Local History

Learning Series Podcasts: Librarians by the Sea Local History Episodes

• Interview with Mary Cassidy about New Ocean House
• Interview with Mary Cassidy about the Summer Estates
• Interview with Lou Gallo about the Swampscott Fish House
• Interview with Molly Conner about the Humphrey House
• Interview with Sylvia Belkin about Elihu Thomson
• Interview with Deb Bogardus about Andrews Chapel
• Video with Mary Cassidy about the Swampscott Sea Serpent

Local History Resources

• Essex National Heritage Commission — The Essex National Heritage Commission was organized to preserve and promote the historic, cultural, and natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area which covers the 500 square miles and thousands of historical sites in eastern Massachusetts north of Boston.
• Library Centennial 1917-2017 –Library events from our Centennial year.
• Library History A brief history of the Swampscott Public Library.
• Swampscott Digital Collection – NOBLE Digital Heritage Site — NOBLE, our library consortium, has collected historic images from most of our local libraries. Swampscott images are featured at this link.
• Swampscott Reporter — Available to Swampscott residents with a library card or anyone using a library computer.
• Swampscott Town Annual Reports
• Swampscott Town Website — Official local government site for the Town of Swampscott
• New Vital Records to 1850 – Swampscott area births, deaths, and marriages are recorded in theses two volumes which were compiled before Swampscott was incorporated as a town in 1852.
  • Vital Records of Lynn Massachusetts, Volume One, Births.
  • Vital Records of Lynn Massachusetts, Volume Two, Marriages and Deaths

*New* Swampscott Maps and Atlases

• 1872. A single page map of Swampscott, including areas of Marblehead and Peabody. Published by De Beers. Curtsey of the State Library of Massachusetts.
• 1880. Atlas of the town of Swampscott, Mass. Published by G.M.Hopkins. Curtsey of the State Library of Massachusetts.
• 1897. Atlas of the town of Swampscott, Mass. Published by Geo. W. Stadly & Co. Curtsey of the State Library of Massachusetts.
• 1905. Atlas of the City of Lynn Massachusetts. Includes, also, the towns of Swampscott and Saugus. Published by L.J.Richards & Co. Curtsey of the State Library of Massachusetts.
• 1924. Richards standard atlas of the City of Lynn and the towns of Swampscott, Saugus and Nahant Massachusetts. Published by Richards Map Company, 1924. Curtsey of the State Library of Massachusetts.

*New* Program covers from Tributes to Martin Luther King Jr. that were done in the Swampscott Schools in the late 80’s and 90’s

Recently added photos

Beaches, Fish House, Monument Avenue, New Oean House

 

Photos added during the Library Centennial, 2017

Police and Fire photos

Building and People photos

Library Photos

 

Swampscott Through the Years: A pictorial history

• Swampscott Historic Photos Slide Show
• Swampscott Historic Photos on Flickr
• Swampscott’s 50th Anniversary–1902
• Townspeople
• Street Scenes
• Veterans & Town Memorials
• Views of Swampscott
• Beach Scenes
• Swampscott Yacht Club
• Carrie Phillips Schooner
• Miscellaneous

Swampscott Buildings

• Library
• Town Hall (original)
• Schools
• Churches
• Businesses
• Hotels
• General Glover Inn
• Sunbeam Farm
• Houses & Family Homes
• Youtube video of the New Ocean House fire

Humphrey Street

• Humphrey House
• Neighborhood Scenes, 1880-1915
• Street Widening, 1914
• Neighborhood Scenes, 1925-1936

Swampscott Schools

Stanley School

• School Play

Hadley Junior High

• Class Pictures
• Basketball Teams
• Football Teams

High School

• Class Pictures
• Baseball Teams
• Basketball Teams
• Football Teams

St. John’s

• Football Teams

Town Departments

• Fire Department
• Police Department

Nearby Towns

• Nahant–Bass Point House
• Lynn–Historic Views
• Salem–Fire of 1914