Whether you’re just thinking about looking into your family history, or have already begun a genealogy journey, the Westfield Athenaeum has resources to help you. It’s incredible how much historical information can be found online these days! But since digitization takes time, there are also still plenty of publications that are only available in print.
Here is a list of the most-used genealogy tools at our library (either online or in print). Feel free to contact the Reference Desk with any questions. We are happy to help you explore and discover the wide world of genealogy.
Free Online Tools
- Ancestry.com (Library Edition) – Accessible only on library computers. With the Library Edition, you can’t create a family tree, but you can find many helpful documents including census, vital, military, and immigration records.
- FamilySearch.org – A free, crowdsourced genealogy site that lets you make and save your own family tree with information from other researchers. You can also search for records including birth, marriage, and death documents.
- Westfield Newspapers 1/1/1855 – 12/31/1923
Browse the Reference Section
You are welcome to peruse our collection of printed volumes, located near the public computers in the Reference Room. They are organized using the Cutter Classification system. It includes:
- Family histories for many local families, from Abaire to Yale. Call numbers start with EY.
- Vital statistics for many Massachusetts towns, Abington to Yarmouth, through 1850. Call numbers start with EY844z.
- Westfield City Directories from 1873 to 1989.
If you’re seeking a specific item or topic, search our online catalog or ask a friendly reference librarian!
Ask a Librarian
The librarians at the Reference Desk can help you access:
- Genealogy notes by L.M. Dewey, listing many Westfield residents’ information from the 1600s through the 1800s.
- Street listings from 1930 through the present that list names and occupations of residents.
- Westfield newspapers on microfilm from 1824 through about two months ago. We also have an index of obituaries printed in the Westfield News from 1977 to now.
- Birth, marriage, and death records copied from Westfield’s City Hall, from the 1700s and 1800s.
- Obituaries from across the country. The library has an individual subscription to an online database, so we can look things up for you.
Upcoming Event
This month, we’re launching a new monthly program called Your Family, Your Story: Genealogy Writing Group. This is a chance for folks who’ve already done some research to discuss problems and solutions, get writing tips and ideas, explore the thornier issues brought up by family histories, and more. Learn more and register for the January 26 meeting.
Also, keep an eye out for future posts about more genealogy and local history resources at the Athenaeum. Happy searching!
— Kat Good-Schiff, Local History Librarian
