Stevens Memorial Library, Ashburnham, Massachusetts (See Resources for Genealogists)

 

20 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham, MA 01430

Phone: 978-827-4115

Website:https://ashburnhamlibrary.org/

I was glad I made the decision to visit the Ashburnham Library on March 30, 2024, a nice sunny, windy cold day. It took about an hour from home and I had to pass through Fitchburg, a major city I've never been in. Ashburnham is a small town with a population of about 6,000 and I found it to be extremely hilly with a lot of woods. Because I was so excited to see the converted school, now the library, I missed taking some pictures. That means a return trip. (I returned on April 27th.)

The front doors I entered into, and faced the front counter and office area.

These steps take you to the 2nd floor as well as the elevator.

The librarian, Holden, took me upstairs to unlock the The Preservation Room for me. This is where their History and Genealogy books and maps are kept under lock and key. He mentioned that they were working on putting material online. If you have ancestors from Ashburnham, you must see their collection here.

The cabinets and map draws are on both sides of the room. The clock is a Silas Hoadley Clock, circa 1800-1810. It was difficult to take a picture of the holdings because of the reflection. However, what I saw were books I've seen in other libraries.

This cabinet was open because somebody was doing research. With permission, I took pictures and am very glad to see what they have. Binders included:

Businesses

Cemeteries

Churches

Fire Department

Funeral Records

House Places

Local History

History

Houses and Places

Below is the length of the room, from the above windows. By the door is a very large lift for a wheelchair or for somebody who can't walk the stairs. Visitors have to pass through a community room.

Below are five photos of the first floor. I love the original woodwork and wooden blinds.

The children's area is on the lowest floor. I took this shot to show the hooks for children to hang their belongings. I've never seen this at a library.

The back of the library has a large playground and the name of the school, Dolly Whitney Adams School. This rather confused me, until I drove around to the front and saw the library name.

From Wikipedia, "

• Bette Davis, a legendary actress of film, television, and theater. She lived in Ashburnham while attending Cushing Academy, graduating in 1927." I'm sharing this because, Bette was born in Lowell, MA, the city I live in.

Ashburnham is bordered by Rindge, New Hampshire, and New Ipswich, New Hampshire to the north.

A Library List in Alphabetical Order

 

Working on this

During the past 12 years, I've visited about 98 libraries to date. The purpose is to see what they have to offer genealogists for research. For this year, I visited:
Woburn, MA on on February 10th (to see renovated library)
Reading. MA, on February 11th (to see renovated library)
Littleton, MA, on March 1st (to see rebuilt library)
Scituate, MA on March 16th (first visit)
Ashburnham, MA on March 30 (first visit)
Dunstable, MA on April 20 (first visit)
Townsend, Ma on April 23 (able to see genealogy and historical material)
Ashby, MA, on April 23rd (first visit)

There is quite a difference from the first ones I visited and wrote about to the recent ones. The Lynnfield Library in Massachusetts was the first one I visited, and I was there a lot. I learned they had the same books I was using in Boston at NEHGS, however, I could save a lot of time by not going into the city.

Initially, I just took photos of the genealogy room or area and I 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 were. Of course, the best librarians were the ones interested in genealogy. I think of Susan from Littlefield, MA, and Mary Bacon from Tyngsborough.

This is a newly revised list, put in alphabetical order by name of towns in the state category.

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 (67)

Stevens Public Library, Ashburnham, Massachusetts

Acton Memorial Library, Acton, Massachusetts

Amesbury Public Library, Amesbury, Massachusetts

Memorial Hall Library, Andover, Massachusetts

Robbins Library / Arlington Library, Arlington, Massachusetts

Ashby Free Public Library, Ashby, Massachusetts

Bedford Free Public Library, Bedford, Massachusetts

Billerica Public Library, Billerica, Massachusetts

Berkshire / Pittsfield Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Massachusetts

Boston Athenaeum, Boston, Massachusetts (Private)

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

Burlington Public Library, Burlington, 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

Dunstable Free Public Library, Dunstable, 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

Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence, 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) working on it

Medford Public Library, Medford, Massachusetts

Merrimac Public Library, Merrimac, Massachusetts

Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen, Massachusetts

Flint Public Library, Middleton, Massachusetts

Newburyport Public Library, Newburyport, Massachusetts

Peabody Institute Public Library, Peabody, 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

Scituate Public Library, Scituate, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts

Stockbridge Public Library Association, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Randall Library, Stow, Massachusetts

Goodnow Library, Sudbury, Massachusetts

Tewksbury Public Library, Tewksbury, Massachusetts

Tyngsborough Public Library, Tyngsborough, Massachusetts

Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield Massachusetts

Waltham Library, Waltham, Massachusetts

Watertown Free Library, Watertown, Massachusetts

Wayland Public Library, Wayland, 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 (13)

Derry Public Library, Derry, New Hampshire

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

Kelley (Salem), Public Library, Salem, New Hampshire

Leach Library, Londonderry, New Hampshire

Manchester City Library, Manchester, New Hampshire

Merrimack Public Library, Merrimack, New Hampshire

Nashua Public Library, Nashua, New Hampshire

New Ipswich Public Library, New Ipswich, New Hampshire

Pelham Public Library, Pelham, 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