The Beverly Center Business District encompasses much of the historic 19th century commercial heart of
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly incl ...
. Centered on Cabot and Church Streets between Central Street and the Beverly Common, its architecture reflects the city's growth over 150 years. The district was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1984.
Description and history
The city of Beverly is located on the
North Shore of
, just northeast of
Salem
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
, from which it is separated by the
Danvers River. The city at first grew up around its waterfront on the river, but its present commercial business center took shape in the 19th century, with the arrival of the railroad (in 1839), and the subsequent development of a major shoe industry. Its downtown area is mostly reflective of late 19th and early 20th century commercial development, although significant reminders of its maritime past survive as well.
The historic district is centered on a stretch of Cabot Street, extending north from Central Street to a central junction with Federal and Church Streets. It then runs along Church Street to Dane Street, where Beverly Common extends along Dane Street all the way to Hale. The district includes properties on some adjacent side streets. There are more than 100 historically significant buildings, including the city's major municipal buildings and churches, as well as a significant amount of commercial property. Prominent buildings include Beverly City Hall, the 1781 Federal style mansion of one of the city's early important merchants, Andrew Cabot, and the
John Cabot House, built by Andrew's brother, which now serves as the headquarters of the Beverly Historical Society. The
Odd Fellows' Hall, located opposite city hall, is a high-style Late Gothic commercial block.
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See also
*
References
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Historic districts in Essex County, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts