Congregational Library and Archive

Specialties

Located in Boston’s historic Beacon Hill, the Congregational Library offers an extensive array of contemporary and classic religious material. Our collection includes a wide variety of resources on American religion, New England local and town histories, and three hundred years of records documenting the history of American Congregationalism.

Our reading room, overlooking Boston’s famous Granary Burying Ground, is open to visitors from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

With advance notice, we are happy to arrange tours for larger groups. We will look forward to seeing you!

History

Established in 1853.

The Congregational Library and Archives are administered by the American Congregational Association, a non-​profit organization founded 1853. The orginal charter stated the organization was incorporated «for the purpose of establishing and perpetuating a library of religious history and literature of New England, and for the erection of a suitable building for the accommodation of the same, and for the use of charitable societies.» It was felt that the latter should be done or the original Puritan literature would be lost.

In 1853 rooms were rented for the first small library.. The present Congregational House was completed in 1898 and was designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge.

After 1957 the Library was designated as the records repository for the General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches. In addition to these records, numerous associations, organizations and movements from the Congregational tradition have given their records to Congregational Library archives.