels and sites that have catered to railway and lumber workers, politicians and tourists since the 1800s. For Digital Doors Open, follow along with local historian and storyteller Mary Harris in the video below as she describes the history, colourful proprietors, scandals, fights, grand events and unusual guests from years gone by.

Barrie’s historical neighbourhoods are unique and reflect Barrie’s natural and cultural heritage. These neighbourhoods each have their own distinctive sense of place, rich history and defining attributes and characteristics. Aspects of each neighbourhood’s location, geography, amenities and housing types and tenure contribute to the overall story of Barrie’s past. Heritage Barrie encourages citizens and visitors to explore the history of Barrie, and to discover more about the places and people. Download this PDF and explore Barrie’s neighbourhoods at your own pace. And check out the video below to get a taste of Barrie’s past. (Photo: Dunlop Street)