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Library: Library Collections
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Manuscripts The Massachusetts Historical Society's library is, primarily, a manuscript repository. It holds more than 3,600 manuscript collections comprising in excess of 12 million document pages. Personal and family papers constitute the core of the manuscript collection, augmented by institutional and early business records. While the MHS collects documents from all eras up to the present, the bulk of the collection represents the periods from the beginning of European settlement through the early decades of the 20th century. This page contains a summary of types of manuscript holdings. Please see the How to Search the Manuscript Collections page for instructions on locating specific materials. The manuscript collection is an unparalleled resource for the study of the history of Massachusetts and America through the colonial and early national periods. Manuscript collections cover diverse subjects such as the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the history of religion, law, medicine, education, diplomacy, international commerce (the China Trade in particular), state and national politics; and Native American, African American, and women's history. Diaries, orderly books, and thousands of letters document the lives of those who served in the French and Indian, Revolutionary, and Civil Wars. The Society also holds institutional records for churches, schools, clubs, and philanthropic organizations. Notable Collections Two of the most important MHS manuscript collections are the papers of the Adams family and the Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts. The Adams Family Papers—composed of the personal papers of John, John Quincy, and Charles Francis Adams and their immediate families—is the Society's best known manuscript collection. Encompassing more than 250,000 manuscript pages, it includes letters written and received by members of the Adams family as well as their extraordinary personal diaries. A detailed description of this collection appears on the Adams Papers web pages. 
The Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts consists
of thousands of pages of Jefferson's correspondence, manuscripts
of writings, and voluminous records of Monticello including
account books, journals, and more than 400 architectural drawings.Among the other highlights of the collection are the journal of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; the diary of Salem witchcraft trial judge Samuel Sewall; the family business papers of Paul Revere; documents related to the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the first African American regiment raised in the North during the Civil War; and the papers of Massachusetts senators Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1924), his grandson Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (1902-1985), and Leverett Saltonstall (1892-1985). Current Collecting The collecting policy of the Massachusetts Historical Society reflects the Society's mission as an independent research library that collects, preserves, makes accessible, and communicates manuscripts and other materials that promote the study of the history of Massachusetts and the nation. The Historical Society collects personal and family papers—diaries, letters, and other personal records—and, to a lesser extent, the records of institutions and organizations such as churches and clubs that document the history of Massachusetts and the nation. If you would like to donate materials to the Society or for more information on the Society's collecting policy, contact the Director of Collections Services. Microfilm To preserve manuscript collections and to make them more accessible, the MHS has microfilmed all or portions of more than 400 manuscript collections. The collections listed on the MHS microfilm web page are available for purchase in microfilm editions. The Visiting the Library page provides information about buying or borrowing MHS microfilm directly from the Society. For Further Information Researchers who have questions about research strategies or specific manuscript holdings should send their questions through the Ask a Reference Question page or contact the reference librarian. |
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Massachusetts Historical Society 1154 Boylston Street (directions) Boston, MA 02215-3695 Tel: 617.536.1608 Fax: 617.859.0074 |
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Manuscripts