Find published overviews of Newton history and additional resources below. For specific questions, make a research request. You may also find information at the Newton Free Library.

Published Histories of Newton

History of Newton by Francis Jackson (published 1854) contains biographical information on Newton’s founding families.

History of Newton by Samuel Francis Smith, D.D. (published in 1889) covers village histories, education, religious and civic life in Newton.

King’s Handbook of Newton by M.F. Sweetser (published in 1889) written as a travelogue through each village, with many lovely images.

Tercentenary History of Newton 1630-1930 by Henry K. Rowe (published in 1930) condenses Smith’s history and expands into the 20th century.

Published Histories of Middlesex County, Including Newton:

 History of Middlesex County: Containing Carefully Prepared Histories of Every Town in the by Well-Known Writers; and a General History of the County from the Earliest to the Present Time, by Samuel Adams Drake, published in 1880.

 Biographical Review, Vol. 27: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, published in 1898.

Additional Resources

Newton Zoning History 1922 -1953  For almost a century, Newton’s zoning debates have focused largely on whether and where to allow houses for more than one family. These images and information, originally presented as a lecture by Alice Ingerson, retrace how and why major zoning decisions from 1922-1953 increasingly restricted multifamily housing in Newton.

The Civil Rights Movement in Newton 1950s-1970s This booklet by Katherine Jones with Lillie Jefferson and Nina L. King chronicles Civil Rights activities in Newton.