WHITBY -- A significant piece of Whitby’s past is now back in local hands with the return of a collection of historical documents to the community, including some dating back more than 150 years.

The Whitby Public Library and Whitby Archives recently acquired the original documents of the Town of Whitby and the Township of Whitby from the Archives of Ontario. The records -- spanning from 1837 to Whitby’s amalgamation in 1968 -- include council and committee minutes, bylaws, tax assessments and collector rolls, and some court records.

“I’m really excited to have them back here; it broadens our collection,” says Town archivist Sarah Ferencz, who’s busy sorting through the material, which amounts to 29 meters or 104 boxes and 185 ledgers and volumes.