The Walpole Public Library collects materials and records of special interest to Walpole residents. These local history materials and records are collected in multiple formats and may include print, microfilm and electronic copies. Many of these collections are not complete and the Walpole Public Library will happily accept donations to help us complete them.
Histories of Walpole
- Early Notes on Walpole by Mrs. Porter Boyden
- Geologic History of Walpole by Charles W. Hardy and Robert Coviello, (Walpole School Department,1975)
- History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1622-1918, volume 1 by Cook, Louis Atwood (1918)
- History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts: with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, volume 1 by Hurd, Duane Hamilton (1884)
- A History of Walpole by Maude R. Graves (Walpole Times, February 11, 1922)
- A history of Walpole, Mass. : from the earliest of times with illustrations by Isaac Newton Lewis. A print copy of this volume is also available for check out. The call number for this book is 974.4 LEW 1905.
- History of the Walpole Schools by Karl H. West, Jr.
- I Remember When by Carolyn Towle
- Our land and its settlers
- Pondville Hospital: 1927-1969 by Daland, Ernest M. (Massachusetts Department of Public Health)
- The Story of Walpole, 1724 – 1924 by Willard De Lue. Print copies of the volume are also available for check out. The call number for this book is 974.4 DEL 1925.
- Town Seal of Walpole [2 articles, respectively] by Harry A. Whiting (1919) and (Mrs.) Edna Buck Field
- Walpole Historical Notes by Dana Robbins (1939)
- Walpole Historic House Tour 2004 by House Tour Committee (informational brochure)
- Walpole in the Revolution for the Walpole D.A.R., October 1962
- Walpole, Massachusetts in 1860 from Historical and Statistical Gazetteer of Massachusetts by Jeremiah Spofford, M.D., 1860
Historic Walpole Maps
- Early Maps of Walpole, Massachusetts Compiled for the Walpole Historical Society by Frank Larrabie (1966)
- Walpole Atlas by Hardy, Charles and Robert Coviello
- Walpole, Massachusetts Maps from Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center
Newpapers
- Foxboro Gazette, 1874-1875 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room.
- Foxboro Times, 1881-1886 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room.
- Foxboro Courier, 1882 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room.
- Walpole Star, 1882-1885 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room.
- Foxboro Reporter, 1884-1890, 1891-1900 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room.
- Walpole Enterprise, 1901-1915 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room. Library also has copies of this newspaper on microfilm.
- Walpole Times, 1915-2021 – Keyword searchable PDF located in the Walpole Room. Library also has copies of this newspaper on microfilm. Search online issues of the Walpole Times for the years 2009 through 2019.
Resident & Business Directories
- Resident and business directory of Medfield and Walpole 1884-5 – Walpole portion only. Business directory begins page 28 of PDF, page 81 of directory. Resident directory begins page 38 of the PDF, page 91 of the directory.
- Resident and business directory of Medfield and Walpole 1886-7 – Walpole portion only. Resident directory begins page 11 of the PDF, page 47 of the directory. Business directory begins page 35 of PDF, page 69 of directory.
- Resident and business directory of Norwood and Walpole, Massachusetts 1893 – Walpole portion only. Resident directory begins page 34 of the PDF, page 145 of the directory. Business directory begins page 66 of PDF, page 177 of directory.
- Resident and business directory of Norwood and Walpole Massachusetts 1897 – Walpole portion only. Resident directory begins page 13 of the PDF, page 103 of the directory. Business directory begins page 59 of PDF, page 145 of directory.
- Resident and business directory of Norwood and Walpole, Massachusetts 1900 – Walpole portion only. Resident directory begins page 17 of the PDF, page 179 of the directory. Business directory begins page 35 of PDF, page 69 of directory.
- Resident and business directory of Norwood and Walpole, Massachusetts. – Library has the 1906, 1909, 1911, and 1918 directories in the Walpole Room.
- Walpole Chamber of Commerce Business and Resource Directory – 2001 edition located in the Walpole Room,
Town Annual and Other Reports
- Annual reports of officers and committees of the town of Walpole. – Library has 1871-1883, 1885-1886, 1889 – current reports. Searchable PDF copies for the 2009 – current Annual reports can be found on the Town Clerks page of the Town of Walpole website. The following reports are also available online: 1859-60, 1864, 1866, 1869, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1898, 1903, 1919
- Valuation and tax of the personal and real estate in the town of Walpole – Library has 1892 and every fifth year from 1905 to 1960. Town of Walpole Assessor’s online database can be found here.
- Street list of persons seventeen years of age and upward … Town of Walpole – Library has following years: 1928, 1936-1937, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1945, 1949-2017
- Early records of the Town of Dedham [Walpole to 1724] [Link to Internet Archive Digital and downloadable content]
- Town meeting records, 1724-1900.
- Communitywide Historic Properties Report
- Walpole Historic Resources Inventory Project 1967-1982 – Walpole Historical Commission
- Town planning for small communities – Walpole Town Planning Committee (1917)
- Town of Walpole Aquifer Protection Study (July 1985)
Vital Records & Census
- Vital records of Walpole, Massachusetts, to the year 1850 or here
- 1790 Walpole Census
- 1810 Walpole Census
- 1830 Walpole Census
- 1850 Walpole Census
- Early Population of Walpole (1765 – 1900)
The follow information can be access through PDF format and microfilm in the Walpole Room:
- Births, Marriages, Deaths, 1721-1789
- Births, 1855-1896
- Deaths, 1856-1900
- Marriages, 1854-1900
- Index of Births, 1850-1949
- Index of Marriages, 1845-1949
Yearbooks
- The Rebel : Walpole high school yearbook – The library’s collection includes 1943-1946, 1948-1953, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961-1996, 1998-2013, 2016-2017, 2019
Postcard Collection
