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Massachusetts Area Key to Genealogical Records
Introduction
One of the necessary tasks for all family history researcher is to learn about the
history and the records for the States and Counties where their ancestors lived.
My mother called this developing an "Area Key". In other words you need to know
the territory. This page represents what I have located for an Area Key for Massachusetts
so far.
Area Keys
need to contain a little history, how the area began to be settled and
organized, beginning dates of counties and parent
counties, maps, a list of towns,
information about the state records including when various types of records such
as vital records began to be kept, a list of repositories
such as archives, libraries, and internet sources that contain records,
publications and databases for the state and how we can gain access to them, and
other statewide collections such as for church organizations and lineage
societies.
If you have ancestors in Massachusetts, you would be wise to
make this make this Area Key one of your favorites so you can come back often. I
hope you will find these pages helpful in locating your ancestors.
Sincerely, Donna K. Clark
Massachusetts Statewide Genealogy Publications
Massachusetts became a state in 1788.
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Massachusetts
Census
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The following census links at Ancestry.com
take you to the page where you can enter your ancestor's name and search
for that ancestor. To search the original census page by page, scroll down
to the bottom, click on the desired state, then county, and then township. |
1790 United States Census
 - online at Ancestry.com |
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1800 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1810 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1820 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1830 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1840 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1850 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1850-1880 United States Mortality Schedules
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1860 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1870 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1880 U. S. Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1890 U. S. Veteran Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1900 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1910 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1920 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1930 United States Census
- online at Ancestry.com |
Massachusetts
Church
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pub 1855
God's remembrance of Bethel : a discourse preached before the Barnstable Conference at their annual meeting in Orleans, December 19, 1855 :
illustrating the rise, growth, decline and recovery of the churches composing that body.
 - online at Ancestry.com |
Massachusetts
Diaries and Journals
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1686-1698
Judge Samuel Sewal's Diary
- online on this site - free COMING SOON
Memoranda extracted
from Judge Samuel Sewal's Diary. He graduated at Harvard College. |
Massachusetts
Directories
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1859-1923
Massachusetts Directories
- free online at DistantCousin
View scanned images of actual city directories. When
you do a surname search a list will appear. Click on the desired
directory and locate your surname in the list of surnames for each page.
Click on the page number and view the page. This is a great resource and
it is free. |
Massachusetts
Genealogies
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1600-1692
Genealogical Dictionary of 1st Settlers of New England, by Savage
- free online |
Massachusetts
Land
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1864-1918
United States County Land Ownership Atlases, c. 1864-1918
- online at Ancestry.com |
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World-wide
www.FamilySearch.org - free index
online by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The largest collection of genealogy records is in Salt
Lake City, Utah. Their web site includes a free index to an online database
currently called the Ancestral File and other major collections including
the 1880 US Census and the 1881 United Kingdom Census.
The web site also
contains an online catalog to their massive genealogy collection. Local,
state, and country records have been gathered throughout the world. Individual lists of
U.S. statewide records can be viewed online
including one for
Massachusetts. If the record has been microfilmed it can be rented and viewed
at a Family History Center near you. Hours and addresses are available on
the Find
a Family History Center Near You web page. Access is open to everyone. |
World-wide
Massachusetts State Database
- online at Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com began gathering, indexing, and placing
genealogical records on the internet in the 1990's. Their collection not
includes thousands of genealogical records and publications. Compared to
how much they have and what you pay, the cost is reasonable. It is a great
pleasure to find your ancestors in their databases. And now with their
Free Family Tree that you
can establish on their site, their search engine can and will Search Billions of Names at Ancestry.com.
All you have to do is enter a few names and a few dates and your on your
way to discovering your ancestors. It is so easy, it is just plain fun. |
Massachusetts
Maps
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1895
United States 1895 Atlas (Massachusetts page)
- free online |
2000
Massachusetts State Map Collection - free online at geology.com
This page shows county outlines, elevations, rivers
with names, a political map showing 15 county names, and a road map with
the numbers of major highways. |
Massachusetts
Military
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1774-1783
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, 17 Vols.
 - online at Ancestry.com |
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1861-1865
History of the Fifty-fourth regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1863-1865
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1861-1865
Massachusetts soldiers, sailors, and marines in the Civil War
- online at Ancestry.com |
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1917-1918
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 (Can search by given name, even middle name)
- online at Ancestry.com |
Massachusetts
Vital
Records
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1600s-1900s
Massachusetts
Marriage Records 1600s-1900s
 -
free online list with links at GenWed
This site lists all the marriage records they can find
that are available on the internet. They even link to other web sites that
have marriage records as well as linking to their own transcribed pages.. |
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1600s-1800s
Massachusetts Vital Records 1600s-1800s
- CDs by Ancestry |
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1690-1890
Massachusetts Vital Records 1690-1890
- CD by Ancestry |
1937-present
United States Social Security Death Index
- free online at RootsWeb |
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1970-2003
Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003
- online at Ancestry.com |
Towns and Cities in Massachusetts
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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
O
P Q R S
T U V W
X Y
Z
A
Abington, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Acton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Acushnet, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Adams, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Agawam, Hampden, Massachusetts,
USA
Alford, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Amesbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Amherst, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Arlington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Ashburnham, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Ashby, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Ashfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Ashland, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Athol, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Auburn, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
B
Barre, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA
Becket, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Bedford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Belchertown, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Bellingham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Berlin, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Bernardston, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Blackinton, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Blackstone, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Blandford, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA
Bourne, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Boxborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Boxford, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Boylston, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Braintree, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Braytonville, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Brewster, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Briggsville, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Brimfield, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Brockton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Buckland, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Burlington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Byfield, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
C
Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Canton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Carlisle, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Carver, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Centre Village, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Charlemont, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Charlton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Chatham, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA
Chelmsford, Middlesex,
Massachusetts, USA
Cheshire, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Chester, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Chicopee, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Chilmark, Dukes, Massachusetts,
USA
Clarksburg, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Coleraine, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Conway, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Cummington, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
D
Dalton, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Dana, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Danvers, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,
USA
Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Dennis, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Dighton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Dorchester, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Dorchester, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Douglas, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Dover, Norfolk, Massachusetts,
USA
Dracut, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Dudley, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Dunstable, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
E
East Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Eastham, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA
Easthampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Easton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Edgartown, Dukes, Massachusetts, USA
Erving, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Essex, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
F
Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Falmouth, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Foxborough, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Franklin, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Freetown, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
G
Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Georgetown, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Gill, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Gloucester, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Gosnold, Dukes, Massachusetts,
USA
Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Great Barrington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Greenwich, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Greylock, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Granby, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Granville, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Granville Center,
Hampden, Massachusetts, USA
Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Groveland, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
H
Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Halifax, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Hamilton, Essex, Massachusetts USA
Hampden, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Hanover, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Hanson, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Hardwick, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Harvard, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Harwich, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Hatfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Hawley, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Heath, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Hindsdale, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Holden, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Holliston, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Holyoke, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Hopedale, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Hopewell, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Hopkinton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Hubbardston, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Hudson, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Hull, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Huntington, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
I
Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
K
Kingston, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
L
Lakeville, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Lanesborough, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Lawrence, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Leicester, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Leverett, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Leyden, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Lincoln, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Littleton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Longmeadow, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Ludlow, Hampden, Massachusetts,
USA
Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Lynnfield, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
M
Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Manchester, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Mansfield, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Marblehead, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Marion, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Marshfield, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Mashpee, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Mattapoisett, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Medway, Norfolk, Massachusetts,
USA
Mendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Merrimac, Essex, Massachusetts, USA.
Methuen, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Middlefield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Middleton, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Milford, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Millbury, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Millville, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Monroe, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Montgomery, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Mumdale, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Myricks, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
N
Nahant, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Nantucket, Nantucket,
Massachusetts, USA
Natick, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Needham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
New Ashford, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
New Braintree, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
New Salem, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
North Adams, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
North Agawam, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
North Andover, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
North Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Northborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Northbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
North Bridgewater,
Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
North Brookfield, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Northfield, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Norton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Norwell, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Norwich, Hampshire,
Massachusetts, USA
O
Oak Bluffs, Dukes,
Massachusetts, USA
Oakham, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Orange, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Orleans, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Otis, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Oxford, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
P
Palmer, Hampden, Massachusetts,
USA
Paxton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Peabody, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Pelham, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Pembroke, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Pepperell, Middlesex,
Massachusetts, USA
Peru, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Petersham, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Phillipston, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Pittsfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Plainville, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Plymouth, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Plympton, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Prescott, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Princeton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Provincetown, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
R
Randolph, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Raynham, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Red Mills, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Richmond, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Rochester, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Rockport, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Rowe, Franklin, Massachusetts,
USA
Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Roxbury, Suffolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Royalston, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Russell, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Rutland, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
S
Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Sandisfield, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Sandwich, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Saugus, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Seekonk, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Sharon, Norfolk, Massachusetts,
USA
Shelburne, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Sherborn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Shrewsbury, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Shirley, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Shutesbury, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Southborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
South Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
South Hadley Falls, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Spencer, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA
Sterling, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Stoneham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Stoughton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Southwick, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Stow, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Sturbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Sunderland, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Sutton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Swampscott, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
T
Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Templeton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Tewksbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Tisbury, Dukes, Massachusetts,
USA
Topsfield, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
Townsend, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Truro, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Tyngsboro, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
U
Upton, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Uxbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
W
Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Walpole, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Wareham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Warren, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Warwick, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Washington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Wayland, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Webster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Weir, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Wellesley, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA
Wellfleet, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
Wendell, Franklin,
Massachusetts, USA
Wenham, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
West Boylston, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Westborough, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
West Bridgewater,
Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
Westfield, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Westford, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
West Granville, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Westminster, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
West Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
West Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Weston, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Westport, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
West Springfield,
Hampden, Massachusetts, USA
West Tisbury, Dukes,
Massachusetts, USA
Weymouth, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Whately, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Whitinsville, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Whittenton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
Wilbraham, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA
Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Williamstown, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Wilmington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Windsor, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA
Witman, Plymouth,
Massachusetts, USA
Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA
Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
Woronoco, Hampden,
Massachusetts, USA
Worthington, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA
Wrentham, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, USA
Y
Yarmouth, Barnstable,
Massachusetts, USA
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