Resources
For the following boston-related information, consult the listed agency:
- Birth, marriage, & death records, including those for the annexed communities of Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Roxbury, and West Roxbury, are held by the city's registry division. The Registry Division is at room 213, City Hall, Boston, Ma 02201, (617) 635-4175. Duplicate state copies of these records for 1841-1910 are available at the Massachusetts Archives, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, Ma 02125, (617) 727-4062, and for 1901 to the present at The Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, 150 Mount Vernon St., 1st Floor., Dorchester, Ma 02125-3105, (617) 740-2600.
- Boston Housing Authority records are kept by the BHA (617) 451-5400 ext. 245 or by the state archives (617) 727-4062.
- Burial records: death certificates (see above) usually list place of burial/cremation. the cemeteries division of the Parks & Recreation department maintains an index to burials in city-owned cemeteries. the division is at, Mt. Hope Cemetery, 355 Walkhill St., Mattapan, Ma (617) 298-8750.
- Deeds and wills: deeds for Suffolk County are on file with the Suffolk Co. Registry of Deeds or (617) 725-8575. for annexed communities, deeds prior to annexation remain in the original county registry. Wills for suffolk county are on file with the Suffolk Co. Registry of Probate, (617) 725-8300. For annexed communities, wills prior to annexation remain in the original county registry.
- Federal and state censuses may be available at the National Archives--New England Region, 380 Trapelo Rd., Waltham, Ma 02154, (781) 223-2657, and at the Massachusetts Archives, 220 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, Ma 02125, (617) 727-4062
- Municipal court records are state records and are kept at the respective courthouses. the supreme judicial court archives for Suffolk County, room 1300, New Court House, Boston Ma 02108, (617) 557-1082 or 1083, can assist you in locating those records.
- Naturalization records: duplicates of state court records and originals of federal court records of naturalization, 1790-1906, are available at the National Archives--New England region, 380 Trapelo Rd., Waltham, Ma 02154, (781) 223-2657.
- Most town of boston records (1630-1822) are, for the time being, held at the Boston Public Library's Rare Books & Manuscripts Division (617) 536-5400 ext. 425.
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