Scope and Content: The state secretary, as record keeper of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, maintained warrants issued by the treasurer and receiver-general for the collection of taxes from localities as apportioned and assessed by the General Court.  Fragmentary series includes two such warrants.
Notes: Formerly part of: Miscellaneous collection, box 108
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: St 1833, c 116 established the Western Railroad Corporation and authorized it to lay out and construct a railroad from the western termination of the Boston and Worcester Railroad to the western boundary of Massachusetts in the direction of the Hudson River.  The state secretary maintained the corporation’s filings for the Commonwealth.
Notes: Formerly known as: Miscellaneous collection, box 21
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Correspondence to Gov. Samuel McCall regarding participation of Massachusetts in the federal military draft of 1917 was filed along with supporting documentation with the state secretary.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Series includes an 1818 agreement in which the Penobscot Indians released Penobscot River lands to the Commonwealth for payment and an 1820 release from payment on condition that the 1818 agreement be honored by the new state of Maine.
Notes: In keeping with traditions established in the colonial period, the state secretary is custodian of foundation records of the Commonwealth, including this series.
Related Record Groups:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Chronically insane male paupers were transferred from Massachusetts almshouses and lunatic hospitals in 1887 to an asylum opened at the State Workhouse in Bridgewater, renamed shortly thereafter the State Farm. Mentally infirm inmates from the State Prison were also admitted to the asylum beginning in 1890, and constituted the only admissions from 1894. The State Asylum for Insane Criminals was then officially established at the State Farm in 1895, and was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital in 1909. In 1919 the State Farm, including the State Hospital, was transferred from the State Board of Charity to the Massachusetts Bureau of Prisons (later Dept. of Correction), although as of 1923 the Dept. of Mental Diseases (later Dept. of Mental Health) retained the power to commit non-criminal insane to the institution. The State Farm was reorganized in 1955 as Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Bridgewater. The State Hospital remained as a unit within the larger entity until 1987, when it was separated with its own superintendent.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Hospital for Consumptives and Tubercular Patients was established in 1895 and opened at Rutland in 1898.  It was successively renamed the Massachusetts State Sanatorium in 1900, Rutland State Sanatorium in 1910, Rutland Hospital in 1963, and after the move to a new facility, Rutland Heights Hospital in 1965.
Arrangement: Arranged by operation code no., thereunder chronologically
Restrictions: Public health hospital/clinic client information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 111, s 70. For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: Transferred to Archives in Aug. 1982
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission was created for purpose of extending and increasing the water supply to the Massachusetts metropolitan water system (St 1926, c375).  The commission was authorized to purchase or take land in the watersheds of the Swift and Ware Rivers to develop the Quabbin Reservoir.  The commission requested opinions of private consultants regarding property to be taken from the northern portion of the Athol branch of the Boston and Albany Railroad.  These opinions offer estimates of the fair market value of the railroad line.
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Middlesex County was incorporated on May 10, 1643 (Mass Recs 2:38), continuing under successive governments of Massachusetts, most recently the Commonwealth (1780), as outlined in MGLA c 34.  Administrative powers and duties previously exercised at various times under the laws of the Commonwealth by the county courts of general sessions of the peace, county courts of common pleas, and circuit courts of common pleas, were assigned to commissioners in Middlesex and other counties, per St 1827, c 77 (1828).  The government of Middlesex County in this and other respects was abolished as of the effective date of St 1997, c 48 (approved July 11, 1997)
Notes: Pre-1909 orders currently interfiled with: Dockets ((M-Ar)2151X); 1909-1947 orders were also so interfiled before processing, including meeting minutes (now (M-Ar)2153X) and annual reports (now (M-Ar)2156X)
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Reformatory Prison for Women was opened in Sherborn in 1877.  It was renamed the Reformatory for Women by St 1911, c 181 and because of a redrawn boundary line its fuller designation was changed from the Reformatory for Women at Sherborn to the Reformatory for Women at Framingham by St 1932, c 180, s 24.  Under St 1955, c 770 it received its current name, the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, Framingham.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by inmate
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Temporary Industrial Camp for Prisoners, receiving inmates from other Massachusetts correctional facilities, was opened in 1904 at Rutland.  When a hospital for tubercular prison inmates, also from throughout the state, was completed at the site in 1907, the combined institutions became the Prison Camp and Hospital.  It was closed in 1934 because of construction of the Quabbin Reservoir; inmates were transferred to the State Prison Colony at Norfolk.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Orders for inmates removed to and from hospital (2) Orders for inmates removed to and from camp; Arranged within each subseries by inmate case no
Restrictions: Criminal offender record information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 6, ss 167-178. Subseries (1) restricted: personal medical information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository 
Notes: Transferred to Archives from MCI Norfolk, Mar. 1983
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC