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Western Massachusetts Genealogy Libraries & Sources

  • Following is a list of visited and or used genealogy libraries in Western Massachusetts with notations about their collections. CW MARS
  • Agawam Public Library, Agawam, Ma
    Good local and New England histories; several family histories of local note; and a few military roster sources including the 54th Regiment history.
  • Chicopee, Ma
    Main Branch has a reserved room with area maps; some genealogical source material; city directories; a useful copy of New England settlers pre-1700 etc. Ask at the main reference desk. [A new main library is user construction on Front Street.]
  • Connecticut Valley Historical Museum Library
    At the Quadrangle in Springfield, Ma. Many good sources -- including a large Massachusetts Census Series; family histories; regional New England histories; some Boston and other city directories; and a full Springfield City Directory collection. Ships passenger lists; and Massachusetts Vital Records to 1906; naturalization indexes; etc. Particularly good place for other ethnicities than the New England British Isles than .. including Italian American; Polish American; German-Americans; and a special collection of French-Canadian family histories with criss-cross card references. Also a card file Rare book room procedures - use pencils only ..and ask before copying anything old - which appears brittle and light sensitive. .. Open Wednesday through Sunday. There is also an admission charge ..save free days for Springfield residents .. a Museum admission pass for the Quadrangle is also available.
  • Holyoke, Ma
    Main branch on Maple Street ..has a history room pen some evenings ..check the main desk .. and Thursdays through Saturdays. Holyoke City Hall .. has a 'behind the desk' rather complete City Directory et for Holyoke ..which is used by the city clerk at City Hall in managing and verifying past voter records etc.
  • Longmeadow, Ma. Main Public Library ... Storrs Memorial Library
    A separate genealogical room .. which the Librarian will access for a particualarized request from the card file. Censues indexes; family histories; regional and state histories; some passenger lists ; maps etc.
  • Northampton ..Forbes Library
    Seperate genealogical sources in the main library .. in a separate niche .. with many family histories; and a large collection of source material for Civil War military/naval personnel lists; ships passenger lists; and immigration indexes.
  • Springfield Main Library
    Old newspaper records; maps; a few genealogical directories; and some city directories; and area telephone books -some for past years.
  • Westfield, Massachusetts
    Several standard genealogical sources including micro-film records for various years of the US Federal Census for Westfield. Books, indexes, are kept behind the counter or on reserve.
  • West Springfield, Ma.
    Special history room ..with several local Springfield-West Springfield pertinent family histories; military and biographical histories pertinent to Massachusetts --revolutionary and Civil War.
    Specially useful are a large set of WPA style municipal records of vital records for most Massachusetts cities and towns from colonial times to 1850. (Individual volumes for each town or city). -- Ask librarian
  • CWMARS - Central & Western Massachusetts libraries .. has both a directory and an on-line catalogue for the several sources listed. Also includes an on-line catalogue for library source material at the areas colleges and universities.
  • This material is free -- save where noted.
  • Suffield, Connecticut Library ... Kent Memorial Library
    This old Massachusetts adjoining Connecticut Town has a good genealogical niche .. including an especially useful NEHGS Journal [New England Historical Genealogy Society] bound collection with indexes. Other family histories and special reference sources are available there from locked cabinets. Ask the reference librarian.
  • Also available in Pittsfield, Massachusetts now -- off the turnpike - at the road to the Pittsfield Municipal Airport - is the US National Archives Records Administration Center - full Federal US Archives center with genealogy services from censuses to immigration/naturalization indexes etc. Open six days a week.
  • Good Local History Links and Genealogy Research helps for Hampden County, Massachusetts ... Good page of local Hampden County resources
  • Rare book room procedures - use pencils only ..and ask before copying anything old - which appears brittle and light sensitive.