City Clerk Department-Archives Division

Welcome to the City Clerk Department - Archives Division, your gateway to Boston's rich municipal history. Located at 201 Rivermoor Street, Boston, Massachusetts, we are a vital division of the City Clerk’s office, dedicated to managing, preserving, and providing access to the city’s governmental records. Our mission is to develop and implement citywide policies and procedures for managing these records, fostering public access and engagement with Boston’s archival treasures.

Our extensive collections allow residents, officials, and agencies to explore the actions and decisions of Boston's municipal government, promoting transparency and accountability. We proudly house blueprints, architectural drawings, and Building Inspector reports from 1879 to 1969, offering a unique glimpse into the city's architectural past.

In our commitment to preserving Boston’s heritage, we have digitized over 3,000 historic photographs of the city’s neighborhoods, as well as more than 175 oral history recordings funded by the Council on Libraries and Information Resources (CLIR). These recordings capture poignant narratives from Bostonians about immigration, the Civil Rights movement, the world wars, the 1918 Flu Pandemic, and more.

Explore our collection to witness pivotal moments in history, such as the 1920 voting records marking the first time women were granted the right to vote, or the community efforts led by Paul Revere and North Street residents to address public infrastructure issues. Our video series further illuminates Boston’s storied past.

We are actively working to digitize and make our records publicly accessible, including a searchable database of over 50,000 women who registered to vote in Boston post-suffrage. Through various collaborations, we continue to scan and share our invaluable records, ensuring that Boston’s history is preserved and accessible for future generations.

Visit us to delve into Boston’s municipal history, and discover the stories that have shaped our vibrant city.