I am using the U.S. Census to explore my neighborhood in the 1940’s. This is a fascinating exercise as I am calling on my own memories and my older brother and sisters’ memories. My older siblings knew many neighbors who were there before my time. The Census Records of 1940 and prior years yield lots of information. As do the Town Directories for many years pre and post 1940. Registrations for the draft in World Wars 1 and 2 are a source of information. High School Yearbooks are good also. Thanks to my sister Ruth I have a History of Belmont – a publication titled Footsteps Through Belmont by Richard B. Betts – a wealth of information and old photographs. I think Ruth won it at one of her high school reunions. My brother was the Class of 1942 – a browse through his Blueprint yearbook yields memories of classmates and neighbors.
