Massachusetts Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

=== Online Resources ===

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=== National Repositories  ===

'''[[American Antiquarian Society]]'''<br>185 Salisbury Street<br>Worcester, Massachusetts 01609-1634<br>Telephone: 508-755-5221<br>Fax: 508-753-3311<br>E-mail: [mailto:Library@americanantiquarian.org Library@americanantiquarian.org]<br>Website: [http://www.americanantiquarian.org/ American Antiquarian Society]

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:The AAS is best known for its U.S. newspaper collection of over 18,000 bound volumes 1704-1820, history, genealogy, Bibles, maps, biography, directories, Native Americans, women, canals, railroads, photos, manuscripts.<ref name="DB59">Dollarhide and Bremer, 59.</ref>

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| [[Image:NARA Boston.jpg|thumb|right|280px|National Archives at Boston (in Waltham)]]'''[[National Archives at Boston]]'''<br>380 Trapelo Road<br>Waltham, MA 02452-6399<br>Phone: (781) 663-0130<br>Fax: (781) 663-0154<br>E-mail: [mailto:waltham.archives@nara.gov waltham.archives@nara.gov]<br> Website: [http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston/ National Archives at Boston]

:Connecticut, Maine, '''Massachusetts''', New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, fortifications, coastal facilities, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, genealogy, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, Canadian border crossings.<ref name="DB124">William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. ''America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers'' (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 124. {{WorldCat|39493985}}. {{FHL|728550|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J54d}}.</ref><br><br>

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'''[[Pittsfield Federal Records Center]]'''<br>10 Conte Drive<br>Pittsfield, MA 01201-8230<br>Telephone: 413-236-3603<br>Fax: 413-236-3609 <br>E-mail: [mailto:frc@nara.gov frc@nara.gov]<br>Website: [http://www.archives.gov/frc/pittsfield/ Pittsfield Federal Records Center]

:The Pittsfield Center has CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT federal government agency and court documents. Their large genealogy microfilm collection has been transferred to the '''''Berkshire&nbsp;Athenaeum&nbsp;''''' listed below.<ref name="Pitts">[http://www.pittsfieldlibrary.org/genealogy.html Genealogy Resources] in Berkshire Athenaeum'' (accessed 14 November 2013).</ref><br><br>

[[Image:NEHGS Newbury Street.jpg|thumb|right|210px|NEHGS 101 Newbury St in Boston]]'''[[New England Historic Genealogical Society]]'''<br>101 Newbury Street<br>Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007<br>Telephone: &nbsp;617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231<br>Fax: &nbsp;617-536-7307<br>E-mail: &nbsp;[mailto:info@nehgs.org info@nehgs.org]<br>Website: [http://www.americanancestors.org/home.html AmericanAncestors.org]

=== Statewide Repositories  ===

[[Image:MassHistorichq.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Massachusetts Historical Soc Library in Boston]]'''[[Massachusetts Historical Society Library]]'''<br>1154 Boylston Street<br>Boston, MA 02215-3695<br>Telephone: 617-536-1608<br>Fax: 617-859-0074<br>E-mail: [http://www.masshist.org/contact Contact Us]<br>Website: [http://www.masshist.org/ Massachusetts Historical Society]

:Excellent historical materials, original town records, newspapers and genealogies. This collection does '''not''' repeat the New England Historic Genealogical Society collection.<ref name="DB57">Dollarhide and Bremer, 57.</ref><br><br>

'''[[Massachusetts State Archives]]'''[[Image:MA State Archives exterior.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Massachusetts State Archives in Boston]]<br>220 Morrissey Boulevard <br>Boston, MA 02125<br>Phone: (617) 727–2816 <br>E-mail: [mailto:archives@sec.state.ma.us <u>archives@sec.state.ma.us</u>]<br>Website: [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcidx.htm Massachusetts Archives Division]

:*[http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcsrch/VitalRecordsSearchContents.html Index to Vital Records (1841-1910)]<br><br>

[[Image:Mass statehouse eb1.jpg|thumb|right|280px|State Library of Massachusetts in Boston]]'''[[State Library of Massachusetts]]''' <br>State House, Room 341<br>24 Beacon Street<br>Boston, MA 02133<br>Phone: (617) 727–2590<br>Fax: (617) 727–5819<br>Website: [http://www.mass.gov/anf/research-and-tech/oversight-agencies/lib/ State Library of Massachusetts]

=== Regional Repositories ===

[[Image:Berkshire Athenaeum Pittsfield, Massachusetts.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield]]'''[[Berkshire Athenaeum]]'''<br>1 Wendell Ave<br>Pittsfield, MA 01201<br>Telephone: 413-499-9480<br>Fax: 413-499-9489<br>E-mail: [mailto:pittsref@cwmars.org pittsref@cwmars.org]<br>Website: [http://www.pittsfieldlibrary.org/ Berkshire Athenaeum Pittsfield Public Library]

:Best genealogical respository in western Massachusetts, including newspapers, books, and family histories. Now includes the former '''''Pittsfield Federal Records Center''''''s 71,000 microfilms of censuses, Revolutionary War pension and bounty land warrants, service records 1784-1901, Mexican War, Civil War, World War I, New England naturalizations, 1791-1966, passenger arrivals at Boston, New York, Philadelphia and east coast ports, Canadian border crossings, Indian enrollment cards, Russian Consular records, Barbour Collection for Connecticut, and Vermont vital records index.<ref name="Pitts" /> <ref name="DB59" /> <ref name="DB12425">Dollarhide and Bremer, 124-25.</ref><br><br>

'''[[Boston Massachusetts Family History Center]]'''<br>150 Brown Street<br> Weston, Massachusetts 02493-2604<br>Telephone: 781-235-2164<br>Website: [[Boston Massachusetts Family History Center]]

:The largest Family History Center in New England. Can order microfilms from the [[Family History Library]] in Salt Lake City. They have published town and county histories of New England, social histories, vital records, family histories, and major indexes.<ref name="DB59" /><br><br>

[[Image:Boston Public Library Johnson building bpl.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Boston Public Library]]'''[[Boston Public Library]]'''<br>700 Boylston St.<br>Boston, MA 02116<br>Phone: (617) 536–5400<br>Fax: (617) 536–4306<br>E-mail: [mailto:info@bpl.org info@bpl.org]<br>Website: [http://www.bpl.org/ Boston Public Library]  

:Their collection includes New England newspapers, city directores, town records, county and local histories, and genealogies.<ref name="DB57" /><br><br>

'''[[Dedham Historical Society Library]]'''<br>612 High Street<br>Dedham, MA 02027-0125<br>Telephone: 781-326-1385<br>E-mail: [mailto:society@dedhamhistorical.org society@dedhamhistorical.org]<br>Website: [http://dedhamhistorical.org/ Dedham Historical Society]  

:Great collection of manuscripts including deeds, vital and town records from the 15 towns created from old Dedham (south of Boston).<ref name="DB57" /><br><br>

[[Image:Houghton Library Harvard Univ Cambridge MA.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Harvard Univ Houghton Library in Cambridge]]'''[[Harvard University Houghton Library]]'''<br>Harvard Yard<br>Harvard University<br>Cambridge, MA 02138<br>Telephone: 617-495-2440<br>Website: [http://www.hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton/index.cfm Houghton Library]

:Manuscripts and rare books from many nations, but especially New England, Britain and Europe, historical archives of publishing history, political and missionary archives, paintings and artifacts. Largest volume of primary historical documents.<ref name="DB57" /><br><br>

[[Image:Haverhill Public Library.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Haverhill Public Library]]'''[[Haverhill Public Library]]'''<br>99 Main Street<br>Haverhill, MA 01830<br>Telephone: 978-373-1586<br>E-mail: [mailto:hpl-ref@mvlc.org hpl-ref@mvlc.org]<br>Website: [http://www.haverhillpl.org/information/local-history-2/ Haverhill Public Library Special Collections]   

:One of New England's largest collections of original manuscripts, books, genealogical periodicals, and surname folders, local history collection, genealogy databases, Massachusetts vital records to 1910, federal and state censuses, 9,000 New England town and family histories.<ref name="DB59" /> <ref>[http://www.haverhillpl.org/about/local-history/#genealogy-resources Genealogy Resources] in ''Haverhill Public Library'' (accessed 14 November 2013).</ref><br><br>

[[Image:Jones Library, Amherst MA.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Jones Library in Amherst]]'''[[Jones Library]]'''<br>43 Amity Street<br>Amherst, MA 01002<br>Telephone: 413-259-3090<br>Website: [http://www.joneslibrary.org/ Jones Library]

:The Boltwood Collection includes 20,000 documents, genealogies, family folders, genealogy periodicals, newspapers, and local histories with an emphasis on Amherst and the Pioneer Valley.<ref name="DB59" /> <ref>[http://www.joneslibrary.org/specialcollections/collections/index.html Collections and Finding Aids] in ''Jones Library - Special Collections'' (accessed 14 November 2013).</ref><br><br>

[[Image:Plummer Hall of Phillips Library (Peabody Essex Museum) Salem, Massachusetts.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Peabody Essex Museum Phillips Library]]'''[[Peabody Essex Museum]]'''<br>Phillips Library<br>1 Second Street (temporarily)<br>Peabody, MA USA<br>Telephone: 978-745-9500, or 866-745-1876<br>For the Hearing Impaired: 978-740-3649<br>Website: [http://www.pem.org/ Peabody Essex Museum]  

:Essex County books, manuscripts, and government records such as probate records, customs records, and maritime records. Can often help find trans-Atlantic ship logs, and ship images.<br><br>

'''[[Plymouth Public Library]]'''<br>132 South Street<br>Plymouth, MA 02360<br>Telephone: 508-830-4250<br>E-mail: [http://www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org/contact-us/ Contact Us]<br>Website: [http://www.plymouthpubliclibrary.org/ Plymouth Public Library]

:Almost all published histories and genealogies of early Massachusetts settlers are here.<ref name="DB59" /><br><br>

'''[[Springfield History Library and Archives]]''' (formerly Connecticut Valley Historical Museum Library)<br>21 Edwards Street<br>Springfield, Massachusetts 01103<br>Telephone: 800-625-7738<br>E-mail: [mailto:wmshlibrary@springfieldmuseums.org wmshlibrary@springfieldmuseums.org]<br>Website: [http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/the_museums/springfield_history/exhibits/view/156-springfield_history_library_archives#.UoTortJQFu0 Springfield History Library and Archives]  

:Can help identify Massachusetts emigrants headed west using vital records, land records, and probate records from many New England towns. They also have French Canadian records, the Loiselle Index, New York passenger arrivals, computer databases, over 20,000 genealogy books, 6,000 microforms, 50,000 photos and 2.5 million manuscripts including diaries, and account books.<ref name="DB59" /> <ref>[http://www.springfieldmuseums.org/the_museums/springfield_history/exhibits/view/156-springfield_history_library_archives#.UoTortJQFu0 Springfield History Library and Archives] in ''Springfield Museums'' (accessed 14 November 2013).</ref><br><br>

[[Image:UMass at Amherst W.E.B. DuBois Library.jpg|thumb|right|190px|UMass Amherst Library]]'''[[University of Massachusetts Amherst Library]]'''<br>154 Hicks Way<br>Amherst, MA 01003<br>Telephone: 413-545-0284<br>E-mail: [mailto:ref@library.umass.edu ref@library.umass.edu]<br>Website: [http://www.library.umass.edu/ UMass Amherst Libraries], and their [http://guides.library.umass.edu/genealogy Online Guide to Genealogy]

=== Outside of Massachusetts Repositories ===

'''[[Allen County Public Library|Allen County Public Library]]'''[[Image:Allen County Public Library.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Allen Co Public Library IN]] <br> 900 Library Plaza <br> Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802 <br> Telephone: 260-421-1225 <br> E-mail: [mailto:genealogy@acpl.info genealogy@acpl.info]<br>Website: [http://www.genealogycenter.org/ Genealogy Center ACPL]  

:The Genealogy Division has an outstanding collection of American history at national, state and local levels; international genealogy and heraldry in Roman alphabets; Dorot Jewish collection; manuscripts, photos; New York censuses, directories, vital records, Revolutionary War soldiers, Irish in America, and '''Massachusetts''' records.<ref name="DB81">Dollarhide and Bremer, 81.</ref><br><br>

'''[[Onondaga Historical Association Library]]'''<br>321 Montgomery Street<br>Syracuse, New York 13202<br>Telephone:315-428-1864<br>Fax: 315-471-2133<br>E-mail: [http://www.cnyhistory.org/contact.html Contact Us]<br>Website: [http://www.cnyhistory.org/explore/collections-2/ Onondaga Historical Association Collections and Archives]

:10,000 family folders for northeastern families, including many from '''Massachusetts'''.<ref name="DB59" /><br><br>

[[Image:Vermont Historical Society.jpg|thumb|right|280px|VT Historical Soc Leahy Library in Barre VT]]'''[[Vermont Historical Society Leahy Library]]'''<br>Leahy Library<br>Vermont History Center<br>60 Washington Street<br>Barre, Vermont 05641-4209<br>Telephone: 802-479-8509<br>Fax: 802-479-8510<br>Email: [mailto:vhs-library@state.vt.us vhs-library@state.vt.us]<br>Website: [http://vermonthistory.org/research/leahy-library Vermont Historical Society Leahy Library]