Winchester, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Genealogy

Town Hall
71 Mount Vernon Street Winchester, MA 01890

Town Clerk
71 Mount Vernon Winchester, MA 01890 Phone: 781-721-7130 Fax: 781-721-1153 [mailto:townclerk@winchester.us Email] Website

History
Parent Towns Winchester was first settled by citizens of Charlestown who were granted land in the area in the 1630s. In 1642, when Woburn was incorporated, the northern part was included in that city while the southern part remained part of Charlestown. The southeast section was annexed to Medford in 1753. The southwest section was annexed to West Cambridge (now Arlington) eight years before Winchester's incorporation in 1850. Early Village Names Waterfield, Charlestown Village, South Woburn, Black Horse Village (stage coach stop), Woburn Gates (railroad stop)

Cemeteries
Wildwood Cemetery, 34 Palmer St., Winchester, 781-721-7142 Calvary Cemetery (contact through Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden) 1-888-919-7926.

Churches
Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church First Baptist Church First Congregational Church First Church of Christ, Scientist Hope Christian Church Parish of the Epiphany (Episcopal) St. Eulalia’s Church St. Mary’s Church Second Congregational Church Winchester Unitarian Church

Resources
Local Histories History of Winchester by Henry Chapman and Bruce Winchester Stone, 2 vols. (Town of Winchester, 1936, vol. 1; 1976 vol. 1 and vol. 2.) Copies may be purchased from the Winchester Public Library. Military Revolutionary War –History of Winchester, vol. 1, contains a list of Revolutionary soldiers who lived in the Winchester area. Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World War I - Winchester’s War Records (The Andover Press, 1925). Civil War to the present - Town Hall database of veterans’ names. Newspapers The Winchester Public Library has the following local newspapers on microfilm: Woburn and Middlesex Journal, Oct. 1851-Nov. 1906; Winchester Star, 1881-present; Winchester Press, Oct. 1900-Dec. 1902; and the Daily Times Chronicle, Winchester edition (formerly Woburn Daily Times), 1971-present. Vital Records The Town Clerk's Office keeps all vital records, dating from 1850.

Societies and Libraries
Winchester Archival Center The Archival Center in Town Hall collects and preserves materials that document all aspects of Winchester history and the lives of its residents. The collections include primary and secondary documents on such subjects as town government, schools, waterways, public events, biography and family history, architecture, military service, churches, clubs and organizations, industry and business, and more. The Archival Center also houses some records of the Winchester Historical Commission. Winchester Historical Society The Society has published books on the architectural development of the town, architects, and local artists and has reprinted five early maps. Research questions addressed to the Society are routinely forwarded to the Archival Center. Winchester Public Library The Winchester Public Library has local newspapers on microfilm, some published genealogies, and local history books.