Newton Talks was created in December 2015 after then-Mayor Setti Warren expressed interest in more inter-departmental projects in the city of Newton. Historic Newton, the Newton Free Library, and the Newton Senior Center worked together to develop the idea for the project, and the first interviews were conducted in March 2016.
Interviews were initially conducted in phases, beginning with veterans who had a connection to Newton, and then relatives of veterans, immigrants, and long-term residents of Newton. In 2019, the project expanded to include a wider range of voices.
Over the years, Newton Talks has fostered community partnerships across the city, including student groups at both Newton South and Newton North High Schools, local hospice providers, and Veterans Services.
In December 2016, Newton Talks applied for a preservation grant for Veterans Collections, Monuments and Memorials from the State Historical Records Advisory Board (SHRAB). Funding was awarded to the project in 2017, and allowed for transcription of veterans' interviews, restoration of select interview files, long-term storage of interview materials, and the purchase of a state of the art audio recording kit.
As of 2019, over 50 interviews have been conducted, transcribed, and made available to the public through Newton Talks.