Before human beings could carry camera with them as they travelled, and definitely before those cameras became embedded in our phones, travelers collected view books to remember the places they visited. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, these affordable books containing photographs and sketches of notable streets, views, and buildings in a town or city were popular souvenirs.
Today, the souvenir view books in the State Library’s collection give us a great look into what Massachusetts and its regions, cities, and towns looked like at the turn of the century.
Sometimes these souvenirs covered more than a specific town or city. They could focus on a particular industry, subject, or regional attraction:
The State Library has been digitizing many of these view books and making them available in our catalog and our Flickr page. Take a look at the list below, or visit our Flickr page to browse these viewbooks as well as exhibits, photographs, atlases, and other digitized materials.
The Old Manse from the book Concord Sketches (1869)
Concord Sketches (1869)
Glimpses of Swampscott (circa 1880)
Greenfield Illustrated (circa 1880’s)
Lowell Illustrated (1884)
Newton Illustrated (1888)
Picturesque Norwood (1885)
Picturesque Salem (circa 1880-1890)
Springfield Illustrated (1882)
Views of Malden (1896)
Views of Medford (circa 1888)
Views of West Medford (circa 1888)
From Worthington Street to the Opera House from
Springfield Illustrated (1882)
If your town is not listed here, don’t worry! We are finding new souvenirs all the time. Maybe someday soon we will find an old view book of your town!
Alexandra Bernson
Reference Staff
