The Digital Library at Middleborough Public Library

Index of Middleborough History Information Resources available at Middleborough Public Library

This picture is believed to show Count Magri, the second husband of Mrs. Tom Thumb, who spent his later years as a well-known Middleborough citizen.

Update: New "Old Middleborough" material!

We have added numerous printed items about people, organizations and events that played a part in our town's past. For instance, there are articles about a local millstone called Danson's Grindstone, about Vietnam era hero Wayne Caron, about the history of the Cemetery At the Green, and we now have the complete run of a student magazine, "The Sachem" from Middleboro High School in the 1920's - 1930's. All of these items are available for use in the Library building only. Please check the updated list for items that just might pique your interest!

Resource Overview

Are you curious about the history of your town, but don't know where to start looking for information? Here's a brief guide to the basic resources for your search.

  1. The first place to look should always be the two volumes of The History of the Town of Middleborough, Massachusetts (volume one by Thomas Weston, volume two by Mertie Romaine). The first volume covers the town from early settlement to 1905; the second volume from 1905 to 1965. Copies of both volumes may be checked out of the library.
  2. Information about people prior to 1850 can be found in the two volumes of the Vital Records of Middleborough. These records are available both at the Library and online in the Digital Library. The online record may be searched by births, deaths, and marriages listed by both the man's and woman's name.
  3. Information about people from 1850 - 1944 may also be found in the two volumes of the Vital Records of Middleborough. These records are available both at the Library and online in the Digital Library. The online record may be searched by births, deaths, and marriages listed by both the man's and woman's name.
  4. Burial information about Middleboro citizens can be found in Old Cemeteries of Southeastern Massachusetts available online. Text copies are also available at the Library for check out.
  5. General information about town government, departments and finances can be found in the Town Reports ( 1849 - present). Ask to see these at the Library Reference Desk.
  6. Addresses of residents can be found in the Street Lists which cover from 1924 to the present. There are also commercial street directories covering some years between 1895 and 1911. Ask about all of these at the Reference Desk.
  7. Pictures of historic Middleborough's buildings and events can be found in Volume One and Volume Two of the Thompson Slide Collection. You can also borrow or purchase a CD version for your home computer or download them from our website.
  8. Pictures and essays on various features of historic Middleborough can be found in the collected issues of the Middleborough Antiquarian. Ask for help with this at the Reference Desk. The Antiquarian is also available on the public access computers on the Main Floor, and copies of the pages can be printed.
  9. Information about the history of the cranberry industry in Southeast Massachusetts is kept in the locked cabinets of the Cranberry Collection located in the Genealogy Room. Please see the Reference Librarian for access to this special collection. A limited selection of items from this collection is also available online.
  10. Information about select houses and historic buildings in town is available in the Middleboro Historic House Survey. This information indexed by street address. Ask at the Reference Desk for access.
  11. Middleboro Memorial High School Yearbooks are available to look at in the building only. You may ask for these at the Reference Desk.
  12. Middleboro Memorial High School's student magazine, The Sachem, was published from 1924 to 1945. These issues are available to look at in the Genealogy Room.
  13. Past issues of The Middleboro Gazette are available on microfilm at the Library. As part of an ongoing index project, the paper is indexed in detail from 1852 to 1868 and from 1905 to 1932. The paper is indexed by people, places, subjects and events of note. The index is available online and may be searched by date as follows:
    1. 1852 - 1868
    2. 1905 - 1909
    3. 1910 - 1914
    4. 1915 - 1919
    5. 1920 - 1924
    6. 1925 - 1929
    7. 1930 - 1934
    8. 1935
    A print copy of the index covering 1852 to 1868 only is available at the Reference Desk.
  14. Specific topics pertaining to Middleboro (such as bylaws, census, building projects, statistics) are located in the Reference Files. Please ask at the Reference Desk for whatever you would like to examine. Current topics are kept on the Main Floor; older data is kept in the Genealogy Room on the second floor.

Reference Area File (Main Floor)

Specific topics pertaining to Middleboro (such as bylaws, census, building projects, statistics) are located in the Reference File. Please ask at the Reference Desk for whatever you would like to examine. The complete list of contents in each folder follows.

Drawer One

  1. Right to Farm Bylaw copies
  2. Agricultural Retreat Lot Bylaw
  3. Zoning Bylaws (multiple copies)
  4. General Bylaws
  5. Zoning Bylaw Amendments
  6. Planning Board Rules (1982) and General Use District Study
  7. Cost of Community Services brochure
  8. Latitude and Longitude and Elevation of town center
  9. Topographical Atlas (see 40a,b,c,d for Middleboro)
  10. Town Meeting Primer/Finance Committee Goals
  11. Town Charter
  12. Pratt Farm information
  13. Archaeology Museum information
  14. Middleboro Historical Museum
  15. Montgomery Home
  16. Lakeville Hospital (contact person)
  17. Water Quality information
  18. Century Fund
  19. Proposed new police station information sheet
  20. Middleboro FM Channel application
  21. Nichols School Improvement Plan
  22. Articles/Information on industrial growth in the 1990's
  23. Official Town Records locations
  24. Indictment of Glenn Marshall (Dept. of Justice documents)
  25. Old maps of Middleboro
  26. In the rear of Drawer 1 are multiple copies of:
    • Areawide Traffic Plan for Middleboro, 1972
    • SRPDD Fact Book 1993
    • Town Open Space Plans 1974 & 1987
    • Town Master Plans 1969
    • Downtown Streetscape Master Plan 1998
    • Town Open Space Plan 2008

Drawer Two

  1. School District Report Card 2003 (4 copies)
  2. G&E Annual Reports/Forecasts
  3. Middleboro ADA compliance 1992
  4. Oliver Mill Park Plan 2000
  5. Maxim Trucks booklet by Sass, Maxim photo
  6. Nemasket River Shoreline Survey 2003
  7. Environmental Site Assessment Washburn Mills(also 36a, 36b)
  8. Middleboro Veterans Council projects and articles
  9. Middleboro Housing Authority plan 200-2004
  10. COA Painting exhibit 1998
  11. Washburn Papers background
  12. National Register Nominations only
  13. National Register How-to-File
  14. National Register Drafts for Center, 3 copies
  15. National Register Draft for South Middleboro
  16. Ages of various towns in Massachusetts
  17. Deborah Sampson material (mimeo copies)
  18. In the rear of Drawer 2 are:
    • Town G&E Board Meeting Minutes going back to 1995
    • Town Selectmens' Meeting Minutes 2001-2002

Drawer Three

  1. The Middleboro "ALS Cluster" files from the 1980's. This material is divided into folders labeled as follows:
    • List of the persons involved
    • Maps
    • Correspondence
    • Articles
    • Grant information
    • Environmental history
    • Progress reports
  2. Middleboro Street Renumbering lists
  3. Rear Section: Initial Site assessment & Environmental Impacts for the Oak Point Project Phase One

Genealogy Room File (Second Floor)

Drawer One

  1. Local monographs from 1970's and 1980's
  2. 1980 Census Data
  3. 1990 Census Data
  4. Zoning Bylaws from 1961-70, 1971, 1978, 1982
  5. Commuter Rail returns to Middleboro (1997 articles)
  6. Old Commemorative and Events Booklets
  7. History of the First Church items
  8. History of the Town Hall
  9. 300th Town Anniversary Booklets
  10. Hometown magazine (published 1987-1988)
  11. North Middleboro Mothers Club (Report from 1941)
  12. Jerusha B. Deane - Poems (1893)
  13. Middleboro in the WPA Historic Buildings Catalog, 1940
  14. Odd Fellows Fraternal Organization, 1915, special newspaper supplement
  15. Red Men Fraternal Organization, history
  16. Charlotte Mitchell, Wampanoag (article reprint)
  17. Middleboro minstrel shows (program booklets)
  18. Paun genealogy (includes photo)
  19. Photo booklet dated 1895
  20. Peirce Academy item
  21. Item found in Sproat Tavern (1759 sermon)
  22. Philandrian Society meeting in Middleboro, 1802
  23. Mr. & Mrs. Tom Thumb clippings

Drawer Two

  1. "Fortnightly Echoes" - Middleboro School booklet, 1923
  2. "By the Clear Nemasket River" sheet music, 1922, 3 copies
  3. A list of selected Middleboro references in the early Boston Globe
  4. History of the Cemetery at the Green pamphlet (multiple copies)
  5. Street, Business and Resident Directory for downtown Middleboro only based on early 1900's information
  6. Middleboro telephone directory 1946
  7. Alden Shoe Company information
  8. Danson's Grindstone
  9. Wayne Caron information