Return to Historical Commission
Digital Commonwealth is a non-profit collaborative organization, founded in 2006, that provides resources and services to support the creation, management, and dissemination of cultural heritage materials held by Massachusetts libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives. Digital Commonwealth currently has over 200 member institutions from across the state.
This site provides access to photographs, manuscripts, books, audio recordings, and other materials of historical interest that have been digitized and made available by members of Digital Commonwealth, a statewide consortium of libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies from across Massachusetts.
The Digital Commonwealth site, managed by the Boston Public Library, provides access to thousands of images, documents, and sound recordings that have been digitized by member institutions so that they may be available to researchers, students, and the general public.
After almost a year of working together with Digital Commonwealth and the Boston Public Library, our book the "History of Gill 1793-1943" (Vol. 1) by Ralph M. Stoughton is now available as a digitized version!
Published in 1978 as part of a 1976 Bicentennial Project, this book has been out of print for quite a while, but now you can access it on their site here.
In addition to the Gill History Volume 1, you'll also find several maps of 1937 from the Massachusetts State Planning Board of The Roads and Waterways of Gill, Roads and Buildings of Gill, Topography of Gill and more.
GHC's next project is digitizing the 1872 Town of Gill's Ledgers to share with all. These ledgers were rescued from the water pipe burst in the town hall this February 2023. It was realized these gems must be preserved. This will be an ongoing project over the next few years in conjunction with Digital Commonwealth and the Boston Public Library.
We are excited to share this wonderful free resource. Not only has it been valuable for Gill Historic Commission and other Historic Societies and Commissions, but also as a personal resource if you are looking for information on your family geneology or history around the Comonwealth of Massachusetts. It does take a little practice to search and find what you are looking for, but we invite you to explore this amazing site! You won't be disappointed.
