LOCAL HISTORY
The Town
In 1626, English colonists settled in Naumkeag territory and formed what would become Salem. The area known as Danvers was set off from Salem in 1752 and the South Parish became the town of South Danvers a century later. In 1868, the town of South Danvers changed its name to Peabody to honor its loyal son.
The Library
George Peabody founded the Peabody Institute in South Danvers in 1852. The Library is the first to bear the name of its founder and is proud to be the oldest public library in the United States to operate from its original location.
The Special Collections
Peabody Library’s Sutton Room opened in 1869 after a donation from Eliza Sutton as a memorial to her son. It has rare books and local archives dating from the 17th to the 21st century. Sutton also donated the first edition elephant folios of John James Audubon’s Birds of America that can be seen on display in the Sutton Room.
Local History & Sutton Room Hours
Victorian Art Tour
Tuesday, September 17, 6:00 PM*
*Trails & Sails 2024
Join the Local History Librarian this summer on a monthly guided tour of the oldest public library in the country to operate out of its original building.
The tour will begin at the Main Entrance and end with the Audubon prints in the Sutton Room.
SUTTON ROOM CATALOG
LIBRARY SEARCH
ARCHIVES SEARCH
COLLECTION GUIDE
Art & Artifacts
Audio & Video collection, 1919-2013 [finding aid]
Books about local architecture, furniture, china, & monograms
Maps of Peabody & the surrounding area
Peabody Postcard collection, 1880-2017 [finding aid]
Portraits
Edward Everett
George Peabody
Gideon Foster
Queen Victoria 
Rufus Choate
William Henry Harrison
City & County Government
City of Peabody collection, 1796-2015 [finding aid]
Assessor & Census, 1878-1896
Assessor records, 1856-1893
Assessor valuation records, 1861-1922
City departmental reports
Danvers vital records, 1700-1854
Fire department papers, 1890-1970
Grade school & high school registers, 1889-1940
Mayor papers, 1916-2013
Poll tax records, 1917-1962
Salem & Danvers aqueduct papers, 1796-1958
School committee reports, 1840-1974
Selectmen records, 1855-1909
South Danvers & Peabody marriage intentions, 1855-1883
Street list of polls for men & women, 1891-1966
Town reports, 1855-1916
Voter registration lists, 1877-1974
Essex County court records
Massachusetts court records
Churches
Peabody Church papers, 1816-1958 [finding aid]
Methodist Episcopal Church, 1914 & 1929
Saint Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, 1946
St. John’s Church, 1911-1957
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1918-c.1940
Unitarian Church, 1827-1876
Universalist Church, 1866-1867
West Congregational Church, 1958
South Congregational Church records, 1711-1955 [finding aid]
Cultural Institutions
Genealogy
Biographical and autobiographical accounts of local families and figures
Books about researching family history and genealogy
Firsthand accounts of events in local towns & cities
Firsthand accounts of travel from the 1600s to early 1900s
Records of colonial New England
Historical Society Publications
American Ancestors (New England Ancestors)
Danvers Historical Society
The Essex Genealogist
Essex Institute Historical Collections
Massachusetts Historical Collections
New England Historical Genealogical Register
NEXUS
Niles Register
Peabody Historical Society
Topsfield Historical Society
Influential People
George Peabody
Manuscripts & correspondence
Photographs & postcards
Published biographies
Accounts of his visits to South Danvers & global travels
Materials about his death & funeral
Materials on the centennial & bicentennial of his birth
Charles Augustus Peabody papers, 1864-1872 [finding aid]
Foster Family papers, 1740-1965 [finding aid]
Military records
Revolutionary War
War of 1812
Civil War
Spanish-American War
World War I
World War II
Natural History
Birds of America elephant folios by John James Audubon & associated literature
Rare or first editions of books describing American biodiversity
Accounts of weather & other natural events
Newspapers
Boston Globe, 1973-current (on microfilm)
New York Times, 1960-current (on microfilm)
Peabody Newspaper collection, 1790-2015 [finding aid]
The Bull, 1972-1973
Danvers Monitor, 1865, 1869-1876 (on microfilm)
I.T., 1976
The Observer, 1925-2006
Peabody Enterprise, 1912-1941 (on microfilm)
The Peabody Hide, 1967-1968
Peabody Press, 1869-1891, 1911-1912 (on microfilm)
The Peabody Star, 1899
Peabody Times, 1941-1976, 1984-1995 (on microfilm)
Salem Evening News, 1995-current (on microfilm)
The Salem Gazette, 1790
The Salem Observer, 1848
South Danvers Wizard, 1859-1868 (on microfilm)
The Tanner, 1968
The Tanner Times, 2007
The Times: Peabody & Beverly, 1976-1984
Today, 1870
Vernal Visitor, 1879
Street directories
Street directories, 1859-current
Beverly
Boston
Danvers
Lynn
Peabody (on microfilm)
Salem (on microfilm)
Yearbooks
Seeglitz Junior High School yearbooks
Higgins Middle School yearbooks
Peabody Veterans Memorial High School yearbooks
1922-1929, 1931, 1933, 1935-1937, 1939-1945,
1947-1975, 1977-1991, 1993-1996, 1998-2020
Getting Started
Research can be overwhelming when you don’t know where to begin. Maybe this can help!
1. Start with a question
Turn your topic into a specific question.
Ex: “my house in Peabody before we moved in” becomes “who lived at 123 Address Lane in 1923?”
2. Look for potential sources
Check the Library’s website to start. The catalog will show you available books on local houses. The digital collection will have local maps. The microfilm has street listings. The Sutton Room has old property deeds.
3. Take notes and ask for help
Take detailed notes on whatever you found online. Call or email the Librarian to help close the gaps on what you weren’t able to find. Share your question and sources to get them up to speed.
LOOKING FOR MORE?
If we don’t have what you’re looking for, try one of our friends in the North Shore
FAQs
When can I visit the Sutton Room?
The Sutton Room is open by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call or email the Local History Librarian to sign up.
Do I need a library card to use the Sutton Room?
You do not need a library card to use the Sutton Room, but you will need a form of identification to check in.
Can I borrow books from the Sutton Room?
Materials in the Sutton Room do not circulate. We are happy to keep your materials on hold in the Sutton Room for the duration of your research project.
Can I use a picture from the archives in my book?
To use text or images from the local history collection in your publication, please see the copyright statement on the item record. Email the Local History Librarian to request permissions.
How can I make a donation?
We appreciate donations of historically relevant materials in good condition according to our Collecting Policy. Contact the Local History Librarian before bringing items to the library.
CONTACT
Catherine A. Badal
Local History Librarian
978-531-0100 ext. 28
cbadal@noblenet.org
