The Massachusetts Archives holds the records of a variety of state institutions, including:
- Prisons
- Almshouses
- Mental health facilities
- Public hospitals and sanatoriums
- Reform schools
These records were created by a number of current and former state agencies, including:
- Department of Corrections (DoC)
- Department of Youth Services (DYS)
- Department of Public Health (DPH)
- Department of Mental Health (DMH)
- Department of Developmental Services (DDS, formerly DMR)
- Department of Public Welfare
Under state law, these records may become public after a certain period of time, or upon the death of an individual. For instance, criminal offender information (CORI) becomes publicly available upon the death of the individual.
Records from state institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, or mental health conditions become available for public inspection after 75 years. Additional restrictions may apply, however, and most requests for institutional records cannot be fulfilled during a walk-in visit to the Archives.
To request access to state institutional records, please contact our Reference Staff at archives@sec.state.ma.us with the specific nature of your research.
If you are requesting the records of an institutionalized individual, please also include the State Institutional Records Request Form (PDF), with as much information as possible.
Records vary from institution to institution. Records may include documentation of case files and histories, admissions and discharges, administrative records, and other information on the lives and families of people at these institutions.
Please note that there are gaps in our collection, and indexing is not always available for searching by name. Before placing a request for records, please research and include as much information as possible about when and where the individual was admitted. Obtaining a copy of the individual’s death record can be very helpful. Because of the time-intensive nature of the research and review process and the volume of requests received, please expect that it may be a few weeks before we’re able to fully process your request.
You may contact our Reference Staff to determine whether records are held for a specific institution and time frame. A general overview with maximum date ranges is below.
The Massachusetts Archives institutional holdings include but are not limited to:
Department of Corrections
- Castle Island State Prison, 1785-1798 (HS9.03)
- Charlestown State Prison, 1805-1982 (HS9.01)
- Concord Reformatory, 1884-1946 (HS9.05)
- Massachusetts Correctional Institutional, Framingham, (Sherborn/Framingham Reformatory) 1877-1973 (HS9.06)
- Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Norfolk (State Prison Colony), 1927-1955 (HS9.07)
- Rutland Prison Camp and Hospital, 1904-1934 (HS9.09)
- Bridgewater State Farm/M.C.I. Bridgewater, Bridgewater State Hospital 1854-1995 (HS9.10, HS9.11, HS9.105)
Department of Youth Services
- Industrial School for Boys, Shirley, 1914-1962 (HS8.01)
- Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster, 1856-1938 (HS8.02)
- Lyman School for Boys, 1848-1964 (HS8.05)
- Massachusetts Nautical School, 1860-1972 (HS8.06)
Department of Mental Health
- Westborough State Hospital, 1886-1977 (HS7.04)
- Danvers State Hospital, 1878-1980 (HS7.05)
- Northampton State Hospital, 1858-1998 (HS7.08)
- Boston State Hospital, 1856-1985 (HS7.10)
- Worcester State Hospital, 1833-1937 (HS7.11)
- Metropolitan State Hospital, 1930-1992 (HS7.12)
- Grafton State Hospital, 1877-1955 (HS7.13)
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center, 1912-1971 (HS7.15)
- Norfolk State Hospital, 1893-1919 (HS7.17)
- Medfield State Hospital, 1896-1948 (HS7.18)
- Foxborough State Hospital, 1905-1975 (HS7.20)
- Corrigan Mental Health Center, 1968-1974 (HS7.31)
Department of Developmental Services
- Walter E. Fernald State School, 1851-1995 (HS14.02)
- Wrentham State School, 1933-1949 (HS14.03)
- Belchertown State School, 1923-1961 (HS14.04)
Department of Public Health
- North Reading State Sanatorium, 1912-1961 (HS6.04)
- Pondville Hospital, 1934-1959 (HS6.05)
- Rutland Heights Hospital (Rutland State Sanatorium), 1898-1991 (HS6.06)
- Westfield State Sanatorium, 1910-1975 (HS6.09)
- Tewksbury State Hospital, 1854-1929 (HS6.11)
- Lakeville State Sanatorium,1910-1991(HS6.18)
- Bristol County Hospital, 1920-1965 (HS6.18)
- Cushing Hospital, 1957-1991 (HS6.20)
- Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, 1954-1959 (HS6.22)
Department of Welfare
- Massachusetts Infant Asylum, 1871-1879 (HS3)
- State Primary School and Almshouse, Monson, 1866-1892 (HS3.05 and HS3.06)
- Penikese Hospital, 1905-1919 (HS3.07)
