From the NEHGS Newsletter dated 20 June 2012

In your New England research this can help when your stuck on some details.
“NEHGS Database News
by Sam Sturgis, Digital Collections Administrator, and Ryan Woods, Director of Internet Technology
Historical Data Relating to Counties, Cities, and Towns in Massachusetts, 5th edition, 1997

This week’s featured database, launched several years ago, is a hidden gem. Essential for Massachusetts researchers, Historical Data provides summary information for counties and municipalities in the Bay State. The first edition of this book was published in 1920; the 1997 version was prepared by William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth, and published by NEHGS.

This database may be searched by the name of the municipality to find related section, village, or archaic names. Or searches of section, village, or archaic names can determine the name of the associated municipality. Pages of the original book may be viewed from the search results page. These pages include information on the dates of incorporation of the municipality and any legislated changes in territorial limits.

A useful map of Massachusetts, with county and town boundaries marked, was created by the Secretary of the Commonwealth and is reproduced on page 4 of Historical Data. Two versions of the map are available online on the Secretary’s website: cities and towns and counties, cities, and towns. “
As well there is also, when searching dates of Birth Marriage & Death, Vital records Project.  Its for Massachusetts.  Not yet totally complete it is a start in the right direction.  It is not from the orginal book.  So if your like me and have a birth or such missing you might need to go and look at the original book.