Kingston Public Library

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               6 Green Street, Kingston Massachusetts 02364          781-585-0517

For more information on the Local History Room and its collections, please email Local History

Local History On Exhibit Now

As the era of great ocean-going vessels waned at the end of the 19th century, Kingston shipbuilders designed and built some of the fastest sailboats on the East Coast.

Stop by the Library and take a look beautiful examples.

How do I...

Welcome!

Welcome to the online home page of the Kingston Public Library's Local History Room and Special Collections - the largest known repository of historical materials documenting the history and development of the town of Kingston and the people who have lived here. Kingston was incorporated as a town in 1726, but its history reaches back to the very beginning of Plymouth Colony.

For more information about Kingston's history, please visit the About Kingston page.

The mission of the Local History Room is to preserve and promote appreciation and understanding of the history and heritage of Kingston, Massachusetts. To accomplish this, we collect, catalogue, preserve and promote materials relating to the history of Kingston. Our research collection comprises rare books, documents, manuscripts, maps, personal papers, small artifacts, paintings, early photographs and other visual materials. Printed finding aids are contained in notebooks located in the Local History Room, and at the Reference Desk.
Collection titles and finding aids are also listed on the Special Collections page.

Visiting the Local History Room: hours and location

The Local History Room is located in the Kingston Public Library. The entrance is on the right through the Teen Zone.

First Saturday of every month 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Appointments are required for Saturday visits.

Do you have a Kingston local history question?
Email kilhr@kingstonpubliclibrary.org

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Reproductions of photographs or maps

Photographs from the Local History Room collections, as well as those on deposit from other organizations, may be duplicated according to the Local History Room policy on photographic reproductions. Please be aware that reproduction may be subject to condition of the original, gift or purchase agreements or restrictions, privacy and publicity rights or copyright issues. While the Local History Room will provide all known information about a photograph, determining copyright status is the responsibility of the user. The nature of archival images means that copyright or other information may be difficult or impossible to determine.

Please contact the Local History Room with any questions or comments.

Donations

The Special Collections in the Local History Room exist due to the generous donations of Kingston residents, past and present. If you have information relating to Kingston and would like to preserve and make the information accessible for future generations, please call or email the Archivist, Susan Aprill at 781-585-0517 x123 or kilhr@kingstonpubliclibrary.org

For more information please view our policy on donations and collection development.

House Histories

111 South Street, 1920

The House History Collection (HHC) contains information on the older houses of Kingston. The Collection is based on the 1998-1999 Massachusetts Historical Commission survey and house information often includes the historical name of the house, the builder, the house's architectural information and information on the house's residents. The Local History Room staff and volunteers have added any additional information that we uncover from any collection, photograph, or other type of resource that comes into the LHR to each of these forms. If the original survey did not cover a specific property and we have information on that location, we have created our own forms. The HHC is organized by street and then by current street number.

If you are interested in researching your home's history we recommend that you give us a call or stop by to see what information we have. We then recommend taking that information and researching your deed history at the Registry. Once you have uncovered your home's past occupants, come back to us with their names and we will take another look into Kingston's past through the Local History Room Collections.

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Kingston Local History Books - available for purchase

The 2010 summer exhibit catalog from the Jones River Village Historical Society tells the story of the neighborhood of Rocky Nook in the first decades of the 20th century through a wonderful selection of postcards. Drawing on the substantial collection of Kingston resident David Pepe supplemented with additional materials contributed by the family of the late Elaine Cox Sampson, Carolyn and George McSherry, Mary Hathaway and the Local History Room, this volume captures the cottages, the beaches, the streets and the people of the summer colony. Long-time Rocky Nook resident Arthur "Zuke" Mullaney contributed his fond reminiscences and colorful captions, while Society President Norman P. Tucker added the preface and Kingston Public Library Archivist Susan Aprill completed the design. It is available for $9.95.

The Jones River Village Historical Society: Celebrating Our Centennial, 1909-2009. Highlights from One Hundred Years.

Marking the Society's first century, this book explores the major "lines of work" undertaken by the JRVHS since its founding. Members' work on conservation of natural resources, cultivation of land, education,"village improvement" and local history are described and illustrated. The Bradford Homestead and the Society's public and private events are detailed as well. The book reproduces the 2009 Summer Exhibit co-sponsored by the Kingston Public Library and the Jones River Village Historical Society, and is available for $9.95

The Jones River Village Historical Society.
Collections: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. A long-term commitment to Kingston's heritage

Written by Kingston Public Library Archivist Susan Aprill, this volume describes the historical papers of the JRVHS held and maintained by the Local History Room. The papers include both records and publications created by the Society and historical documents collected by members. Each of the 14 series -- broad categories used to structure and describe the collection -- is defined and illustrated with photograph and ephemera. The publication reproduces the 2008 Summer Exhibit co-sponsored by the Kingston Public Library and the Jones River Village Historical Society, and is available for $7.95.

Through Emily's Eyes: the photographs of Emily Fuller Drew

Through Emily's Eyes, compiled by Kingston Public Library Archivist Carrie A. Elliott, is a collection of photographs taken of Kingston by Emily Drew. Drew, a Kingston resident and historian, photographed Kingston as it under went changes through the development of the early twentieth century. This book is the 2006 exhibition catalog from the Summer Exhibit co-sponsored by the Kingston Public Library and the Jones River Village Historical Society. This book is available for $7.95 (limited quantities available!)

Life on the River: the flow of Kingston's industries

Life on the River, compiled by former Kingston Public Library Archivist Carrie A. Elliott, is a comprehensive look at the history of fifteen water privileges on the Jones River and the industries in which they supported. This book is the 2005 exhibition catalog from the Summer Exhibit co-sponsored by the Kingston Public Library and the Jones River Village Historical Society. This book is available for $7.95 (limited quantities available!)

Norman P. Tucker has published a book called Images of America: Kingston, which is available at the Library, both to borrow and to buy. This richly illustrated history of the Town uses numerous photographs from the Library's Local History Room, and all proceeds from the sale of these books bought at the Library benefit the Local History Room directly. The price is $19.95.

Now available for the first time since 1926!

Civic Progress and a History of her Industries, by Sarah Bailey and Emily Drew is the history of Kingston written for the two hundred anniversary of Kingston in 1926. This book provides a wonderful history of Kingston, focusing on her industrial development. $24.95 (limited quantities available!)

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Additional Kingston history resources

Kingston is fortunate to have many wonderful organizations concerned with preserving the Town's unique history. For more information on these organizations, please visit their web sites.

Jones River Village Historical Society: Kingston's historical society founded in 1909; takes care of the Major John Bradford Homestead and offers many educational and social programs throughout the year.

Frederic C. Adams Heritage Center: Site contains information on the Friends of Kingston Heritage and the creation of the Frederic C. Adams Heritage Center, from the Town's 1898 Library building.

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Online databases

New England Ancestors: (NEHGS) is the oldest genealogical society in the country. For over 160 years, NEHGS has helped new and experienced researchers trace their heritage in New England and around the world. NEHGS databases are now available to Kingston library card holders. Click on the link above to access.

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Additional web sites and organizations that may help you with researching Kingston history

Evergreen Cemetery Association
Green Street
Kingston, MA 02364
781-585-4507

Kingston Historical Commission
Town Hall
26 Evergreen Street
Kingston, MA 02364
781-585-0500

(508) 747-6204

Kingston Town Clerk
Town Hall
26 Evergreen Street
Kingston, MA 02364
781-585-0502

General Society of Mayflower Descendants
PO Box 3297, 4 Winslow Street
Plymouth, MA 02361
508-746-3188

Parting Ways
Parting Ways, in Plymouth, was the name of one of America's earliest free black settlements. In 1792, four black Revolutionary War veterans were rewarded for their military service by being granted 106 acres at a fork in the road leading out of Plymouth to Kingston. Information can also be found on the Plymouth Colony Archive Project.

Pilgrim Society/Pilgrim Hall Museum
75 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-746-1620

Plymouth Ancestors
Plimoth Plantation and the New England Historic Genealogical Society have joined together to provide the most up-to-date genealogical information on the inhabitants of the Plymouth Colony in 1627.

Plymouth Colony Archive Project
Presents a collection of searchable texts, including court records, colony laws, 17thcentury text, biographical profiles of selected colonists, wills, probate inventories and much more. Developed by the late James Deetz, author of In Small Things Forgotten and The Times of Their Lives: Life, Love and Death in Plymouth Colony.

National Archives Northeast Region
Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center
380 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452-6399
1-866-329-6465 [toll free]

Plymouth Public Library
132 South Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-830-4250
Lee Regan, History Librarian

Homepage of Frederick M. Dittmar
Mr. Dittmar grew up in Plymouth and he has an extensive library collection pertaining to the area. There are many links to genealogy sites pertaining to Pilgrims,
Massachusetts, and New England.

Plymouth Cordage Historical Society
Mill #1, Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360
508-746-7707

Additional sites of interest:

Davistown Museum
This is a regional history, tool, and art museum located in the hill country of central coastal Maine. The museum has a wealth of information, particularly on C. Drew and Company tools, which were made here in Kingston.

© All rights reserved. Town of Kingston, Kingston Public Library. For more information please write to Kingston Public Library, 6 Green Street, Kingston Massachusetts 02364 or email the Library Director at sstewart@kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For suggestions on how we can improve our services, please email kilib@kingstonpubliclibrary.org. The Kingston Public Library is a member of the Old Colony Library Network.