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
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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)
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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.
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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.
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)
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission was created for the purpose of extending and increasing the water supply to the Massachusetts metropolitan water system (St 1926, c 375).  The commission was authorized to purchase or take land in the watersheds of the Swift and Ware rivers to develop the Quabbin Reservoir.  Series was created as a survey of a study of five methods of constructing the main dam of the Quabbin Reservoir and was not meant to be used by contractors.
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC