Local History Room

The Robbins Library Local History Room contains books, scrapbooks, annual reports, directories, atlases, photographs, postcards, slides, vertical files and other materials documenting the history of Arlington. Although the focus of the collection is the historical, social and cultural development of Arlington, relevant materials concerning Middlesex County, Massachusetts and its towns, and New England are also included. Special collections include the Cyrus E. Dallin Papers, Robbins Library History and the Arlington Woman's Club Archive.

Requests

All obituary requests and local history research questions by phone or email, must be followed by a written request sent via regular mail. A donation of $5 per obituary search is requested with checks made out to Robbins Library. Please send all obituary and local history requests to the attention of “Local History.”

Hours

Monday through Wednesday: 9AM to 9PM

Thursday: 1 to 9 PM

Friday & Saturday: 9AM to 5PM

*Closed Saturday July & August

Access To Materials

Some of our local history materials are extremely fragile and may be damaged through frequent use. Fortunately, many of these materials are accessible on microfilm in the Reference Room, including the Cyrus E. Dallin Papers, the Arlington Historical Photograph Collection, Arlington High Yearbooks and Literary Magazine, town directories, newspapers, and several historical atlases. The historical, photograph, slide, and postcard collections are available by appointment only.

Materials can be brought from the Local History Room to the Reference Room for in-library use by leaving some form of identification with the Reference Staff.

Patrons whose more in-depth research requires use of the Local History room must make an application for an Independent Research Card. Applications are available at the Reference Desk. A pdf copy is available below which can be printed and returned to the Reference Desk, or sent via regular mail to the attention of Local History.

Patrons with Independent Research Cards are asked to sign the register each time they use the Local History Room.

Download the Robbins Library Independent Research Card Application here.

Care Of Materials

Care must be taken when handling fragile books, atlases and pamphlets. Patrons should use pencils when taking notes. Patrons are asked NOT to reshelve books they have used.

Reproductions

Patrons should consult a reference librarian before photocopying any material in the Local History Room. Materials may be too fragile to photocopy. Photocopy machines are available in the Reference Room. Patrons must make arrangements with the librarian in charge of the Local History Room for copies of photographs, slides and postcards.

Selected list of Resources

Town History

• Arlington Celebrates the Growing Years, 1875-1975* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• History of the Town of Arlington, Mass. 1637-1879 by Benjamin Cutter* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Images of America: Arlington by Richard A. Duffy* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• One Hundred And Fiftieth Anniversary of the Town of Arlington's Part in that Memorable Struggle of April 19, 1775 (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• One Hundredth Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town of Arlington, Massachusetts 1807-1907 (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Our Local Interests: Arlington Advocate Souvenir 1872-1897 (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Stories of Early Twentieth Century Life, edited by Oakes Plimpton* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Town of Arlington, Past and Present 1637 to 1907 by Charles S. Parker* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

*Also found in the Circulating Collection

Town Records, Directories & Yearbooks

• Annual Report 1842- (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Arlington High School Yearbooks 1923, 1927-2001 (On microfilm in the Reference Room)

• Arlington High School Literary magazine, "The Clarion", 1897-1931 [Reference Room microfilm]

• Arlington Vital Records to 1850 (Hist. Coll. 917.444 ARL)

• Town Directories 1869-1940 (Some years missing: On microfilm in Reference Room) (Hist. Coll. 917.444 ARL)

• True List of Persons 1921- (After 1930, by street only; Town Clerk's Office has alphabetical True List) (Hist. Coll. 974.444 ARL)

Houses

• Arlington Historical Commission Publications:

• Inventory of Historically and/or Architecturally Significant Properties in Arlington (Also available at the Reference Desk) (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Ice, Crops and Commuters: South and East Arlington's Historical & Architectural Heritage* (Hist Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Northwest Arlington, Massachusetts: An Architectural and Historical Study* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Mill Brook Valley: An Historical and Architectural Survey* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

Military History

• Arlington's War Records - Revolutionary, Civil, Spanish American, Philippine Insurrection, Mexican Border, World (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

• Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (Hist. Coll. 973.3M)

• Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War (Hist. Coll. 973.3M)

• West Cambridge on the Nineteenth of April, 1775 by Samuel A. Smith* (Hist. Coll. 974.44 ARL)

Genealogical Resources

• Complete Book of Emigrants 1607-1660 (Hist. Coll. 929.3 COL)

• Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Boston and Eastern Massachusetts (Hist. Coll. 929.1 CUT)

• Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England (Hist. Coll. 929.1 SAV)

Massachusetts Towns

• Massachusetts town histories (Hist. Coll. 974.423-974.49)

• History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts by Samuel Drake (1880) (Hist. Coll. 974.44D)

• History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts by D. H. Hurd (1890) (Hist. Coll. 974.44H)

• Middlesex County and Its People by Edwin P. Conklin (1927) (Hist. Coll. 974.44C)

• Vital Records to 1850 (Massachusetts Towns) (Hist. Coll. 929.3)

Atlases

• Atlas of the Boundaries of the Town of Arlington (Commomwealth of Massachusetts Harbor and Land Commission, 1901)

• Atlas of the Towns of Watertown, Belmont, Arlington & Lexington, Middlesex Co., Mass. (Stadly, 1898) (Also on microfilm)

• County Atlas of Middlesex, Massachusetts (Beers, 1875)(Also on microfilm)

• Official Topographical Atlas of Massachusetts (Walling & Gray, 1871)

• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps; Arlington, Mass., 1885-1927 (microfilm)

Newspapers (On microfilm in Reference Room)

• Arlington Advocate 1871- (Indexed 1871-1946)

• Arlington Enterprise 1898-1903. Indexed

• Arlington News 1932-63, 66, 69. Indexed 1932-38

• Arlington Press 1948-1952.

Other Resources

Town Of Arlington Clerk's Office	Robbins Memorial Town Hall 730 Massachusetts Avenue Arlington MA 02476 781-316-3070	View
Arlington Historical Society	7 Jason Street Arlington MA 02476 781-648-4300	View
Cyrus E. Dallin Museum	1 Whittemore Park Arlington, MA 02476 781-641-0595	View
The Old Schwamb Mill	Attn.: Ed Gordon, OSM Historic Site Administrator 17 Mill Lane at 29 Lowell St. Arlington, Massachusetts 02476-4189 781-643-0554	View
South Middlesex Registry Of Deeds	208 Cambridge Street Cambridge MA 02141 617-679-6300	View
Massachusetts Archives (1841-1910)	220 Morrissey Boulevard Boston MA 02125 617-727-2816	View
Massachusetts Vital Records (1911-Present)	150 Mt. Vernon Street, 1st floor Dorchester, MA 02125-3105 (617) 740-2600 Orders (617) 740-2606 Fax: (617) 825-7755	View
Boston Public Library	Copley Square Boston MA 02117 617-536-5400	View
National Archives Northeast Region	380 Trapelo Road Waltham MA 02452-6399 781-647-8104	View
New England Historic Genealogical Society	101 Newbury Street Boston MA 02116 617-536-5740 Access to the NEHGS website is available at Robbins Library (in-library access only).	View
Arlington Historic Districts Commission	Arlington Board of Selectmen Whittemore-Robbins House 730 Mass. Ave. Arlington, MA 02476
Massachusetts Historical Society	1154 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02215 617.536.1608	View
American Antiquarian Society	185 Salisbury St. Worcester, MA 01609 508.755.5221	View
Arlington Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center	1 Whittemore Park Arlington, MA 02474 781.643.4600	View
Peabody Essex Museum	East India Square 161 Essex St. Salem, MA 01970 978.745.9500	View
Boston Athenaeum	10 1/2 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108 617.227.0270	View
National Heritage Museum	Van Gorden-Williams Library and Archives 33 Marrett Rd. Lexington, MA 02421 781.861.6559	View
Concord Museum	200 Lexington Road Concord, MA 01742 978.369.9763	View
Middlesex Canal Association	located at Faulkner Mills 71 Faulkner St. North Billerica, MA 01862	View