12Titles
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library
Manchester, Massachusetts
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Manchester.
1872 to 2020Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
133,114Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Manchester, Massachusetts.
A story connected with Manchester can begin with a small clue. Explore the collection shared by Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library and see what its sources support. Its twelve titles include material from 1872 to 2020.
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Selected titles
A selection from Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library: “Atlas of Cape Ann” and “The Manchester Cricket Usa”.
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Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
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Ways to explore
The past of Manchester can be approached through personal interests, community questions, or classroom learning.
A promising detail may lead to another perspective rather than a complete account; allow room for uncertainty. Whether you are teaching, researching, or simply curious, the history of Manchester can offer a meaningful place to begin. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Browse twelve titles and 133,114 digitized pages, with material from 1872 to 2020. This collection is shared through Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library's partnership with Advantage Archives. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
A family story or a question about a familiar place can lead somewhere unexpected. Browse the titles below and see which detail draws you in.
Atlas of Cape Ann
66 pages in 1899
Atlas of Essex County Massachusetts 1872
132 pages in 1872
Atlas of Essex County Massachusetts 1884
230 pages in 1884
Atlas of North Shore Massachusetts
42 pages in 1919
Beetle and Wedge
296 pages from 1875 to 1877
Cape Ann Advertiser
5,346 pages from 1878 to 1889
Manchester Cricket
Page count not currently available dates not yet available
Manchester Cricket
116,648 pages from 1888 to 2017
Manchester Cricket
1,052 pages in 2018
Manchester Cricket and Essex Echo
7,080 pages from 1918 to 1927
The Manchester Cricket
1,116 pages in 2019
The Manchester Cricket Usa
1,106 pages in 2020
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More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Record the evidence as you go
What would you like to learn about the people or places connected with Manchester? Use the collection details shared by the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library to choose a source and record the title, date, and page or item reference for each useful detail. Keep the title, date, and page or item reference for useful results. Note unsuccessful searches and unanswered questions as well.
Before following another lead, save the title, date, and page or item reference shown with the source. Compare that evidence with the question that brought you here, and let what the source does and does not show shape a thoughtful next search.
Keep source details beside each quotation or observation. If accounts differ, preserve both references and note what remains unresolved. Let the evidence, rather than a smooth retelling, show where the sources agree and where the story is still open.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Public Library, its community, and Advantage Archives. Together, these partnerships preserve local sources and give people a way to explore, learn from, and share the history around them.
Advantage Archives covers ongoing archive hosting, storage, development, and maintenance. The institution and its community do not pay a subscription, seat license, annual support contract, or other recurring archive-service charge. Local history remains a community resource, not a subscription to maintain.
Would you like to see more of your community's history preserved and accessible? Start a conversation with your library, newspaper publisher, historical or genealogical society, museum, or school about the materials they would like to share and a possible partnership with Advantage Archives.
Learn about partnerships
Stories, research tips, and archive news
Read All About It connects archive research with the people and institutions preserving local history. Explore partner and community stories, project updates, research ideas, and perspectives on digitization, education, and working with primary sources. Use the articles as a starting point for your next question or a new way to share a discovery.
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Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
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This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
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March 18, 2025
It’s Your Community’s History, So Why Rent Something You Own?
We believe that history belongs to the communities where it was made - not locked behind paywalls or inaccessible due to budget restrictions. Subscription-based services and large content aggregators are generally more concerned with "content" and less concerned with the history that content contains. Their models typically involve a reoccurring charge for a plan that renews annually or licensing agreements with the library based on population served or circulation numbers. You are essentially Renting Access To YOUR History.
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