Scope and Content: Bridgewater, Mass., was the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887), for paupers convicted of misdemeanors as well as paupers generally (from 1872), and incorrigible juveniles (1869-1948). The State Workhouse was renamed the State Farm (1887-1955), which also included a State Farm Hospital for the medical needs of all inmates, as well as locals and poor admitted solely for medical treatment. The change in name was in deference to the admission of insane male paupers (1886), although it was  followed by the admission of aged and physically or mentally infirm inmates of the State Prison (1890). Insane admissions were then limited for a time to criminals (1894), forming a division called the State Asylum for Insane Criminals (1895), which was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital (1909). Units at Bridgewater were later added for female prisoners (1909-1930), so-called defective delinquents (males from 1922, females 1926-1954)–mentally impaired inmates requiring segregation from standard inmate or institutionalized populations–and for drug and alcohol addicts (from 1922, females to 1930 only), eventually mostly voluntary admissions. All Bridgewater State Farm facilities and divisions (including prison, almshouse, insane, and medical hospital functions) were administered by a common superintendent. The running of the State Farm, including industries and extensive agricultural operations, relied on work performed by all capable inmates.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: Bridgewater, Mass., was the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887), for paupers convicted of misdemeanors as well as paupers generally (from 1872), and incorrigible juveniles (1869-1948). The State Workhouse was renamed the State Farm (1887-1955), which also included a State Farm Hospital for the medical needs of all inmates, as well as locals and poor admitted solely for medical treatment. The change in name was in deference to the admission of insane male paupers (1886), although it was  followed by the admission of aged and physically or mentally infirm inmates of the State Prison (1890). Insane admissions were then limited for a time to criminals (1894), forming a division called the State Asylum for Insane Criminals (1895), which was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital (1909). Units at Bridgewater were later added for female prisoners (1909-1930), so-called defective delinquents (males from 1922, females 1926-1954)–mentally impaired inmates requiring segregation from standard inmate or institutionalized populations–and for drug and alcohol addicts (from 1922, females to 1930 only), eventually mostly voluntary admissions. All Bridgewater State Farm facilities and divisions (including prison, almshouse, insane, and medical hospital functions) were administered by a common superintendent. The running of the State Farm, including industries and extensive agricultural operations, relied on work performed by all capable inmates.
Arrangement: Arranged by project, chronologically
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Scope and Content: Bridgewater, Mass., was the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887), for paupers convicted of misdemeanors as well as paupers generally (from 1872), and incorrigible juveniles (1869-1948). The State Workhouse was renamed the State Farm (1887-1955), which also included a State Farm Hospital for the medical needs of all inmates, as well as locals and poor admitted solely for medical treatment. The change in name was in deference to the admission of insane male paupers (1886), although it was  followed by the admission of aged and physically or mentally infirm inmates of the State Prison (1890). Insane admissions were then limited for a time to criminals (1894), forming a division called the State Asylum for Insane Criminals (1895), which was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital (1909). Units at Bridgewater were later added for female prisoners (1909-1930), so-called defective delinquents (males from 1922, females 1926-1954)–mentally impaired inmates requiring segregation from standard inmate or institutionalized populations–and for drug and alcohol addicts (from 1922, females to 1930 only), eventually mostly voluntary admissions. All Bridgewater State Farm facilities and divisions (including prison, almshouse, insane, and medical hospital functions) were administered by a common superintendent. The running of the State Farm, including industries and extensive agricultural operations, relied on work performed by all capable inmates.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Box 1:  1883-1891. Box 2: 1891-1907. Box 3: 1907-1912
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Scope and Content: Bridgewater, Mass., was the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887), for paupers convicted of misdemeanors as well as paupers generally (from 1872), and incorrigible juveniles (1869-1948). The State Workhouse was renamed the State Farm (1887-1955), which also included a State Farm Hospital for the medical needs of all inmates, as well as locals and poor admitted solely for medical treatment. The change in name was in deference to the admission of insane male paupers (1886), although it was  followed by the admission of aged and physically or mentally infirm inmates of the State Prison (1890). Insane admissions were then limited for a time to criminals (1894), forming a division called the State Asylum for Insane Criminals (1895), which was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital (1909). Units at Bridgewater were later added for female prisoners (1909-1930), so-called defective delinquents (males from 1922, females 1926-1954)–mentally impaired inmates requiring segregation from standard inmate or institutionalized populations–and for drug and alcohol addicts (from 1922, females to 1930 only), eventually mostly voluntary admissions. All Bridgewater State Farm facilities and divisions (including prison, almshouse, insane, and medical hospital functions) were administered by a common superintendent. The running of the State Farm, including industries and extensive agricultural operations, relied on work performed by all capable inmates.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: The director of campaign and political finance administers through this office the laws of the Commonwealth regulating political campaigns.  Before it may receive or expend monies, a political committee for county or statewide office must file a statement of organization with the director, including a statement of acceptance signed by the committee’s treasurer, who thereby qualifies for the office (MGLA c 55, s 2).
Arrangement: In three subseries: (1) –(2) political action committees, 1982-1995; (3) Wards, towns, cities, 1984-1999; Arranged alphabetically by candidate name; (boxes 1-3) –arranged numerically (box 4) –arranged alphabetically by locality: Democratic (boxes 5-6), Republican (boxes 7-8)
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Scope and Content:  The Office of Geographic Information in Massachusetts (known also as the Massachusetts Geographic Information System (MassGIS) and renamed in 2014 as noted below) has been the designation for the unit of geographic information assigned to the collection, storage, and dissemination of geographic data. MassGIS manages, maintains, and provides access through web mapping services and data download to the state’s geographic information database. –MassGIS was developed by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA). Appropriations bill St 1985, c 140 (item 2050-0200) funded a feasibility study for a geographic information system for environmental data under the Hazardous Waste Facility Site Safety Council division of EOEA. St 1987, c 199 (item 2050-0200) funded the implementation of the geographic information system. The Hazardous Waste Facility Site Safety Council ceased to meet as a body after St 1995, c 38, s 2 (item 2000-0100), and its functions were transferred to the office of the Secretary of Environmental Affairs. St 1998, c 194, s 63 established within the EOEA an Office of Geographic and Environmental Information, the name later shortened as above. –In 2010, the Secretary of Administration and Finance convened a task force to determine the future of MassGIS. Due to its increased focus on non-environmental agencies, the recommendation was made to move MassGIS to the Administration and Finance secretariat’s Information Technology Division (ITD). St 2010, c 56, s 10D transferred the core functions of MassGIS from EOEA to the ITD. In 2014, the ITD was replaced by the Office of Information Technology (MassIT) as the state’s lead executive agency for technology and innovation, at which time the geographic unit was officially renamed Bureau of Geographic Information (St 2014, c 165, s 2/MGLA c 7D, s 5).\

Arrangement: 4 subseries

Notes: Accessioned as State orthophoto files

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Scope and Content: To assist the Dept. of Mental Health in ensuring that there were adequate services for mentally ill and mentally retarded people in Massachusetts, the department’s evaluation unit conducted mental surveys and assessments of services in 1976 and 1978.  Surveys and assessments (on photocopied forms) were completed by area and regional department staff.
Arrangement: Arranged by service region and area
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Scope and Content: The Division of Academic Affairs under the Board of Regents of Higher Education is responsible for evaluating academic programs of public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts and for participating in statewide long-range educational planning.  Program review files contain comparative reports on specific subject areas such as business administration, engineering, and nursing at institutions across the state.
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Scope and Content: The Board of Registration of Medicine, established in 1894, was placed within the Division of Registration (Dept. of Civil Service and Registration) in 1919.  It was replaced by the Board of Registration and Discipline in Medicine as of 1976, renamed the Board of Registration in Medicine again in 1979.
Arrangement: Arranged by category, thereunder alphabetically by physician
Restrictions: Restricted series: Personal and personal medical information restricted by statutory provision; MGLA c 4, s 7, cl 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access, consult repository
Notes: Box 1: Deceased physicians as of Aug. 1987. Boxes 2-3: Physicians no longer in board system as of Aug. 1987.  Files closed, 1990-1997. Boxes 4-9: Deceased physicians. Boxes 10-18: Retired physicians. Boxes 19-20: Resigned physicians
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Scope and Content: The Cambridge Bridge Commission was established in 1898 to administer construction of a bridge spanning the Charles River between Boston and Cambridge, to be known as the Cambridge (later Longfellow) Bridge.  Series was created to manage procurement and testing of construction supplies of steel.
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