State Library Newsletter - July Issue

This July, cool off at the State Library! We're open Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00, including July 3 and July 6. In this month's newsletter, read about everything you can explore in our space - our upcoming collaborative archive event, our new exhibit, and our temporary displays. You'll also find information about our new digital repository, and more.

Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.

New Exhibit: Raising the Alarm

The State Library of Massachusetts joins the rest of the country in celebrating our 250th anniversary in 2026, and we are excited to announce that our new exhibit, Raising the Alarm: Revolutionary Broadsides at the State Library, is now open!

Boston and the surrounding area are known as the “Cradle of Liberty,” staking its claim as the birthplace of the American Revolution. And while many of the thirteen original colonies could make similar claims, the first battles and protests were waged within Massachusetts, the Sons of Liberty sprung up from its citizenry, and the first Committees of Correspondence, an integral system of communication employed during the war, were established here by Massachusetts’ own Samuel Adams.

Exhibit cases outside of the Library

Displayed chronologically, Raising the Alarm uses a selection of broadsides dating from 1773 through 1779 to interpret the Revolutionary War period in Massachusetts, providing a historical overview and examining how news was shared during the war, while also highlighting a significant primary source resource in our collection. Beginning in 2017, the State Library focused on a multi-year effort to conserve and digitize the 18th century broadsides in our collection. Recognizing the significance they hold in documenting the Revolutionary period, our Special Collections Department worked with the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts to treat 70 broadsides. 

Ten broadsides are featured in our exhibit, like the one shown here from April 17, 1776. In this broadside, the topic of equal representation is raised by members of the Committees of Correspondence of Salem and Marblehead who acknowledge the loosening connection with Great Britain and looked towards the growing possibility that “we may soon be obliged to take up Independency for ourselves . . . as undoubtedly a Republic or Commonwealth will be our Form of Government.”

In the final case, the broadsides are complemented by other 18th century items found in Special Collections, including newspapers, almanacs, directories, and more. The exhibit also explores the Committee of Correspondence and some of the well-known patriots in its ranks, and gives special notice to one of our most famous broadsides, the Declaration of Independence, published by Ezekiel Russell in Salem on July 17, 1776.

Raising the Alarm is on view in the display cases outside of the library (Room 341) and is available during our open hours, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 5:00, through spring 2027.

Elizabeth Roscio, Preservation Librarian
Exhibits Working Group

The State Library Celebrates the 250th!

Join us on Wednesday, July 1 to celebrate the Declaration of Independence! We are pleased to announce our upcoming event in honor of the 250th, where we will have our broadside version of the Declaration of Independence, printed by Ezekiel Russell in Salem on July 17, 1776, on display in the Collection Spotlight case in our main reading room (room 341 in the State House).

Special Collections staff will be on hand to share the Declaration along with the ten broadsides featured in our new exhibit, Raising the Alarm: Revolutionary Broadsides at the State Library. Though the exhibit features facsimiles, the originals, which date from 1773 through 1779, will be pulled from storage for this special event so that visitors can see them up close and imagine themselves as members of the Committee of Correspondence, distributing word of the Revolutionary War.

This event is free and open to the public; stop by the State Library between 11:00 and 1:00 to see these stirring documents on display as the country approaches its 250th birthday. Reach out to us at special.collections@mass.gov with any questions, and we hope to see you there!

As a patriotic bonus to in-person visitors, we are giving out free Pocket Constitutions and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) rulers while supplies last. The Pocket Constitutions also include the Declaration of Independence, and the FDLP Ruler is an 8" ruler and its reverse shows the presidents of the United States in chronological order. Please note the Library has a limited supply and visitors are limited to one copy of each per person. Stop by the reference desk to pick them up!

"The Gravest of Responsibilities"

Last summer, I wrote about our Civil War regimental battle flag photograph collection. During my research for that post, I became familiar with several Civil War solders’ incredible stories. There is never enough time to research and write about the fascinating subjects with which we come into contact in this line of work; I often have to set information I’ve gathered aside and hope to come back to it another day. Such was the case for me with the stories of William Harvey Carney and Thomas Plunkett.

Carney and Plunkett are linked together in my mind, though I do not know whether the two ever met. There are several reasons for this. Both men served the Union as flag bearers for their respective Massachusetts regiments; both were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during battle; and both of them once worked in the State House, which I learned through the battle flag photograph collection and stories Silvia, our Head of Special Collections, told me. This building holds so many stories, many which risk being lost to time if we do not make a point to pass them on. This is especially true for the stories of people who are not memorialized in portraits, murals, and plaques throughout the State House halls. 

Thankfully, Thomas Plunkett and William H. Carney are represented in Memorial Hall. I wanted to expand on their stories in this post in honor of Juneteenth. Many thanks to Boston African American National Historic Site’s comprehensive article about William Harvey Carney and The Armless Hero of Fredericksburg by Mark Savolis and Ronald S. Coddington, which I relied on heavily here.

From the description under the 21st Regimental battle flag facsimile in Memorial Hall:

The position of color bearer was undoubtedly one of the proudest as well as most dangerous a soldier could hold. The flags, always posted at the front, served as a beacon for one’s fellow soldiers and the enemy alike. To “preserve the Union”- to never let it fall to the ground- was the gravest of responsibilities... one for which many color bearers gave up their lives.

William Harvey Carney

Sergeant William Harvey Carney in uniform, holding the flag he bore
for the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. 
Courtesy of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

William H. Carney was born to William Carney Sr. and Ann Dean in Norfolk, Virginia on February 29, 1840. Carney was born into slavery, and at 14 years old began secretly attending a private school led by a minister, where he learned to read and write. It is not known for sure exactly how Carney escaped enslavement. He might have escaped on his own through the Underground Railroad and joined his father in Massachusetts; it is also possible his father purchased his freedom after reaching Massachusetts himself. Carney's family ultimately settled in New Bedford, where William considered going into ministry.

 
But in 1863, the Union army finally allowed Black Americans to serve in combat roles. Carney's life changed course: "I had a strong inclination to prepare myself for the ministry; but when the country called for all persons, I could best serve my God by serving my country and my oppressed brothers. The sequel is short – I enlisted for the war,” Carney wrote in October 1863. Carney joined the Morgan Guards in February of 1863, at 23 years old. This Black militia, originally named for a white benefactor from New Bedford, changed its name to the "Toussaint Guards" in honor of Haitian Revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture. The Toussaint Guards joined with the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, where Carney served in Company C. He was promoted to sergeant in March 1863.

On July 18, 1863, the 54th Massachusetts led the charge on Fort Wagner outside of Charleston, South Carolina under the command of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. When their flag bearer was shot down, Sergeant Carney retrieved the flag and continued to march, though he was seriously wounded himself. When the Union was forced to retreat, Carney continued carrying the flag until he could hand it to another soldier of the 54th behind Union lines. Carney famously exclaimed, "Boys, I did but my duty; the dear old flag never touched the ground!"

Sergeant Carney's story inspired many pieces of art
and music, like the song pictured here.

Carney was honorably discharged in June 1864 due to his injuries. He spent some time in San Francisco following the war, but then returned to New Bedford, working for 32 years as the state’s fourth African American postman. He married Susannah Williams on October 11, 1865 in New Bedford and had one daughter, Clara Heronia. For the rest of his life, Carney was an active participant in Black veterans’ organizations. He attended reunions and battle anniversary memorials as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic Post 1 and was the featured singer of the Star-Spangled Banner at a ceremony in 1889.

On May 31, 1897, Carney joined his fellow surviving members of the 54th for the dedication ceremony of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ The Robert Gould Shaw/54th Massachusetts Regiment Memorial, in the Boston Common directly across from the State House. Sergeant Carney finally received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Fort Wagner in May 1900, when he was 60 years old. He was the first of 22 African American Civil War veterans who ultimately received the Medal of Honor.

After leaving the postal service in New Bedford, Carney came to work as a messenger at the State House. Then in November 1908, he was tragically, fatally injured in an elevator accident at the State House. Printed accounts of the event state that Carney was trying to back out of the elevator to make room for others when the doors closed, catching his injured leg. He died at Boston City Hospital on December 9, 1908. He was 68 years old. Carney was buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in New Bedford. And on the afternoon of December 11, 1908, the flags at the Massachusetts State House flew at half-staff in honor and remembrance of Sergeant William Harvey Carney’s valiant life.

Thomas Plunkett

Sergeant Thomas Plunkett in uniform, pictured with the flag he bore
for the 21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. 
Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Thomas Francis Plunkett was born in County Mayo, Ireland in 1839. After the death of his mother, his father Francis brought Thomas and his brothers to America and settled in Boston. By 1861, Thomas was working as a bootmaker in West Boylston and was engaged to be married. He enlisted in Company E of the 21st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. In September, the regiment became part of Major General Ambrose Burnside’s Coast Division. In early 1862, Plunkett’s regiment participated in successful operations along the North Carolina coast. By that summer, his actions in battle gained him a reputation for bravery, and he was promoted to sergeant. In September 1862, during the Battle of South Mountain, Plunkett stopped to assist a wounded, thirsty officer from Ohio. That officer turned out to be future President Rutherford B. Hayes, who recognized, embraced, and thanked Thomas years later during a presidential tour of New England.

At Fredericksburg in December 1862, the 21st Regiment fought an uphill battle. Plunkett marched on with the regimental flag as bullets tore through, shooting a hole in his cap. A shell fragment tore through his right arm, then shattered his left forearm. As he bled profusely from what was left of his arms, he planted a foot against the flagpole, still standing. His blood left a large, permanent stain on the flag. Plunkett was then sent to the rear by his colonel. He walked until faint from blood loss, and stretcher bearers carried him into Fredericksburg. Surgeons felt his case was hopeless; they left him on the floor in excruciating pain as they performed surgeries on tables just above him. Two hours later, he was finally given chloroform and surgeons cut away the mangled skin of his arms. Thomas’s life was saved by Clara Barton, who sutured and dressed his arm stumps. 

A news clipping dated October 21, 1885 pasted on the inside of our battle flags’ 

photo album cover about Plunkett and the 21st Regimental battle flag.

He was honorably discharged on March 9, 1864, and he returned home to Massachusetts to $7,000 in charitable funds raised for him. He also received a pension as a result of Clara Barton’s letter writing assistance. Thomas bought a home in Worcester with the funds, where he married Helen Lorimer and raised three children. In March 1866, Sergeant Plunkett received the Medal of Honor. He was invited to all Civil War-related events in Worcester for the rest of his life. And like William H. Carney, he became a messenger in the State House, a position he held for 15 years. Thomas Plunkett died of inflammatory bowel and stomach disease in 1885 at 44 years old. There was a large turnout at his funeral, and one of his pallbearers was the 21st Regiment Chaplain, George Ball. He was buried in Hope Cemetery in Worcester, and his monument displays an urn draped with a flag.

Alyssa Persson

Special Collections Processing Archivist

First a Declaration of Independence, Then an Oath of Allegiance

This month, the country is gearing up for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To coincide with that historic milestone, we are sharing An Act for Prescribing and Establishing an Oath of Fidelity and Allegiance in our Collection Spotlight case. Visit us from June 16 through August 4 to see this item on display.

Published on February 3, 1778, this is a broadside printing of an Act that was enacted by the Council and the House of Representatives in the General Court. As the new country was establishing its independence, oaths of allegiance were commonly administered by the colonies as a means to confirm loyalty from its citizens while affirming separation from Great Britain. This act recommends the manner in which an oath of allegiance should be established and enforced within Massachusetts. It begins with these stirring words:

Whereas the King of Great-Britain hath abdicated the Government of this and the other United States of America, by putting them out of his Protection and unjustly levying War against them, and the said United States by their Representatives in General Congress assembled by a Declaration bearing the date of the fourth day of July, A.D. 1776, for the Reasons therein mentioned, solemnly declared, that the United Colonies of North-America, are and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political Union between them and the State of Great-Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved; which Declaration has been solemnly Ratified and Adopted by this State.

As this Act harkens back to the language of the Declaration of Independence, it seems a fitting broadside to display as we come upon the July 4 anniversary. The Act then goes on to describe how an oath should be administered, under what circumstances, and by whom. If an individual was presented with an oath and refused to take it, then the county’s Justice of the Peace could commit them to the county jail. Forty days after refusal, the individual would then be removed to a port within the “Dominions of the King of Great Britain, at their own expense."

The Act also includes the language of the oath, as follows:

I, A.B. do swear (or affirm as the Case may be) that I will bear true Faith and Allegiance to the State of Massachusetts-Bay, and will faithfully support and maintain and defend the same against George the Third King of Great-Britain, his Abettors and all other Enemies and Opposers whatsoever, and will discover all Plots and Conspiracies that shall come to my Knowledge against said State, or any other of the United States of America. So Help Me God.

It is interesting to note a line included at the bottom of the Act, that allows Quakers to omit the word “defend” and the phrase “So help me God” should the Oath be administered to them, as it is language that is against their religious beliefs.

We are excited to share that this broadside is part of our upcoming exhibit Raising the Alarm: Revolutionary Broadsides at the State Library, which opens on June 17 and will be on display in the cases outside of the Main Library (Room 341). Due to the nature of the cases, the exhibit utilizes facsimiles, but each month for the duration of the exhibit, one featured broadside will be on display in our Collection Spotlight case – beginning with this Act! The exhibit utilizes broadsides published from 1773 through 1779 to provide a historical overview of the Revolutionary War period in Massachusetts, while also highlighting a significant primary source resource in our collection. Stay tuned for more information about the exhibit later this month!

We would also invite you to join us for a special event on July 1 as the State Library celebrates the 250th! Come to our Main Reading Room (Room 341) between 11:00 and 1:00 to see our copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Salem on July 17, 1776, on display in our Collection Spotlight Case. Special Collections staff will be on hand to share the Declaration, and for this special event, all of the original broadsides featured in our new exhibit will be pulled from storage, giving visitors the rare opportunity to see them up close and imagine themselves receiving news of the Revolutionary War directly from the Boston Committee of Correspondence.

Our July 1st event is free and open to the public and we hope you join us to see these stirring documents on display as the country approaches its 250th birthday. Reach out to us at special.collections@mass.gov with any questions.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

A Double-Duty State Bird

Our next state bird deserves extra credit! Within the thirteen original colonies, the cardinal is the state bird of both Virginia and North Carolina. In fact, this popular bird is the state bird of five other states, too - Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The North Carolina State Assembly established the Northern Cardinal as its state bird in 1943, and seven years later, Virginia did the same on January 25, 1950.

Even though the cardinal is not our state bird, you can still spot them around Massachusetts. They are year-round residents, found from Cape Cod to Western Mass.

In this print, Audubon depicted the Cardinal Grosbeak (plate 159), with the vibrant male shown above and the more subdued female below. Both are shown in the branches of the wild almond tree. The cardinal was previously on display in January 2025, so after it is displayed for just three weeks this month, it will return to storage for the foreseeable future. Visit us from June 9 through June 30 for your chance to see it now.

We are also excited to share that as a special treat, the Bird of Washington will be on limited display from June 30 through July 14, in celebration of the country's 250th birthday!

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

Reference Tip: Bulletin of Committee Work vs. the Legislative Record

At the State Library, Massachusetts legislative history assistance is one of our top research requests. Conducting a Massachusetts legislative history is a journey; sometimes you hit a gold mine (hearing transcripts, committee files, an actual written report) and sometimes you find the bare bones (bills and journals). And most often it is the latter scenario. However, the basic resources are the starting point; they give the framework for tracing the action of a bill through the legislature and open up key research access points (session dates, petitioner names, committee information).

The State Library has these key resources in print and digital - House and Senate Journals, Legislative Documents volumes, the Bulletin of Committee Work and its companion volume the Legislative Record.* Per our legislative history guide, the Bulletin of Committee Work and Legislative Record provide bill information and short bill histories for the years 1907-2000. While it may seem like these are two different sets; the information they contain is the same, the difference lies within their organization.

From 1907-1977, the Bulletin of Committee Work and the Legislative Record were combined into one physical volume. The Bulletin is in the front half and the Legislative Record is found in the second half of the volume. Starting in 1978, the titles were separated into two individual volumes. The Legislative Record physically looks different; the pages are landscape. As noted previously, the information contained in these volumes is the same, it is just a matter of how an individual prefers to research legislation/what information they already have.

Bulletin of Committee Work: As the title suggests, the Bulletin content is compiled and organized alphabetically by committee. The Bulletin provides general overview information such as committee member lists, room number for the committee within the State House, and the days on which the committee met. For bill information, bills that were referred to the committees are listed numerically by bill number (Senate followed by House) with the Subject (short description), Hearing Date, and Report. Report meaning the last action of the committee - this could be the next bill version, discharge to another committee, withdrawn, moved to the next annual session, etc.

Legislative Record: This resource is organized by bill number. Think of it as a giant listing of all Senate bills followed by all House bills for each session. Researchers should use the Legislative Record once they have identified the bill number they are interested in. The Legislative Record provides a short bill history (same as what you would find in the Bill History section of the journals).

While bill histories are succinct, they provide the key research access points: date of a public hearing, bill number of a new draft, committee name, etc. You take this information and then move on! Take that public hearing date and search Boston Globe articles and SHNS articles and see if the hearing was reported on. You can view all versions of the bill in the library's digital repository and find their subsequent bill histories. You take the committee information and see if the committee hearing files or legislative files are at the State Archives (see example).

Additional sections: The volumes contain a subject Index and an Acts list. Both great for quickly identifying a bill number. The earlier volumes also contain Orders, Resolves, and list Public Documents issued during each session.


The Bulletin of Committee Work and the Legislative Record can be found in the library’s third floor reading room. Please contact the Reference Department with questions reference.deparmtent@mass.gov.


April Pascucci
Legislative Reference Librarian

*House and Senate Journals and Legislative Documents available digitally.

State Library Newsletter - June Issue

Happy June from the State Library! In this month's newsletter, read about our upcoming events and our new exhibits and displays, and catch up on past blogs commemorating Juneteenth and Pride Month.

Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.

Initial Capitals Found at the State Library

A whaling cruise to Baffin’s Bay and the Gulf of Boothia

There are many beautiful books in the State Library’s collections. Covers and spines are the flashiest, catching your eye as you walk by the shelf, but it is always a welcome surprise to open a plain-looking book and find detailed illustrations. My favorite genre of these illustrations are initial capitals. During a recent project I kept finding more and more of these initial capitals and thought it would be fun to highlight them for our patrons.

An initial capital refers to when the first letter of a section of text is larger than the rest for emphasis. The history of initials goes way back, all the way to before the invention of lowercase letters. People used to write in all capitals, and to differentiate the start of a new section people began to use a larger initial letter. Eventually, people began incorporating decorations and illustrations to those initial letters. Thus was born a long and beautiful history of “initials.”

Voyages of Samuel de Champlain (left) The Great Centennial Exhibition (center) and
Whale hunt: The narrative of a voyage by Nelson Cole Haley (right)

Some of the most famous and most intricate initials come from the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript from around 800 A.D. These initials sometimes took up an entire page. If you’re interested in seeing some of this stunning artistry, this website has collected and organized them all.

With the invention of the printing press, people less often illustrated initials by hand and instead carved them out of wood blocks. Though this style is quite different from a hand illustration, it is still just as striking. These carved initials often were done without magnification and in natural light—an impressive feat for a work of art that is often no larger than a postage stamp! In the 19th century, people grew so enamored with initials that it was a trend to cut them out of books and trade them as though they were baseball cards. Modern readers are likely to be more accustomed to simpler initials. Often a text will just increase the font size of the first letter without any embellishment-- for example, this blog post! 

The Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution

Whether an initial is a full page of gilded color or a square inch of black ink, an initial elevates the reader’s sense of the text’s content. Though initials are not confined to any one genre or style of writing, their beauty and artistry indicate a care for the design of the text. In this post, I’ve included some of my favorite examples of initials in the State Library's collection. Enjoy!

Emily Colson

Government Documents Intern

Sources:

(2018, August 21). An illuminating workshop and exhibit with Bill Moran. Hamilton Wood Type &    Printing Museum. https://woodtype.org/blogs/news/an-illuminating-workshop-and-exhibit-with-bill-moran

(2020, August 20). Make the letter bigger. I Love Typography. https://ilovetypography.com/2020/08/20/history-of-illuminated-initials/

Haley, N. C. (1948). Whale hunt: The narrative of a voyage by Nelson Cole Haley, harpooner in the ship Charles W. Morgan 1849-1853. Ives Washburn, Inc.

Heller, S. (2018, July 31). Initial caps: The birth of illustrated typography. Design Observer. https://designobserver.com/initial-caps-the-birth-of-illustrated-typography/

Lossing, B. J. (1860). The pictorial field-book of the revolution. Harper & Brothers, Publishers. 

Markham, A. H. (1874). A whaling cruise to Baffin’s Bay and the Gulf of Boothia. Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle. (image one)

Otis, C. P. (1880). Voyages of Samuel de Champlain. Prince Society.

Sandhurst, P. T. and others. The great centennial exhibition. P. W. Ziegler & Co. Publishers.

In Celebration of MA250 and America250: Author Talk with Donna A. Seger and Brad Austin

• Salem’s Centuries: New Perspectives on the History of an Old American City - Edited by Donna A. Seger and Brad Austin
• Wednesday, June 10, 2026. 12pm - 1:00pm
• In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
• State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
• Livestream on YouTube

In honor of Massachusetts250 and America250 the State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series is celebrating with the 2026 release Salem’s Centuries edited by two local professors from Salem State University, Donna Seger and Brad Austin.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon! 

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the book: Salem’s Centuries celebrates the 400 year history of the city from multiple perspectives. The book is a compilation of essays written by Salem State University History Department faculty and graduates of the university’s master’s program. Of course the book includes the infamous witch trials, but the focus is on the other areas of Salem’s vast history. Included are essays on Salem and the Civil War, Salem’s maritime history, and Salem’s labor and industrial history; the essays not only highlight Salem’s history beyond the witch trials but emphasize the history of the indigenous and enslaved peoples of Salem. Salem’s standing as a centuries old city is a reflection of not only Massachusetts history but the nation’s.

Donna A. Seger is Professor of History at Salem State University. She is the author of The Practical Renaissance: Information Culture and the Quest for Knowledge in Early Modern England, 1500–1640 and manages the blog Streets of Salem.

As a resident of Salem, Seger has a passion for local history. This passion combined with her professional and academic background resulted in Salem’s Centuries. Seger holds a doctorate from Brandeis University and is professor of medieval and early modern European History at Salem State University.

Brad Austin is Professor of History at Salem State University. He is the author of Democratic Sports: Men's and Women's College Athletics during the Great Depression and the coeditor of Understanding and Teaching the Vietnam War and Teaching U.S. History through Sports.

Austin holds a PhD in modern American history from Ohio State University. He is the current chair of Salem State University’s History Department.

As always, this author talk is free and open to all. Assisted listening devices will be made available upon request courtesy of the State House ADA Coordinator. If you are able to join us in person for this talk, attendees will be able to participate in a question-and-answer session with the authors.

Any questions or concerns, please email us at AuthorTalks.StateLibrary@mass.gov. For more information on the State Library Author Talks series, please visit our site.


April Pascucci
On behalf of the Author Talks Committee

Delving Into the History of the Cape Cod Canal

With the summer fast approaching, some of us will again create fond memories of our time on Cape Cod. The beaches, the waves, and the cool breezes remind us why we love the Cape. However, we do not have fond memories of the times spent waiting to cross the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges over the Cape Cod Canal to reach our destinations. The waiting can be an hour or more, especially on the weekends, and you may ask yourself, “Why do we have those bridges?” The history of those bridges is intrinsically linked to the Cape Cod Canal whose initial conception goes back to the 1800s. The State Library of Massachusetts has primary and secondary sources for both research and personal curiosity.

The concept of building the Cape Cod Canal started back to the late 1700s as described in an article from Cape Cod Magazine. The Massachusetts legislature began considering a canal as early as 1860 through House legislation prompted by the suggestion of Governor Nathaniel P. Banks. The author Clemens Herschel describes the early proposal and how it would affect the people living in the Canal area. The General Court’s Committee on Harbors and Public Lands had many sessions regarding the Canal as outlined in the book titled Hearing as to Incorporating the Bass River Canal Company from 1893 that provides an excellent history of what happened during those sessions.

The impetus for a Canal continued for decades with frustration mounting as discussed in the pamphlet  titled Cape Cod Canal. There were different proposals regarding the exact location of the Canal from Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay. Hand drawn maps in the Special Collections Department illustrate those different approaches with examples including one map by the Massachusetts Commission on Waterways and Public Lands from 1917 showing one approach and the Massachusetts Board of Internal Improvement showing another very early approach.

Sagamore Bridge Construction

Since those times, several books have been written on the subject. One of the earliest was a book by George Everett Burbank in 1916 with more recent books including a book by William James Reid in 1961 and Robert H. Farson in 1993.

The State Library and its Special Collections Department have other resources for those interested in the history, issues, and construction of a major civil engineering project in Massachusetts. Search for materials in our library at www.mass.gov/lib or visit us during our hours of operation to delve into a fascinating and complex story.

Francis Alix

Cataloging Librarian

Wrens Alight and Delight in the Library!

We're heading south this month, as we continue to commemorate the thirteen original colonies by displaying their state bird in our Audubon case. This month's print depicts the Great Carolina Wren (plate 78), which is South Carolina's state bird. But despite its name, the Carolina Wren has a large range and can be seen up and down the east coast.

Milder winters have contributed to the Carolina Wren venturing further north, and now you can spot these petite brown birds with a white stripe in both suburban landscapes and wilderness thickets here in Massachusetts. Read more and hear their call on the Mass Audubon website. And look closely at the wren at the top of this print, he looks like he is caught mid-call! 

We all know that "April showers bring May flowers" so in keeping with that theme for this month, this print was also selected for display because the Carolina Wren is shown in the vibrant flowering branches of the dwarf red buckeye (Aesculus pavia). Unfortunately, this shrub is native to the southern and eastern part of the country, so we aren't likely to see it here in Massachusetts. All the more reason to visit the library from May 12 through June 9 to see this print on display!

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

A CMR Adventure: Tracing the History of a Massachusetts Regulation

Last year we published a blog post titled Understanding the CMR. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to give it a read! That blog helps you understand what the CMR is and how it's organized. Now it’s time to go to the next level and learn how to research the history of a Massachusetts regulation. We wrote about this in 2013, but our collections have undergone some changes since then, so we thought it was time for an updated post.

With that in mind, let’s look at 105 CMR 125.004. Let’s say you’d like to see all the changes that regulation has gone through since 2015. We’ll trace the history of this regulation together.

To start, we’ll need to go to the Cumulative Tables. The Cumulative Tables, sometimes called “indexes,” are published in the final Massachusetts Register of each calendar year. The cumulative tables start in 1976 and continue through to the present. These tables document all regulation filings, including amendments, new regulations, and emergency regulations, published in the Register during that year.

You’ll find the Cumulative Tables in our digital repository. We also maintain a binder of Cumulative Tables from 1978 to the present, available in our Reading Room alongside the CMR. If you don’t know when a regulation was first added or when it was amended, you should begin by looking at the earliest Cumulative Table and work forward through each year. This helps you create a timeline of the regulation’s history.

As we mentioned, we want to see all the changes that 105 CMR 125.004 has gone through since 2015. We’ll start by looking at the Cumulative Tables file that includes 2015, using the Tables found in our digital repository.

Our digitized Cumulative Tables are keyword searchable, meaning you can do a “ctrl + F” search within the file for “105 CMR.” Each page of the Cumulative Tables is organized as follows:

• Left-hand side: Agency title numbers (also called “digit title numbers”) in bold, with their chapter numbers listed beneath.

• Right-hand side: Two columns showing
1. The Register issue number where the regulation was published, and
2. The effective date of the amendment or filing

From there, you’ll see if section 125 is listed. If it is, you’ll want to make note of the Register number and the effective date to use later. If it’s not included, it means that changes to that section did not take place that year.

For example, a page from the 2014-2025 year-end Cumulative Table shows there were amendments to 105 CMR during that time period. The first amendment for 105 CMR 125 appeared on 2/24/17. By noting the Register issue number (1333), you’ll know exactly where to look to find the full text of the change.

Once you’ve identified the relevant Register issue number, the next step is to look at that issue of Massachusetts Register. Each issue contains the text of the regulation as it was filed, allowing you to see exactly how the regulation appeared at that time. The State Library houses the complete set of Massachusetts Registers in print, and many issues are also available in our digital repository.

Hint: look for the Settings section on the left side of your screen. Set the “Sort By” to “Z→A.” This will sort the Registers from newest to oldest, making it easier for you to find the specific Register you need. In our example, you’ll want to look at Register 1201 through 1400. Next you’ll search for Register 1333 to see if sub-section .004 is listed.

You’ll want to repeat this process until you’ve traced the history of the regulation up through the year you’re interested in. You would keep looking through the Cumulative Tables for changes to 105 CMR 125, find the appropriate Register number, then check that Register to see if sub-section .004 is listed.

In our example, 105 CMR 125 was updated on the following dates, focusing only on the changes that have occurred since 2015 :

2/24/17 (Register 1333)

From there, we’d look in the Registers to see if sub-section .004 is listed. You can search for a specific Register by searching for “no. XXXX” in the Search bar above the list of Items. Here are our search results when we search for Register 1333 using that format:

By using the Cumulative Tables and the Massachusetts Registers together, you can trace how a regulation has evolved over time, whether it was newly created, amended, or repealed. While the process can be a bit tedious, these resources make it possible to construct the full history of a Massachusetts regulation.

Whether you are conducting legal research, exploring public policy, or just curious, the State Library’s collections and staff are here to help you navigate the CMR and its associated resources.

Jessica Shrey
Legal Research Reference Librarian

State Library Newsletter - May Issue

With a new month comes a new newsletter! In this issue, read about our seasonal displays, a resource highlight, and find links our past exhibit on native plants in the Commonwealth and to any Author Talks you may have missed.

Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.

Explore the Coast and the Harbor Islands from a Bird’s-Eye View

In Boston, one of the markers that summer is on the horizon is the relaunching of the Boston Harbor Islands Ferry! To coincide with the spring schedule kicking off on May 15, we are displaying a 1905 map titled, "Bird’s Eye View of Boston Harbor and South Shore to Provincetown: Showing Steamboat Routes" in our Collections Spotlight case. This map prominently features Boston Harbor and the many islands found within, and also illustrates part of Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod from a bird's-eye perspective (not the cloudy view over parts of Boston, to emphasize that you are viewing it from above).

While this map has been unfolded and is currently stored flat, it originally would have been folded into a 4 inch by 8 inch rectangle partially affixed to a cardstock front and back cover. For preservation and access purposes, the covers have been removed and are normally stored in an acid-free paper sleeve in a folder along with the map. But this month, the cover is on display as a complement to the map. The cover features the title printed in an eye-catching font and informs us that the price was 10 cents (which would calculate to about $3.75 today, though maybe more if you were purchasing it from a touristy spot downtown!). It was published by John F. Murphy, a news agent and businessman who operated newsstands in railroad stations in the region, including South Station, where this map was likely sold. Also on display is a facsimile of the inside of the front cover, where an index to the map was printed. This is an especially useful resource as it indicates notable buildings and landmarks. For lighthouse fans, this map includes many, including Race Point Light (#32) jutting out from Cape Cod, Gurnet Light (#27) in Plymouth, and Boston Light (#23) in Boston Harbor. What’s missing from the list is Graves Light, also in Boston Harbor, as that lighthouse wasn’t constructed until 1905 and likely missed the publication date of this map.

Beyond lighthouses, there are many details to discover on this map. Note the numerous shipping routes leaving Boston, which could take you as close as Nantasket or as far as Europe. And the tourist-centered entries, like Hotel Pemberton (#18) at the end of Hull and the Myles Standish Monument (#28) in Duxbury. But one of the most interesting details is how many buildings are located on the Harbor Islands. Today, we generally consider recreation to be the Harbor Islands' primary function, but at the turn of the 20th century, they served a more utilitarian purpose. If you visit the islands today, you'll come across some foundations and building remnants that shed light on their past lives. Featured on this map are some of the following buildings: 

• A farm school on Thompson’s Island (#6)
• The City of Boston Almshouse and Hospital on Long Island (#9)
• The City of Boston Quarantine Station on Gallop’s island (#14)
• The City of Boston House of Reformation for Children on Rainsford Island (#16)

Also identified on the map are Fort Andrew (#17) on Peddocks Island and Fort Warren (#15) on George's Island, which exist as historical structures today.

We have previously highlighted a similar bird’s-eye view map that also shows the Harbor Islands and the eastern coastline from Boston to the Cape via the South Shore. This map is a bit more recent, published in 1920, and provides a more detailed view of Boston. You can check it out in this blog post and then compare it to the 1905 map, which is on display in our reading room from May 5 through June 16. Stop by to see it before you catch the ferry to the Harbor Islands!

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian

The Cross-Reference: A Massachusetts State Library Publication (Published Erratically)

A candid photograph of State Library staff members found in Ms. Coll. 66, c. 1930. There are six women in the photo, but the inscription on the back only lists five names. It is uncertain whether the names are listed in the order the librarians are shown here. Clarissa Holmes, one of the women pictured, was the editor of The Cross-Reference.

Ms. Collection 66 has felt ever-present in the Special Collections Department reading room this year. This collection documents the inner workings of the State Library throughout its history. It includes correspondence regarding the everyday operations of the Library, Board of Trustees meeting minutes, renovation plans, photographs, past exhibit files, and newspaper clippings about the Library and its staff over the years. It even holds a few artifacts, such as the enormous “Mass Room” stamp currently on display in our 200th anniversary exhibit. While staff prepared for our numerous 200th celebratory events, our interns also worked to rehouse the materials in Ms. Coll. 66. As a result, I came across items from the State Library’s history which made me feel a personal connection to the librarians who came before me in a pretty unexpected way.

During the 1920s, State Library staff published an internal newsletter they titled The Cross-Reference, and I suspect they had a lot of fun doing it. The first issue was published in March 1925 by “Holmes-Clark Publishing Co.,” a reference to librarians C. J. (Clarissa) Holmes and H.E. Clark, who spearheaded the efforts. I thought these witty women should have their writing featured by their fellow librarians here on our blog 100 years later. For the rest of this writeup, I’m going to let them speak for themselves:

Reports on social gatherings (and suspicious behaviors)

"The World of Fashions"

A travel section

“Advice to the Lovelorne”

Money-making schemes

Gossip

Eyebrow troubles

Boston weather snark

Etymology

Superlatives

Alyssa Persson

Processing Archivist