1Title
Explore publications and collections from the past.
Community History Archive Partner
Yarmouth Historical Society
Yarmouth, Maine
Explore this community history collection to discover the people, places, organizations, and events of Yarmouth.
1953 to 1995Dates represented
See individual titles for available dates.
85,152Archive pages
Historical pages reported for this collection.
Explore local history
Discover the people, places, and stories of Yarmouth, Maine.
Consider how daily life in Yarmouth may have changed over time, and explore the collection shared by Yarmouth Historical Society with that in mind. The archive includes The Shopping Notes, with material from 1953 to 1995.
Opens in a new tab.
-
Selected title
Begin with “The Shopping Notes”, shared by Yarmouth Historical Society.
-
Free and open access
No subscription or payment required.
-
Ways to explore
Start with one question, then note what the material helps you establish and what still needs investigation.
The collection may offer another perspective on a question you bring to it; use what is documented to guide your next step. Share what you learn about Yarmouth with family, classmates, or neighbors, and invite them to bring their own questions. Explore the archive online for free, without a subscription.
Explore the collection
Titles in this collection
Explore The Shopping Notes through 85,152 digitized pages, with material from 1953 to 1995. Through a partnership with Advantage Archives, Yarmouth Historical Society shares these sources from the past. Some years or items may be missing between the dates shown.
Begin with the question that brings you here. The source may offer a clue, a different perspective or a new question to explore.
The Shopping Notes
85,152 pages from 1953 to 1995
Opens in a new tab.
About the Archive
About The Yarmouth Historical Society’s History Archives
The Yarmouth Historical Society provides free access to The Shopping Notes (1953-1992),, which illuminates the rich history of Yarmouth, Maine, and its surrounding areas. In collaboration with Advantage Archives, the society has digitized The Shopping Notes, making it readily accessible for community members to explore their local history.
The Community History Archive includes a significant collection of publications, serving as a key resource for research, genealogy, and local history enthusiasts. This digital archive acts as a practical resource, offering a “portal to your community’s past” where users can discover significant people, places, and events in Yarmouth's history.
About the Society
About The Yarmouth Historical Society
The Yarmouth Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of Yarmouth, Maine. Established in 1960, the society collects and curates artifacts, photographs, documents, and other materials related to the town's rich past. The Yarmouth History Center, operated by the society, serves as a vibrant hub for educational programs, exhibits, and community events. The Yarmouth History Center features diverse displays highlighting the town’s maritime heritage, early settlement, local industries, and notable figures. The society also maintains an extensive archive of historical records, genealogical resources, and oral histories, providing valuable research opportunities for history enthusiasts and scholars.
Institution History
The History Of The Yarmouth Historical Society
The Yarmouth Historical Society has been a cornerstone of the community since its inception in 1960. Its mission to collect and preserve Yarmouth’s historical records and artifacts has made it an essential institution for understanding the town’s past. The society's efforts have grown over the years, fostering a deeper appreciation for Yarmouth’s cultural heritage. Through its partnership with Advantage Archives, the society has digitized significant historical documents, including "The Shopping Notes," ensuring that these valuable resources are accessible to all. This commitment to preserving history ensures that Yarmouth’s story is discoverable and appreciated by future generations.
About the Community
About The Town of Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Maine, situated in Cumberland County, has a rich historical background. Originally inhabited by the Abenaki Nation, the area was settled by European colonists in the 17th century, quickly becoming a hub of trade and industry, particularly in shipbuilding. Today, Yarmouth is known for its picturesque coastal landscapes, vibrant community life, and dedication to preserving its historical legacy. The Yarmouth Historical Society plays a crucial role in maintaining and promoting this legacy, offering a window into the town's past for both residents and visitors.
Local History
Did You Know?
Did you know that "The Shopping Notes" was initially created as an advertising flyer in 1952 by Ken Larrabee to promote his Yarmouth Dollar Store's after-Christmas sale? Over the years, it evolved into a beloved local newspaper, serving the community for nearly seven decades.
More ways to explore and share local history
Research Guidance
Build a path another reader can retrace
Explore a person, organization, or place connected with Yarmouth through the descriptions in the collection details shared by the Yarmouth Historical Society. Keep a possible connection distinct from a confirmed one until the source details support it. Keep a concise record of the words you searched, the sources you checked, and the references you found. This makes the next step easier to evaluate.
Keep useful and unsuccessful searches in the same research trail. Try a related name, place, organization, or period where the collection allows, and check each result in context before extending it into a family or community story. Note which source supports each connection.
A research trail is most useful when it leaves room for what is not yet known. Record the title, date, and page or item reference where available, along with what remains uncertain and which question you want to follow next. Those details help keep a possible connection from becoming an unsupported conclusion.
Community Partnership
Keeping local history a community resource
This community archive is made possible by the collaboration of the Yarmouth Historical Society, 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.
May 7, 2025
Why Microfilm is still important in 2023
Preserving documents on microfilm has been a popular method of storage for many years, and it still holds many benefits today. Here…
Read article
May 7, 2025
Don’t Search For An Obituary By Only Searching For An “Obituary”
In the quest to trace our roots and understand our heritage, obituaries often serve as a crucial starting point. Obituaries are undoubtedly…
Read article
April 9, 2025
Unveiling the Hidden Mysteries: Exploring Cold Cases and Unconventional Clues
Even the most esteemed police forces in the county encounter perplexing cold case files. These unsolved mysteries often leave investigators and genealogists…
Read article
April 1, 2025
This Week in History: March 31st through April 6th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. This week in history, there is absolutely nothing to talk about… April Fools! April…
Read article
March 24, 2025
This Week in History: March 24th through March 30th
Discover History in The Community History Archives. It has officially been a year since I started writing This Week in History,…
Read article
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.
Read article