Are you a history buff? This hidden gem holds a collection of more than 4.5M printed works

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Local hidden gem: American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts

WORCESTER, Mass. ― Theodore Roosevelt once said, “I believe that the more you know about the past, the better you are prepared for the future.”

As Americans head to the polls in just a few weeks, it's clear humans love to reflect on the past as a way of trying to better make sense of the world today.

The American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts, knows a thing or two about history. The institution currently holds the largest collection of written work printed in the U.S. before the 20th century .

"At a time when so much can be faked, thanks to artificial intelligence, preserving and sharing the original has really never been more important," said Scott Casper, president of the American Antiquarian Society.

"It's just one of the reasons printing is so important," said Elizabeth Pope, curator of books and digitized collections. "If an original burns, it's gone, done. But if we have the ability to print copies, these historical documents, this history, it can exist in more than one place. It's really the key to keeping history alive."

An American patriot and 'Old Number One'

Founded in 1812 by Revolutionary War patriot and printer Isaiah Thomas, the society houses about two-thirds of everything printed on a printing press in the U.S. between 1640 and 1820, including more than 1,300 Hawaiian literary artifacts collected by missionaries throughout the 19th century.

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In the 1770s, Thomas was living in Boston, printing his newspaper, The Massachusetts Spy, and often holding meetings of the Sons of Liberty under his roof.

On April 16, 1775, Thomas packed up his beloved printing press and fled to Worcester, where he reassembled the press in the basement of fellow patriot Timothy Bigelow. Three days later, the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the start of the American Revolution.

The first thing to come off his printing press in Worcester was an issue of The Massachusetts Spy, dated May 3, 1775, detailing eyewitness accounts of the start of the war. The press, nicknamed Old Number One , is on display at the Antiquarian Society.

'A window into the lives of the American past'

"No other library has this range or depth documenting the everyday American life," said Casper. "Whether it's a lottery ticket, receipt, a jail record ... all of these items tell us something; we get a picture, a snapshot, a window into the lives of the American past."

The more than 4.5 million works include paper dolls, event tickets, cigar labels, letters written by young and old and even board games.

"Our goal is to really make the materials available and accessible over time and space – then, now and into the future," Pope said.

"I think that's the best part about the AAS," Casper said. "It doesn't matter if you're in Tennessee or Nevada, or even in Worcester, these works and programs are accessible."

The society runs several free public programs , the majority of which are accessible online.

Want to visit? Here's what you need to know.

The American Antiquarian Society is open Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Admission is free. The research library reading room is free and open to anyone 18 and older. Those under 18 are welcome, accompanied by a parent or guardian. The library also offers free public tours every Wednesday at 3 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Are you a history buff? This hidden gem holds a collection of more than 4.5M printed works