Newburyport Public Library

Research

To ensure staff readiness, research appointments are scheduled based on staff availability. Please request appointments at least 48 hours in advance to provide staff with ample preparation time before an expected appointment date and time.  

APPOINTMENT REQUEST FORM for Archival Visits

What to Expect When Visiting

The Archival Center is on the library’s basement level, accessible by elevator and stairwell during open hours.  

Library cards are not a prerequisite for accessing the Archival Center; appointments are open to everyone.

Upon entering the archives, we kindly request visitors to store all large bags and coats in the lockers outside. For research purposes, we prohibit the use of pens or permanent markers; however, pencils are provided. Feel free to take pictures or use our scanner for material reproduction. Printing and copying services are available at a fee of $0.20 for black and white and $0.40 for color per page. Payment can be made in cash or by check. 

While researchers are encouraged to request specific materials, our librarians go the extra mile by searching for related materials and providing suggestions to enhance every researcher’s experience. It is important to note that not every research topic may have direct representation in the collections; however, there are numerous materials that may prove unexpectedly helpful. 

Getting started with genealogy research? We can help! Here are some resources we have in our collection to get you started on researching families.  

Local Digital Resources 

Local Records

Held at the Newburyport Public Library. Selected materials available by request or ahead of your visit, by appointment.

Ancestor Records

  • First Settlers of Newbury 
  • Mary Adams Rolfe papers
  • Marcia E. Little papers
  • Yearbooks, Newburyport High School from 1919 to present
  • Street Directories 1808 to present (note: some years are unavailable)

Cemetery Records
List of Cemetery Maps available at the library by request or ahead of your visit, by appointment.

  • Old Hill Cemetery
  • Highland Cemetery
  • Belleville Cemetery
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
  • First Parish Burial Ground (Newbury, MA) 

Other Resources

Genealogical Databases funded by the Friends of the Newburyport Public Library

Ready to start working on the story of your home? Every house has a history. Get started with the resources below.

Online Resources

These online resources can be accessed anywhere, including from the comfort of your own home.

Building Surveys  

Provides the architectural conditions including build dates, square footage, and architectural styles of a specific building. 

Salem Deeds

Allows users to trace deeds of properties bought and sold. Often includes plot and property descriptions and lot dimensions. 

Sanborn Maps

Detailed fire insurance maps that provide street listings and the physical attributes (e.g., construction material) of the recorded structures. The 1906 & 1924 Sanborn maps are available at the library by request or ahead of your visit, by appointment.

Newburyport Tax Assessor Site 

Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Resources at the Newburyport Public Library

The following items are held at the Newburyport Public Library and are available at the library by request or ahead of your visit, by appointment. Prepare for your visit here or get in touch with a staff librarian here.

1851, 1872 & 1884 Maps

Parcel mapping that includes street names, property ownership, property boundaries, and Newburyport landmarks.  

Also available online:

Plan of Newburyport Mass. from an actual survey by H. McIntyre, 1851 (courtesy of the Boston Public Library Leventhal Map & Education Center)

Tax Valuation & Assessor Records 

Lists the resident’s name, the assessed value of their real estate, the tax on their real estate, and sometimes includes the address of that real estate. Physical collection includes Assessor’s Tax Valuations from 1780 – 1861 (please note some years are unavailable for viewing).  

Street Directories

1808, 1814-1815, 1820 & 1831 are a five volume assessor’s street directories. These are the earliest known street directories to exist. They list an individual, what street they lived on (or owned property), the number of taxed inhabitants (or polls) as well as any notes of interest.

1849 – Present (please note some years are unavailable). Includes business and residential directories with addresses, advertisements, street listings of Newburyport residents including occupations, maps, and miscellaneous information. 

Favorite librarian resources that staff use when doing research.

General Newburyport and Newbury History Published Texts

History of Newburyport, 1764-1905 vol. 1 by John J. Currier

History of Newburyport 1764-1905 vol. 2 by John J. Currier

History of Newburyport: from the Earliest Settlement of the Country to the Present Time by E. Vale Smith

History of Newbury, Mass. 1635-1902 by John J. Currier

Ould Newbury Historical and Biographical Sketches by John J. Currier

A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury from 1635-1845 by Joshua Coffin

Ship Registers of the District of Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1789-1870 by Essex Institute

History of the Marine Society of Newburyport, Massachusetts by William H. Bayley and Oliver O. Jones

City of Newburyport Annual Reports (1875-2010)

Daily News 1773-1963 Digitized versions of the Daily News from 1964-onward are available in library only.  

Maps

Map of the original town of Newbury, now divided into Newbury, Newburyport and West Newbury by Philander Anderson, 1850 (courtesy of the Boston Public Library Leventhal Map & Education Center)

Additional Resources

Want to explore other historical institutions in Newburyport? Here is a list of local resources and institutions.

Historical collections

Staff at the Newburyport Public Library can assist with research requests for patrons and researchers unable to make it to the library due to location, illnesses, etc. With respect to the varying and often unpredictable staffing needs at the library, remote research requests will be answered at the discretion of the staff.

Contact us for more information at 978-465-4429 or email at info@newburyportpl.org