Quick question about local history

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Can anybody point me towards any books about the political/social change of Somerville in the 1970s?  It seems there's a hell of a lot I didn't know about local history, and amazingly there doesn't seem to be a lot on the Internet.  Mayor S. Lester Ralph seems to barely merit a mention, and he in particular seems fascinating.

Comments

[ron_newman]

I take it you watched the ResiStat film at the Ward 6 meeting? (I saw it at tonight's Ward 5 meeting)

I doubt there are actual books about this -- more likely newspaper and magazine articles. You might check with the Local History Room at the Somerville Public Library.

Your best bet may be to talk to folks who have been around Somerville for a long time, like Laurinda Bedingfield and Joe Lynch and Jimmy Del Ponte.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Yep, I did.

Thanks, appreciated.

Even just bits like this Wicked Local article:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/lifestyle/x986609752/All-American-City-How-women-Joe-six-pack-teachers-clergy-and-an-editor-changed-Somerville-government

Are pretty tantalizing. It seems like there's a surprisingly rich history here...and nobody around here wrote a single book about it? Baffling!

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

I was going to say: Isn't Ron such a book? B-)

[cos]

This is what I thought the Somerville Museum would be about, before the first time I went there. Ahh well.

[ron_newman]

Evelyn Battenelli at the museum is another good person to talk to. I may be misspelling her name.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Is there a city archives open to the public? My home town had one of these. Actually, our local library also had a lot of items on local history--asking a research librarian at the Somerville Public Library is probably the best bet.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Yes, there is an archive at the library. (I once traced the history of my home there.)

[fefie.livejournal.com]

Here is a fascinating document of those times, which I stumbled across a few months ago:

http://www.carlabrooksjohnston.com/index.php?view=article&catid=67%3Asomerville-massachusetts-making-democracy-work&id=165%3Asomerville-ma-1966-1972&option=com_content&Itemid=57

It's PDF by Carla Brooks Johnston, an activist here in Somerville back in those years, who went on to become a member of Mayor S. Lester Ralph's administration, and then a public official in other areas. It's a "compilation of press clips chronicles the civic activities in Somerville Massachusetts between 1966 and 1972".

The PDF is a fascinating detailed look at Somerville at that time covering some events and activism hinted at in the film the City is showing in the Resistat meetings.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

That's useful! Thanks!

[pbockelman.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing glimpse into a pivotal time in Somerville's recent history. It shows how a small group of committed citizens can help change the culture of local government. Thank you for posting it!

[ron_newman]

Other local folks you may want to talk to, who participated in some of these events: John Roderick, Kathy Moore, Larry Miller. I can try to put you in touch with them if you'd like.

Edit: Still more folks, both locally born in Somerville: Ian Judge, manager of the Somerville Theatre; Joe Lynch, who hosts the weekly Greater Somerville TV show on SCAT

[blackdove24.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing a few in the local history sections in the Borders in downtown and Back Bay, so I'd imagine the bookshops in Harvard Square would have them, maybe Porter Square books too.
That being said, I could unfortunately only find two on borders.com:
Somerville, Massachusetts: A Brief History (http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=1596294248)
Images of America: Somerville (http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=0738512907)

Hmm, I thought I remembered seeing more, so maybe this comment is less helpful than originally anticipated. : (

[ron_newman]

While the first book is worthwhile, it doesn't cover the period Dan is interested in. The second one is primarily a picture book.