LIBRARY LIST Check out the Genealogy and History Sections -- Most are in New England

Ogunquit Library, Maine

July 2, 2026 Note: I am now working on this list of 100 libraries.

During the past ten years, I've visited quite a few libraries, about 80 to date. There is quite a difference from the first ones I visited and wrote about to the recent ones. Initially, I just took photos of the genealogy room or area and didn't do much writing. The most recent posts contain more writing, and many more photos and I tried to showcase the entire library. In the beginning, I would secretly take my pictures, but during the past four years, I made it a point to talk to all the librarians...they have a wealth of information. Even if they didn't know much about genealogy, they knew where the books, maps, and local cemeteries are. Of course, the best librarians were the ones interested in genealogy.


MAINE (17)

Jessup Memorial Library / Bar Harbor Library, Bar Harbor, Maine

Patten Free Library, Bath, Maine

McArthur Public Library, Biddeford, Maine

Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Maine

Freeport Community Library, Freeport, Maine

Lewiston Public Library, Lewiston, Maine

Orr's Island Library, Harpswell, Maine

Kennebuck Free Library, Kennebuck, Maine

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, Maine

Rice Public Library, Kittery, Maine

Ogunquit Memorial Library, Ogunquit, Maine

Libby Memorial Library, Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Maine Historical Society and Library, Portland, Maine

Topsham Public Library, Topsham, Maine

Wells Public Library, Wells, Maine

Wiscasset Public Library, Wiscasset, Maine

York Public Library, York, Maine


MASSACHUSETTS (54)

Acton Memorial Library, Acton, Massachusetts

Memorial Hall Library, Andover, Massachusetts

Robbins Library / Arlington Library, Arlington, Massachusetts

Bedford Free Public Library, Bedford, Massachusetts

Billerica Public Library, Billerica, Massachusetts

Berkshire / Pittsfield Athenaeum, Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Athenaeum, Boston, Massachusetts (Six Floor Tour)

Boston Athenaeum, Boston, Massachusetts (What was in it for Me?)

Boston Public Library. Boston, Massachusetts

Massachusetts State Library, Boston, Massachusetts

New England Historical and Genealogical Library (NEHGS), Boston, Massachusetts
These were written in 2011, and there have been some changes at the library.
Are You Visiting NEHGS? #1
Are You Visiting NEHGS in Boston, Massachusetts? #2

Bolton Public Library, Bolton, Massachusetts

Sargent Memorial Library, Boxboro, Massachusetts

Gleason Public Library, Carlisle, Massachusetts

Adams Library, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Bigelow Free Public Library, Clinton, Massachusetts

Concord Free Library, Concord, Massachusetts

Peabody Institute Library, The Danvers Archival Center

Parker Memorial Library, Dracut, Massachusetts

Georgetown Peabody Library, Georgetown, Massachusetts

Groton Public Library, Groton, Massachusetts

Haverhill Public Library, Haverhill, Massachusetts

Harvard Public Library, Harvard, Massachusetts

Hudson Public Library, Hudson, Massachusetts

Ipswich Library, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Thayer Memorial Library, Lancaster, Massachusetts

Lenox Library, Lenox, Massachusetts

Leominster Public Library, Leominster, Massachusetts

Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, Massachusetts

Lincoln Public Library, Lincoln, Massachusetts

Reuben Hoar Library, Littleton, Massachusetts

Doing Research in Lowell, Massachusetts? Here's Help, Lowell, Massachusetts
Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell, Massachusetts

Lynnfield Public Library, Lynnfield, Massachusetts

Marlborough Public Library, Marlborough, Massachusetts (New June 2022)

Medford Public Library, Medford, Massachusetts

Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen, Massachusetts

Newburyport Public Library, Newburyport, Massachusetts

Lawrence Library, Pepperell, Massachusetts

Reading Public Library, Reading, Massachusetts

Rowley Public Library, Rowley, Massachusetts

Salem Public Library, Salem, Massachusetts

Salisbury Public Library, Salisbury, Massachusetts

Stockbridge Public Library Association, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Randall Library, Stow, Massachusetts

Goodnow Library, Sudbury, Massachusetts

Tewksbury Public Library, Tewksbury, Massachusetts

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield Massachusetts

Waltham Library, Waltham, Massachusetts

Watertown Free Library, Watertown, Massachusetts

J.V. Fletcher Library, Westford, Massachusetts

The Forbush Library, Westminster, Massachusetts

Wilmington Memorial Library, Wilmington, Massachusetts

Winchester Public Library, Winchester, Massachusetts

Woburn Public Library / Winn Memorial Library, Woburn, Massachusetts


NEW HAMPSHIRE (10)

Dublin Public Library, Dublin, New Hampshire

Gilmanton Library, Gilmanton, New Hampshire

Hudson (George H. and Ella M. Rodgers Memorial Library) Hudson, New Hampshire (New July 2022)

Keene Public Library, Keene, New Hampshire

Leach Library, Londonderry, New Hampshire

Manchester City Library, Manchester, New Hampshire

Merrimack Public Library, Merrimack, New Hampshire
 (New July 2022)

Nashua Public Library, Nashua, New Hampshire

New Ipswich Public Library, New Ipswich, New Hampshire

Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough, New Hampshire


NEW YORK (1)

New York City Public  Library, New York

VERMONT  (2)

St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, Vermont


MISCELLANEOUS: The DAR Library in Washington, DC, and my employment there.

http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-job-at-dar-part-1.html
http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2009/11/dar-job-2.html
http://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2009/11/dar-becoming-member-and-100-year.html

Some of my favorite libraries.

Gilmanton, NH

Add Boston and Vermont

New York City, NY

Wakefield, MA

Freeport, Maine

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Peabody Institute Library, The Danvers Archival Center

 

The Danvers Archival Center
The Peabody Institute Library
15 Sylvan Street
Danvers, MA
http://www.danverslibrary.org/archive/
Phone: 978-774-0554    Email: trask@noblenet.org

The Archives room is located on the lower floor, and you must call before visiting. From my photos below, you'll see a variety of books that are housed here. Almost all were familiar to me since I've researched my Danvers families at other repositories. I had been wanting to visit the Danvers Library and Archives for a very long time, and this is number 65 in my list of libraries or athenaeums visited and blogged about.

The important thing you should do is look at the Brief Guide for the Archival Center. Topics are Collection Policy, Collection Areas; printed materials, manuscripts, maps, architectural records, photographs, and pictures.

Because of so much interest in witchcraft, I'm posting from the above website:

WITCHCRAFT MATERIALS.   This nationally significant collection is named “The Ellerton J. Brehaut Witchcraft Collection” in honor of Mr. Brehaut, a book collector, dealer and antiquarian who lived at the 17th century Daniel Rea house off Locust Street, and who donated his collection of witchcraft volumes to the Peabody Institute Library in 1960. The Brehaut Witchcraft Collection is perhaps the most complete collection of printed materials relating to the world-famous 1692 witchcraft delusion which began and festered in Salem Village (present-day Danvers).

The Archival Center attempts to continue to acquire any and all old or new publications which describe or interpret Salem witchcraft in particular and New England witchcraft in general. The collection also includes histories of English and some continental witchcraft of the pre-19th century, biographies of persons involved in witchcraft history, as well as fiction works that use the Salem witchcraft as its subject or location. The major thrust of the collection is, however, concerned with Salem Village and the witchcraft events of 1692. All editions and variations of Salem witchcraft subject imprints, as well as ephemeral and non-scholarly publications, are considered appropriate to collect.

The collection includes originals or copies of all the early imprints relating to the Salem Village witchcraft hysteria, as well as a number of seventeenth-century English volumes on the subject. Early, rare volumes concerning Salem and New England include: Increase Mather’s 1684 An Essay for the Recording of Illustrious Providences; Cotton Mather’s 1693 Wonders of the Invisible World; Robert Calef’s 1700 More Wonders of the Invisible World; John Hale’s 1702 A Modest Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft; Deodat Lawson’s 1693 A Brief and True Narrative; Increase Mather’s 1693 Cases of Conscience; Charles Upham’s 1834 Lectures and 1867 Salem Witchcraft. Also sought are the most recently published non-fiction, fiction and children’s literature on the subject and many of the books that were owned and used by witchcraft scholars.

Printed transcriptions of the witchcraft documents include W. E. Woodward’s 1864 Records; a typescript copy of the 1938 WPA Salem Witchcraft Papers; the three-volume 1977 reprint The Salem Witchcraft Papers edited by Paul Boyer and Stephen Nissenbaum; Richard Trask’s 1992 The Devil Hath Been Raised; and the 2009 Bernard Rosenthal et. al. comprehensive Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt. The last two volumes mentioned were produced using the facilities of the Danvers Archival Center. Augmenting the imprint collection are various manuscript and audio-visual materials, including records of the First Church of Danvers, Congregational.

Main entrance and reference desk to the right.

Photos of the Archival Center

Display of Danvers items and card catalog.

Card catalog, with many drawers labeled with Witchcraft in the category.

Essex Institute Historical Collections, probably original books.

Some familiar books, the New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

Originally, the 1892 library was two floors, but in 1980, another floor was added, fortunately, some of the old featured were incorporated into the new design.

Above photo, I'm looking up to the dome and down to the 2nd floor.

Second-floor Reference, with 3rd floor above.

First floor.

Looking into a new reading room which used to be the original entrance.

Happy these two original features were incorporated into the new addition.

The original front door was to the left, currently, you need to enter to the right.

As we drove away, I got a glimpse of the back and took this shot. It is a huge library building but looks like a house on the outside. The trees block the view from the street. See Google Earth photo below.

Gropius House -- Explore a Revolution

Gropius House

68 Baker Bridge Road

Lincoln, Massachusetts

Explore a Revolution, is my title, taken from a Gropius House flyer, because I didn't think my original title, What or Who is Gropius? would do. The Gropius House is a short distance from historic Concord, Massachusetts, as a matter of fact, we passed by Walden Pond to get there. I knew nothing about Mr. Walter Gropius and had no interest in modern architecture, but we visited anyway.

We toured the 1938 house and saw how it looked in 1960 with original furnishing, and I felt this was one the best houses I had toured this year, out of 17. Perhaps it was because of the guide, learning about the architect, or gaining new appreciation in modern architecture, I don't know. But, I do know, I liked, "it's open compact plan eliminating corridors and wasted space. Kitchen and baths, stacked for economy, were outfitted with modern appliances and fixtures, including what in 1938 were novel devices--a dishwasher and a garbage disposal." This was a revolution to the architectural world.

From the tour, I learned that Walter Gropius started a German art school called Bauhaus, in Weimar, that ran from 1919 to 1933. The school combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that is publicized and taught.

The entrance way is between the wall and the blocks of glass. I saw a photo of the entrance way at sunset, shown below with the nice orange glow. I spotted their guide book at another HistoricNewEngland site, and took the photo below to show you.

There is quite a bit written about Walter Gropius, just a look at Wikipedia shows how important a person he was to architecture. His house, is open year round to tour, and I image all architecture students go there to study. I loved the clean lines, it reminded me of a shaker design, in it's simplicity. I was handed several flyers; a floor plan, Biographical Timeline of Mr. Gropius, and a listing of the work Mr. Gropius was credited with. The floor plan is shown below.

Since my grandfather, Earle K. Bishop was an architect, I now like to think he probably heard of Mr. Gropius.

Once we entered the house, we were taken to the study area. The long desk was for Mr. and Mrs. Gropius, each had their own side.

Very large living room and library area, with a bed.

This view was taken from the living room, facing the study with long desk on the left and the dining room on the right.

Living room, study and part of the dining room.

Dining room, door to the kitchen, and view of the large patio.

Very long galley kitchen for their maid to prepare meals.

Staff member sweeping porch, before opening the doors.

I loved the wide steps.

Second floor with 3 bedrooms. Maid's room was on the first.

Master bedroom was a sight to behold. A large bedroom, and a long make-up counter with large mirror. In addition, the large closets, and a bathroom were in this area.

The curtains could be closed, to give privacy to the bedroom. The tour guide is seen in the mirror, possibly talking about the row of grey door, that house the closets. An open door, behind me, leads to the master room bathroom, with two sinks, almost unheard of in 1938.

This tiny room is where Mrs. Gropius did her sewing. I believe a sewing machine is hidden behind those doors, and possibly fabric.

  

This room belonged to the daughter, and she had a say in the design, including a private entrance/exit, a fire escape off her private roof deck.

Part of the roof deck, and fire place below.

Peeking into the dining / living room from outside.


Side view.

The special event was being held the night of our morning visit.

We were there on a sunny day, and because each room had windows, many of my photos aren't saturated with color. I enlarged some pictures on purpose to show detail.

I am fortunate to have memories of having girl scout meetings and an event in two different Gropius homes in Lexington, Massachusetts (I didn't know it at the time, but the very modern designs were always in my mind). When I toured the one above, I thought of the two below.

 14 Moon Hill Road, Lexington, Massachusetts
Former home of my girl scout leader, and where I attended some meetings.


 My girl scout troop was treated to a recital at this house. We sat in the large living room and looked out the massive window above, while the flutist played to the side.

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