Massachusetts Archives and Libraries

The following archives, libraries, and societies have major collections or services helpful to genealogical researchers.

Massachusetts State Archives at Columbia Point 220 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125 Telephone: 617–727–2816 [mailto:archives@sec.state.ma.us archives@sec.state.ma.us ] Internet: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcidx.htm

Its online searchable collections include:


 * The Massachusetts Archives Collection Database (1629-1799) serves as a searchable, descriptive index and catalog for documents of eighteen volumes of the Massachusetts Archives Collection.
 * Index to Passenger Manifests (1848-1891)
 * Index to Vital Records (1841-1910)

National Archives—New England Region 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02452-6399 Phone: 781-663-0130 Fax: 781-663-0154 E-mail: [mailto:waltham.archives@nara.gov waltham.archives@nara.gov ] Internet: http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston/

Massachusetts Historical Society Library 1154 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215 Telephone: 617–536–1608 Fax: 617–859–0074 E-mail: [mailto:library@masshist.org library@masshist.org ] Internet: http://www.masshist.org/library/

Peabody Essex Museum East India Square Salem, MA 01970-3783 USA Phone: 978-745-9500, 866-745-1876 For the Hearing Impaired: 978-740-3649 Internet:http://www.pem.org/homepage/

State Library of Massachusetts State House, Room 341 24 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02133 Telephone: 617–727–2590 Fax: 617–727–5819 Internet:http://www.mass.gov/lib/

New England Historic Genealogical Society

101 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116 Telephone: 617–536–5740 Fax: 617–536–7307 Internet: http://www.newenglandancestors.org/

Boston Public Library

700 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116 Telephone: 617–536–5400 Fax: 617–536–4306 E-mail: [mailto:info@bpl.org info@bpl.org] Internet: http://www.bpl.org/

Two important inventories of Massachusetts records are:

Historical Records Survey. Preliminary Edition of Guide to Depositories of Manuscript Collections in Massachusetts. Boston, Massachusetts: Historical Records Survey, 1939. (Family History Library book 974.4 A2hg.) This work lists major manuscript collections and their locations.

Wright, Carroll D. Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and Counties. Boston, Massachusetts: Wright and Potter, 1889. (Family History Library book 974.4 A3cr; film 865449 item 2; fiche 6046869.) Gives a brief description of the town records that existed in 1889 and which may still be available.

Computer Networks and Bulletin Boards
Computer networks serve as another type of library. The Internet, certain computer bulletin boards, and commercial on–line services help family history researchers:


 * Locate other researchers
 * Post queries
 * Send and receive E-mail
 * Search large databases
 * Search computer libraries
 * Join in computer chat and lecture sessions

Look for computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Massachusetts in local, state, national, and international sources. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost.

Addresses on the Internet change frequently. As of June 2007, the following sites are important gateways linking you to many more network and bulletin board sites:

US GenWeb http://www.usgenweb.com/

A cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and nation.

Roots–L http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/

A quality list of sites and resources that includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.

For further details about using computer networks, bulletin boards, and news groups for family history research, see the United States Research Outline, 2nd ed., "Archives and Libraries" section.

FamilySearch™

The Family History Library and Family History Centers have computers with FamilySearch™. FamilySearch is a collection of computer files containing several million names. FamilySearch is a good place to begin your research. Some of the records come from compiled sources; some have been automated from original sources. It is also online at www.FamilySearch.org.