The Milton Historical Society Archives are now officially identified as the Milton Historical Society Cooke/Dills Archives to honour Jim Dills and Alex Cooke.

  • Hours of Operation:
    The Cooke/Dills Archives will be open the last Wed. of each month - 10 am to 1 pm.
    All other times will be by appointment only!
    All guests - face mask are optional
  • Archive Material Available:
    • Over 100,000 objects in the archives
    • Documents, photographs, post cards, diaries, letters, maps, school yearbooks
    • Military records
    • P.L. Robertson Collection
    • Alex Cooke Collection
    • Jim Dills Research Collection
    • Canadian Champion Negatives
    • Milton Canadian Champion 1862-1969 (microfilm)
    • Halton Journal: 1855-1857 (microfilm)
  • Archive Fees:
    • Hourly archival research by MHS volunteers for Milton resident: $50
    • Hourly archival research by MHS volunteers for MHS member: $25
    • Hourly archival research by MHS volunteers for professional consultant: $100
    • Photographic image reprint: 8 x 10 black and white photograph is $25 (for other sizes / prices please contact us)

Alex Cooke

Alex Cooke
Alexander (Alex) Cooke
 was a lifelong resident of Milton who had great interest in local history and genealogy and a founding member of the Milton Historical Society. He spent many hours researching history on local area families. Alex diligently researched biographies of Milton’s early leaders for more than four years. His research was published by the society in two volumes and provide an important record for the future generations of Milton. Alex was also a consistent volunteer with the Friends of Halton Region Museum and an active member of the Halton/Peel Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society.

James (Jim) Dills

Jim Dills

James (Jim) Dills is one of the co-founders of Milton Historical Society, a prolific author of more than a dozen local books of history and the community's most accomplished historian. In 2018, he donated his considerable collection of electronic and published local historical research to Milton Historical Society. Mr. Dills has been recognized locally, provincially and nationally for his business and community leadership. He is a member of the Town of Milton's Walk of Fame, a Milton Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award winner, an Ontario Heritage Foundation Achievement Award winner, a Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Award winner and a Canadian Community Newspaper Association Gold Quill award winner. Between 1979 and 1987, serving as CCNA Executive Director, Mr. Dills guided CCNA to economic stability. He travelled the country using his unique combination of industry knowledge, experience and leadership to build the national profile of the community newspaper industry while representing the interest of over 600 community newspapers to government and industry partners. He was named CCNA's first Honourary President, presented with a Gold Quill and learned of the establishment of the Dills Family Fund. It assisted small community newspapers to grow, to provide industry educational programs and to support local, community and historical organizations.