New exhibit: Vital Records

Certified copy of birth certificate, 1931
Certified copy of birth certificate, 1931

Vital records are the most basic paperwork of human life, the tangible evidence of the three most important events: birth, death and marriage. In Massachusetts, these events have been registered at the local level since 1635 and formally collected by the state since 1841.  On display this month are a few examples of the forms that vital records take.  Stop by and take a look.