Franklin Historical Museum

The Library collections of the Museum are described below. Use the menu on the left to jump to a specific collection.

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LIB 001

Town of Franklin Annual Reports collection

1859-2018

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The collection is comprised of Annual Reports about the Town of Franklin. The reports in this collection portray what was going in Franklin over a year long span. They include information on money spent over the course of the past year, births and deaths in the Town, enumerated repairs of roads and bridges, listing of the Town Officers for that year, and statistics from the year. Some of the reports include Real Estate Valuation and Poll List reports while others have these reports printed in separate volumes. Three reports in the 1980’s are accompanied by a summary report and calendar in a separate volume.

 

The reports date from 1859 to 2018. The reports from the 1860’s chronicle the year from March to March of the next year. The reports from 1874 to 1913 define what happened in the year ending January of the following year. Starting in 1914, the reports end December 31 of the same year and continue on in that fashion until 1979. For the years 1979-1988, fiscal years July-June of the next year are used as dates. The 1989 report goes back to the ending in December pattern.

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LIB 002

List of Residents in Franklin collection

1952-2012

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The collection is comprised of Lists of Residents published by the Town of Franklin. The volumes include information about residents' years of birth and occupations as well as street addresses.

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The reports date from 1952 to 2012.

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LIB 003

Franklin High School Yearbooks collection

1929-2013

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The collection is comprised of yearbooks published by Franklin High School seniors.  Many of the yearbooks contain autographs and messages between the students and teachers. 

 

The yearbooks date from 1929 to 2013. From 1929-1955, the yearbooks are called “The Oskey.” IN 1956. The “The” was dropped from the title making it simply “Oskey.” During the 1990’s, the yearbooks contain subtitles as well which portray the theme of the book.

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LIB 004

Franklin School Registers collection

1852-1961

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The collection is comprised of school registers from the Town of Franklin. The bound volumes give information about student and teacher attendance, enumerate school committee members, and contain statistics about the number of students as well as teacher salaries.

 

The registers date from 1852 to 1961.

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LIB 005

Town of Franklin School Committee Reports collection

1850-1961

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The collection is comprised of Annual Reports from the School Committee of the Town of Franklin. The reports in this collection include information on school department expenditures from the past year with estimates for the next year, school calendars, accomplishments and recommendations about various school departments, and an enumeration of school committee members.

 

The reports date from 1850-1961. The reports up to 1913 chronicle the year through January 31 of the next year. Starting in 1914, the reports end December 31 of the year in question.

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LIB 006

Town of Franklin Advisory Committee Reports collection

1924-1978

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The collection is comprised of Annual Reports and Recommendations from the Advisory Committee of the Town of Franklin. The reports in the collection include the Committee’s budgetary recommendations for improvements to the Town for the Adjourned Annual Town Meeting held in March of every year.

 

The reports date from 1924 to 1978

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LIB 007

Franklin Transfers and Land Court records

1953-2001

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The collection is comprised of bound volumes of both land transfer and land court records for the Town of Franklin.

 

The records in this collection date from 1953 to 2001.

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LIB 008

The New England Historical and Genealogical Registers collection

1993-2000

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The collection is comprised of quarterly issues of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. They are published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society and include essays on New England family history and  genealogical book reviews.

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The volumes date from July 1993 to July 2000.

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LIB 009

Union Sunday School Books collection

undated

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The collection is comprised of the books which made up the library of the Union Sunday School.

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The books in this collection are undated.

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LIB 010

Franklin Authors collection

undated

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The collection is comprised of books written by authors from the Town of Franklin.

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The books in this collection are undated.

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LIB 011

Horace Mann Annual Reports collection

1837-1844

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The collection is comprised of 8 bound volumes containing the Annual Reports of the Secretary of the Board of Education in Massachusetts, Horace Mann. They are facsimile copies.

 

The original information copied into the volumes in the collection date from 1837 to 1844.

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LIB 012

Microfilm collection

1870-1996, undated

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The collection consists of microfilm from various publications including the Franklin Sentinel, Franklin High School Yearbook, Life, Massachusetts Archives Ratification Report, Saturday Review, Science, Science Digest, Science News, Senior Scholastic, Space World, Sports Illustrated, Time, Today’s Education, Today’s Health, U.S. Census Manuscript Schedule, U.S. News and World Report, and Vital Speeches of the Day.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1870 to 1996. The bulk of the material dates from 1960 to 1988. Some of the material is undated.

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LIB 013

Franklin School Budgets collection

1914-1961

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The collection consists of school budget reports for the Franklin Public School system. They include information on teacher salaries and expenses such as books and supplies.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1914 to 1961.

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LIB 014

Valuation of Taxes collection

1825-1869

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The collection consists of valuations of taxes for residents of the Town of Franklin. The taxes relate to town, state, and county taxes, highway taxes, and school district taxes.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1825 to 1869.

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LIB 015

Cook Family Diaries collection

1868-1919

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The collection consists of diaries portraying the lives of members of the Cook family of Franklin, Massachusetts.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1868 to 1919.

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LIB 016

Walter A. Clark Diaries collection

1892-1904

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The collection consists of three diaries depicting the life of Walter A. Clark.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1892 to 1904

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LIB 017

Franklin Scorebooks collection

1934-1977, undated

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The collection consists of 49 scorebooks for baseball and basketball games held in Franklin, Massachusetts.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1934 to 1977. Some of the material is undated.

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LIB 018

The Country Gazette collection

1980-1999

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The collection consists of 42 newspapers published under the appellation The Country Gazette in Franklin, Massachusetts.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1980 to 1999.

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LIB 019

Franklin Charter Commission Final Reports collection

1972-1995

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The collection consists of the final reports of the Franklin Charter Commission.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1972 to 1995.

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LIB 020

Franklin School Committee Minutes collection

1853-1954

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The collection consists of 7 bound volumes containing the minutes of the Franklin School Committee. They include talking points and votes taken by the members of the committee.

 

The materials in the collection date from 1853 to 1954.

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LIB 021

Franklin Public Schools Expenses collection

1891-1914

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The collection consists of 10 bound volumes containing the expenses and teacher pay roll for the Franklin Public Schools.

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The materials in the collection date from 1891 to 1914.