Archives Mission

The BPDA Archives preserves and makes accessible the permanent and historical (at least 50 years old) records of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). Our holdings include Urban Renewal records, City Planning records, meeting minutes, correspondence, photographs, and more.

Role at the Agency

The Archives is responsible for managing and preserving historical records of the Agency and providing access to those records to researchers and the public. We are working to create finding aids for our collections.

Some of our most requested items include:

  • Aerial Photos of Boston circa 1930
  • City Planning Board Land Use Maps by Neighborhood (1930s–1950s)
  • Audio recordings from April 24, 1957 Public Hearing – West End
  • Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) Meeting Minutes (1957–current)
  • Urban Renewal Acquisition Appraisals and Property Files (1957–approximately 1970)

Organization

Within the organization, the Archives is accountable to the Director of Compliance and the Executive Director/Secretary. To request active records, please fill out the Public Records Request form.