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Community History Archives

Community History Archive Partner

Thomaston Public Library

Thomaston, Connecticut

Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Thomaston.

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6Titles

Explore publications and collections from the past.

1880 to 2016Dates represented

See individual titles for available dates.

119,104Archive pages

Historical pages reported for this collection.

Explore local history

Discover the people, places, and stories of Thomaston, Connecticut.

Explore the past of Thomaston, Connecticut through newspapers as well as yearbooks and annuals in the Thomaston Public Library's digital archive. Its six titles include material from 1880 to 2016.

You can open the archive using the link below.
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  • Selected titles

    Explore titles such as “Connecticut Western” and “Thomaston High School Yearbook”, shared by Thomaston Public Library.

  • Free and open access

    No subscription or payment required.

  • Different views of the past

    Newspaper pages connect individual accounts with a wider story, preserving how events were reported and presented to the readers of the day. Yearbooks and annuals bring together the people and activities their editors chose to remember, offering a view of life within a particular year.

Reporting from the time can reveal how people described the events, work and concerns of their day, placing a local story within the history unfolding around it. Whether you are tracing a family connection, exploring a local event or sharing history with a class, there is more to discover than names and dates alone. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.

Explore the collection

Titles in this collection

Browse six titles and 119,104 digitized pages, with material from 1880 to 2016. Through a partnership with Advantage Archives, Thomaston Public Library shares these sources from the past. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.

Bring a person, place or date you recognize, and browse the titles below for a first clue in the story you want to follow.

Connecticut Western

32 pages in 1971

Express

29,044 pages from 1970 to 1991

OWL

232 pages in 1979

Thomaston Express

71,644 pages from 1880 to 2000

Thomaston Express And Terryville Eagle

120 pages in 1955

Thomaston High School Yearbook

18,032 pages from 1927 to 2016

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About the Library

About The Thomaston Public Library

The Thomaston Public Library is a cornerstone of community engagement and education in Thomaston, Connecticut. It is dedicated to fostering a welcoming atmosphere where individuals can explore, connect, and grow. The library provides a wide range of programs and resources, including access to historical documents, community events, and educational workshops designed to enhance personal development and promote lifelong learning. Its commitment to accessibility ensures that all community members can benefit from its extensive offerings.

Thomaston Public Library photo 1

Library History

The History Of The Thomaston Public Library

The Thomaston Public Library traces its origins back to 1880 when it was established as the Laura Andrews Free Library and Benevolent Association, thanks to a generous gift from Seth E. Thomas, Jr. The library transitioned to a town library in 1898, marking a pivotal moment in its history. Over the years, it has undergone several expansions and renovations to meet the needs of the growing community. Significant contributions, such as Andrew Carnegie's donation in 1906, helped secure its physical presence in the town. By 1971, the library had moved to a new building, and subsequent renovations have ensured it remains a vital educational resource for future generations.

About the Community

About The Thomaston, Connecticut

Thomaston, located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, is steeped in rich history and cultural significance. Founded in the early 18th century, it was originally known for its manufacturing and industrial activities, particularly in the production of clock components. Thomaston has maintained its historical charm, with numerous preserved buildings and sites that tell the story of its development. The community takes pride in its local history, and institutions like the Thomaston Public Library play a crucial role in preserving and sharing that history with residents and visitors alike.

Local History

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Thomaston Public Library not only preserves historical documents but also offers unique programs such as local author showcases and workshops on digital literacy? These initiatives help to connect the community with its cultural assets while fostering a love of learning and exploration. The library stands as a testament to the town's commitment to making history accessible and engaging for all.

More ways to explore and share local history

Research Guidance

Look beyond a familiar name

A school story from Thomaston may begin with a class, activity, or organization. Use the dated pages in the yearbooks and annuals shared by the Thomaston Public Library to follow that clue across a volume, and compare another source before treating a similar name as the same student. What a yearbook chose to celebrate reflects its publication and its time, not necessarily the full range of life in the community.

Where the available dates overlap, use a name, activity, or organization in a yearbook or annual as a starting point for a newspaper search. Compare the details carefully; a similar name is a lead to investigate, not an identification by itself.

Keep the title, date, page or item reference with each useful finding. Separate the words in a historical account from your interpretation, and note conflicting perspectives rather than choosing one too quickly. These notes help you connect a local story to its evidence and explain what remains uncertain.

Review collection titles

Community Partnership

Keeping local history a community resource

This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Thomaston 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
Read All About It

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.

Newest published articles

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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