Collections
Newspapers
The local news columns in 19th and early 20th century papers will often include details that range from announcing a family's visiting relatives and mentioning the town in which they live, to social events with the names of all who attended. They may also mention where a family moved. Since the middle 20th century, there have been fewer personal details found in newspapers, although a thorough search of all issues is still suggested because of this unpredictability.
The Dyer Memorial Library has a collection of printed newspapers — many uncataloged — available for use. Some of our holdings are missing issues or are incomplete.
- Abington Mariner, 2000+Abington Standard, 1982 - 1995
- Abington Advertiser [Very few issues]
- Abington/Rockland Mariner, July 1991 - Dec 1995 / Jan - Jun 1999 [Missing or incomplete]
- Hanover Branch Newspaper, 1958 - 1978
- Plymouth County Courier, June 1945 - Nov 1946 [Missing or incomplete; WW II newspaper combining news from the Whitman Times, Abington Journal-Herald and East Bridgewater Journal]
- Rockland Standard, 1876 - 1991 [Bound volumes through 1950; Missing or incomplete]
- Rockland Independent, 1911 - 1928
- South Shore News [Incomplete]
- Whitman/Hanson Express, 2000
- Whitman Times, 1935 - 1966 / 1975 - 1978 [Missing or incomplete]
Historical New England Newspapers – Free Online
A few historical New England newspapers are available for free online:
Barnstable Patriot (1830-1930) Free Sturgis Library, Barnstable, MA
Brunswick newspapers (1853-1960) Index ONLY Free Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, ME
Provincetown Advocate (1918, 1931-1934 and 1936-1967) Free Provincetown Public Library, Provincetown, MA
Diário de Notícias, New Bedford (1919-1973) in Portuguese Free Carney Library, UMass-Dartmouth