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Beverly History and Genealogy

The Beverly Room Collection contains resources for researching local history and genealogy. These items must be used in the library but may be photocopied or scanned. In addition, the collection has scrapbooks, pamphlets, and ephemera on subjects such as Beverly organizations, local government, churches, schools, companies, and people. Also available are town government documents, yearbooks, street lists, and maps.

Beverly Vital Records to 1849

Beverly Historical Newspapers

Beverly City Directories

  • Beverly City Directories dating from 1886-1985 are available for use in the Beverly Room and on archive.org. These directories provide a listing of residents, streets, businesses, and organizations, and give their location in Beverly at the time of publication.

Beverly Municipal Documents

  • The Beverly Room retains Town Documents in print from 1880-1971. Some municipal documents are also available in digital format from 1668-1893.

Beverly High School Yearbooks

  • Beverly High School Yearbooks are located in the Beverly Room and on archive.org. The collection covers yearbooks from 1937 to 2007.

Family Genealogies in the Beverly Room

  • The Beverly Room contains several print family genealogies and histories about founding Beverly and Nort Shore families. Some of these families include the Cabot, Conant, Dodge, Balch, and several others.

Beverly’s Digital Heritage Collection

The following services are provided by the library free of charge.

  • Request an obituary by emailing bev@noblenet.org. Provide as much information as possible, including full name, any alternate spellings, and the location and date of death. Obituary requests may take up to 2 weeks to fill.
  • You may Book a Librarian for a one-hour instructional session to get you started with your genealogical research. Librarians will provide instruction on our digital and print resources. Call the Reference Department at 978-921-6062 for an appointment.
These subscription based resources are provided by the library.
  • American Ancestors – In-Library Use Only
    Conduct genealogical research, take online seminars, and search their online library catalog of books, 19th century newspapers, periodicals, microform materials, and manuscripts.
  • Ancestry Library Edition – In-Library Use Only
    This collection has coverage of the U.S. and the U.K., including census, vital, church, court, and immigration records, as well as record collections from Canada and other areas.
  • HeritageQuest
    Searchable images of U.S. federal census records, featuring the digitized version of the popular UMI® Genealogy & Local History collection, among other valuable content. Essential collection of unique material for both genealogical hobbyists and professionals.
  • MyHeritage – Beverly Residents Only
    Features over 8 billion primary historical records from the United States, Europe, and other regions, with coverage starting from the 16th century. Great starting place for genealogical research.
  • Fold3 Library Edition – Beverly Residents Only
    Provides access to a growing collection of US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Open cemeteries:
  • Beverly Farms Burying Ground at Haskell and Hart Streets
  • Central Cemetery (Municipal) at Dane and Butman Streets
  • Dodge’s Row Burying Ground in North Beverly
  • North Beverly Cemetery (Municipal) at Conant and Cabot Streets
Closed Cemeteries:
  • Abbott at Abbot and Hale Streets (Ancient Burying Ground)
  • Conant between Cabot and Dodge Streets (Ancient North Beverly Cemetery)
  • Green Family Burying Ground at Ryal Side
Resources for locating specific graves:

A librarian-curated list of resources.