Amesbury is a city in
Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the left bank of the
Merrimack River near its mouth, upstream from
Salisbury and across the river from
Newburyport and
West Newbury. The
population was 17,366 at the
2020 United States Census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
.
A former farming and
mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories, usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe
Italy
* ''Crespi d'Adda'', UNESCO World Her ...
, Amesbury is today largely residential. It is one of the two northernmost towns in Massachusetts (the other being neighboring
Salisbury).
History
Settlement period
In 1637, the first English settler in the Salisbury-Amesbury region, John Bayly, crossed the
Merrimack River from the new settlement at
Newbury, built a log cabin, and began to clear the land for cultivation. He intended to send for his wife and children in England, but they never joined him.
[.] He and his hired man, William Schooler, were arrested for a murder Schooler had committed.
Schooler was hanged for the murder but Bayly was acquitted.
Given the fishing rights on the river by the subsequent settlement, provided he would sell only to it, he abandoned agriculture for fishing.
On September 6, 1638, the
General Court of Massachusetts created a plantation on behalf of several petitioners from Newbury, on the left bank of the Merrimack, as far north as
Hampton, to be called Merrimac.
[.] They were given permission to associate together as a township.
The area remained in possession of the tribes along the Merrimack, who hunted and fished there.
The settlers of the plantation, who entered
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630–1691), more formally the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, was an English settlement on the east coast of North America around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the ...
, were rebels in a cause that was settled by the
English Civil War (1642–1651).
Although nominally subjects of the crown, they did not obey it.
The settlers maintained close ties with the Parliamentary cause in Britain.
The supreme government of the colony was the General Court, which functioned autonomously, passing its own laws, establishing courts, incorporating townships and providing for the overall defense of the colony.
They established a Puritan church rather than the Church of England.
In the early spring of 1639, approximately 60 planters took up residence on land cleared by the natives. In May, an elected planning committee laid out the green, the initial streets, the burial ground, and the first division into lots, apportioning the size of a lot to the wealth of the settler. In November, the General Court appointed a government of six, which required that every lot owner take up residence on his lot. They began to assign lots west of the Pow-wow river. The town was originally named Colchester, but was renamed Salisbury in October 1640, potentially at the suggestion of Christopher Batt, from
Salisbury, England.
Batt trained the militia in the town.
The incorporation of the town granted it legal recognition by the colony to a township of that name, with its own government, empowered by citizens populating a territory of legally defined boundaries.
The original Salisbury was many times larger than the present. From it several townships were later separated.
On January 12, 1641, a town meeting ordered the first roads north and west of the Pow-wow River to be built.
[.] On April 21, another meeting granted William Osgood 50 acres of "upland" and 10 of "meadow" along the Pow-wow River, provided he build a
sawmill for the town to use. It utilized a water wheel driven by the Pow-wow River.
The mill produced lumber for local use and pipe-staves for export.
A
gristmill was added to the Pow-wow river location in 1642.
[.] The Powwow River provided
water power for a subsequent mill complex.
In 1642, the town wanted families to take up residence west of the Pow-wow and form a "New Town." No volunteers responded.
In 1643, the General Court divided Massachusetts Bay Colony into four counties: Essex, Norfolk, Middlesex and Suffolk.
[.] Norfolk contained Salisbury, Hampton, Haverhill, Exeter, Dover, and Strawberry Bank (Portsmouth).
This division was a legal convenience based on the distribution of courts.
Since the first establishment of four courts on March 3, 1635, the General Court had found it necessary to multiply and distribute courts, so that the magistrates would not spend time in travel that they needed for settling case loads. The main requirement for membership in a shire was incorporation.
[.]
Private occupation of the west bank of the Pow-wow River went on as East Salisbury citizens sold their property and moved to New Town.
[.] However, New Town remained a paper construct without enforcement.
On January 14, 1654, articles of agreement adopted at town meeting divided Salisbury into Old Town and New Town, each to conduct its own affairs.
The border was the Pow-wow.
The agreement went into effect on January 19, 1655. In New Town, a new government was voted in, which claimed authority over "all matters of publicke concernment." They still paid taxes to Old Town and expected services from it. The board of Old Town contained some members from New Town for fair representation. This agreement also was known as a "settlement".
On May 26, 1658, New Town petitioned the General Court for independent town status, but the Old Town denied the petition.
[.] The Old Town required all inhabitants, including those in the New Town, to attend church in Old Town and fined settlers for each missed meeting
The church and preacher were maintained from taxes.
Minister Joseph Peasley of New Town and his congregation attempting to defy the General Court were summoned into District Court at Ipswich "to answer for their disobedience", were fined there and Peasly was enjoined from preaching.
Another petition for separation was denied in 1660.
The burden of attending church several miles away became so great that New Town built a new meeting house and requested the General Court to find a preacher.
The court yielded to the petition of 1666, granting the "liberty of a township" to New Town.
The town was unofficially incorporated, meaning a government was constituted and officers elected, on June 15.
It was named New Salisbury, but in 1667 the name was changed to Amesbury on the analogy of
Amesbury
Amesbury () is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is known for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is within the parish. The town is claimed to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, having been first settle ...
, England, which was next to Salisbury, England.
[.] Amesbury was officially granted incorporation under that name on April 29, 1668.
After
King Phillips War (1675–1678), an effort by the natives to rid themselves of the colonists, the Royal Province of New Hampshire was created and took away several towns in northern Norfolk shire.
Massachusetts was reduced in size from most of New England to roughly its current borders. The Court dissolved Norfolk Shire, transferring Salisbury and Amesbury to Essex County.
In 1876,
Merrimac was created out of West Amesbury. In 1886, West Salisbury was annexed to Amesbury, unifying the mill areas on both banks of the Pow-wow River.
Post-settlement
Beginning as a modest farming community, it developed a maritime and industrial economy.
Shipbuilding,
shipping and
fishing were also important.
The
ferry
A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...
across the
Merrimack River to
Newburyport was a business until the construction of bridges to cross the river.
Newton
Newton most commonly refers to:
* Isaac Newton (1642–1726/1727), English scientist
* Newton (unit), SI unit of force named after Isaac Newton
Newton may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Newton'' (film), a 2017 Indian film
* Newton ( ...
,
New Hampshire, was set off from Amesbury in 1741, when the
border between the two colonies was adjusted.
In the 19th century,
textile mills were built at the falls,
as was a nail-making factory. Beginning around 1800, Amesbury began building carriages, a trade which evolved into the manufacture of automobile bodies.
Prominent manufacturers included
Walker Body Company,
Briggs Carriage Company
The Briggs Carriage Company is a historic industrial complex at 14 and 20 Cedar Street in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Built before 1890, these two buildings are a surviving reminder of the city's late 19th century prominence as a major carriage manuf ...
, and
Biddle and Smart. The industry ended with the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
.
The
Merrimac Hat Company The Merrimac Hat Company was a prominent manufacturer of hats from the 1860s until the 1950s, employing up to 500 people in its manufacturing facilities in Amesbury, Massachusetts and another 1,500 in facilities from Alabama to Nova Scotia. Vintage ...
was founded in 1856 and became one of the top hat producers in the nation. Amesbury also produced Hoyt's Buffalo Brand Peanut Butter Kisses.
In 1876, the town of Merrimac was set off from Amesbury.
Newspapers in the 19th century included the ''Amesbury Daily News'', ''Merrimac Journal'', ''Morning Courier'', ''Evening Courier'', ''New England Chronicle'', ''Transcript'', and the ''Villager''.
Newspapers in the 20th century included the ''Amesbury Advocate'', ''Amesbury News'', ''Amesbury Times'', and ''Leader''.
Twentieth century and beyond
In 1996, the town changed its status to a city, and adopted the mayor and municipal council form of government, although it retained the title "Town of Amesbury", as voters "thought Amesbury was too small and quaint to be a city".
Voters approved a charter amendment in November 2011 changing the city's official name to the "City of Amesbury" and removing references to the old "Town of Amesbury" name. The city's seal still bears the name "Town of Amesbury", although the City put forth a bill in 2013 to correct the seal with the new name.
The community has several buildings that feature early
architecture, particularly in the
Federal
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
and
Victorian
Victorian or Victorians may refer to:
19th century
* Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign
** Victorian architecture
** Victorian house
** Victorian decorative arts
** Victorian fashion
** Victorian literature ...
styles. The "
Doughboy", a memorial sculpture by Leonard Craske, stands on the front lawn of the Amesbury Middle School.
It was dedicated November 11, 1929.
Craske is best known as sculptor for the "Fishermens' Memorial" in
Gloucester. There is also a monument erected to
Josiah Bartlett, the first signer of the
Declaration of Independence, who was born in Amesbury.
Image:Macy House, Amesbury, MA.jpg, ''Thomas Macy House''
Image:Mills, Amesbury, MA.jpg, ''Mills'' in 1914
Image:Josiah Bartlett's Statue, Amesbury, MA.jpg, ''Statue of Josiah Bartlett, signer of the Declaration of Independence,''
Image:Whittier's Home, Amesbury, MA.jpg, ''Whittier's home'' in 1909
Geography
Amesbury is located at .
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 10.65%, is water. Amesbury is drained by the
Powwow River. Powwow Hill, elevation , is the highest point in town. Once the site of
Indian gatherings, or "
powwow
A powwow (also pow wow or pow-wow) is a gathering with dances held by many Native American and First Nations communities. Powwows today allow Indigenous people to socialize, dance, sing, and honor their cultures. Powwows may be private or pu ...
s", it has views to
Maine and
Cape Ann. Amesbury is the second northernmost town in Massachusetts, its northernmost point coming just south of the northernmost point of the state, in Salisbury. Amesbury lies along the northern banks of the
Merrimack River and is bordered by
Salisbury to the east,
Newburyport to the southeast,
West Newbury to the southwest,
Merrimac to the west, and
South Hampton, New Hampshire
South Hampton is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 894 at the 2020 census. South Hampton is home to Cowden State Forest and Powwow River State Forest.
History
South Hampton was one of the first town ...
, to the north.
The Powwow River bisects the town, joined by the
Back River near the town center. The river flows through Lake Gardner and
Tuxbury Pond
Tuxbury Pond is a lake which straddles the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border, abutting the towns of Amesbury, Massachusetts and South Hampton, New Hampshire. It is located along the Powwow River
The Powwow River is a river located in New Hamps ...
, which are two of several inland bodies of water in town, including
Lake Attitash
Lake Attitash is a lake located on the border of Merrimac, Massachusetts and Amesbury, Massachusetts, and constitutes at least a portion of Amesbury's water supply.
There are beaches both on the Amesbury and Merrimac shores. Merrimac's beach is ...
(which is partially in Merrimac), Meadowbrook Pond, and Pattens Pond. Several brooks also flow through the town. Amesbury has a town forest, which is connected to Woodsom Farm, as well as Powwow Conservation Area, Victoria Batchelder Park and Amesbury Golf & Country Club.
Transportation
Amesbury is served by two interstate highways.
Interstate 495 runs from west to east through town, ending at
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
just over the Salisbury town line. It has two exits in town, Exit 54 at
Massachusetts Route 150
Route 150 is a short south–north highway entirely in Amesbury, Massachusetts. It begins at Beacon Street and continues as New Hampshire Route 150. The highway is the main south-north thoroughfare in Amesbury, and serves as a southward conti ...
(which lies entirely within Amesbury, and leads to
New Hampshire Route 150) and Exit 55 at
Massachusetts Route 110, which also provides the town's only direct access to
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
at Exit 58. I-95 crosses the southeast corner of town, entering along the
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...
Memorial Bridge, a steel through-truss bridge crossing the Merrimack River. The Whittier Memorial Bridge lies just west of the town's only other bridges across the Merrimack, the Derek S. Hines Memorial Bridge, which connects Amesbury to Deer Island (which is still part of Amesbury), and the
Chain Bridge, the only
suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
in Massachusetts, which spans from Deer Island to Newburyport. The current version was built in 1909, but was predated by the 1810 suspension bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the country. The Chain Bridge and its counterparts over the years have been the main entryways into town across the Merrimack, and until the building of the Newburyport Turnpike Bridge, it was the easternmost bridge on the Merrimack River.
MVRTA
Merrimack Valley Transit, formerly known as Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority is a public, non-profit organization in Massachusetts, United States, charged with providing public transportation to an area consisting of the cities and town ...
provides bus service in Amesbury. Route 51 connects to the
Haverhill train station. Route 54 connects to
Newburyport train station.
Government
Amesbury is part of the
Massachusetts Senate's 1st Essex district
Massachusetts Senate's 1st Essex district in the United States is one of 40 legislative districts of the Massachusetts Senate. It covers 23.0% of Essex county population. Democrat Diana DiZoglio of Methuen has represented the district since 2019 ...
.
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 16,450 people, 6,380 households, and 4,229 families residing in the city.
[Census 2000]
The population density was . There were 6,623 housing units at an average density of 206.2 persons/km
2 (534.0 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 97.2% White, 0.6%
African American, 0.22%
Native American, 0.9% of the population were
Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,380 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.3% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 33.7% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,906, and the median income for a family was $62,875. Males had a median income of $25,489 versus $31,968 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $23,103. 5.9% of the population and 3.9% of families were below the poverty line.
Education
The major educational institutions are:
*
Amesbury Public Schools
** Amesbury Elementary School (K–5)
** Charles C. Cashman Elementary School (K–5)
**
Amesbury Middle School (6–8)
**
Amesbury High School
Amesbury High School is a coeducational public high school in the city of Amesbury, Massachusetts, serving as the primary high school for students from Amesbury and, South Hampton, New Hampshire, along with also drawing some students from other par ...
(9–12)
** Amesbury Innovation High School (School of Choice)
* Sparhawk School (School of Choice)
Amesbury's high school
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
rival is
Newburyport; the two teams play against each other every
Thanksgiving Day. The Amesbury mascot is "Indians."
Public library
As of 2012, the Amesbury Public Library pays for access to information resources produced by Brainfuse,
Cengage Learning
Cengage Group is an American educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education, K-12, professional, and library markets. It operates in more than 20 countries around the world.(Jun 27, 2014Global Publishing Leaders ...
,
EBSCO Industries, LearningExpress, Library Ideas, Mango Languages,
NewsBank,
Online Computer Library Center (OCLC),
ProQuest, TumbleBook Library,
World Book of
Berkshire Hathaway, and World Trade Press.
The Public Library houses an extensive Local History and genealogy collection which is open and available for research.
Points of interest
Notable people
*
Jimmy Bannon
James Henry "Foxy Grandpa" Bannon (May 5, 1871 – March 24, 1948) was an American Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Browns and Boston Beaneaters. Bannon was primarily an outfielder, though he played a few games as an infielder an ...
(1871–1948),
outfielder in
Major League Baseball
*
Josiah Bartlett (1729–1795), signer of the
Declaration of Independence, fourth
Governor of New Hampshire
*
Daniel Blaisdell
Daniel Blaisdell (January 22, 1762 – January 10, 1833) was an American teacher, farmer, politician and judge. He served as a United States representative from New Hampshire, as a member of the New Hampshire Senate and as a member of the New Ha ...
(1762–1833),
congressman
A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...
from New Hampshire
*
Nathaniel Currier
Nathaniel Currier (March 27, 1813 – November 20, 1888) was an American lithographer. He headed the company Currier & Ives with James Ives.
Early years
Currier was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to Nathaniel and Hannah Currier. He attended ...
(1813–1888), American lithographer,
Currier and Ives
*
Jeffrey Donovan (born 1968), actor; star of television show ''
Burn Notice
''Burn Notice'' is an American espionage television series created by Matt Nix, which originally aired on the USA Network for a total of seven seasons from June 28, 2007, to September 12, 2013. The show stars Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, ...
''
*
Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910), founder of
Christian Science
Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally know ...
*
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloq ...
(1874–1963), poet
*
Susannah (North) Martin, victim of
Salem witch trials in 1692
*
William A. Paine (1844–1929), businessman, co-founded the
brokerage firm Paine Webber
*
Harriet Prescott Spofford
Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford (April 3, 1835 – August 14, 1921) was an American writer of novels, poems and detective stories. One of the United States's most widely-published authors, her career spanned more than six decades and included ...
(1835–1921), author
*
Paine Wingate
Paine Wingate (May 14, 1739March 7, 1838) was an American preacher, farmer, and statesman from Stratham, New Hampshire. He served New Hampshire in the Continental Congress and both the United States Senate and House of Representatives.
Early ...
(1739–1838), preacher, served in the
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...
; US senator and congressman
*
Al Capp
Alfred Gerald Caplin (September 28, 1909 – November 5, 1979), better known as Al Capp, was an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip ''Li'l Abner'', which he created in 1934 and continued writing and (wi ...
, cartoonist, author of long running satirical strip
Li'l Abner lived in Amesbury for most of his life and is buried in the town.
*
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...
(1807–1892), poet
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Amesbury is
twinned with:
*
Esabalu, Kenya (since 1987)
See also
*
List of mill towns in Massachusetts
* Adams
* Amesbury
* Athol
* Attleboro
* Chicopee
* Clinton
* Dalton
* Dedham
* Fall River
* Fitchburg
* Framingham
* Gardner
* Grafton
* Greenfield
* Haverhill
* Holyoke
* Hopedale
* Hudson
* Lawrence
* Lowell
* Ludlow
* Lynn
* ...
References
Publications
Books and articles
*
*
Amesbury Vital Records to 1849.Published 1913. Transcribed and put online by John Slaughter and Jodi Salerno.
*
* Merrill, Joseph
History of Amesbury from the ''History of Essex County'' Volume 2 Chapter 125, pages 1495–1535, compiled by D. Hamilton Hurd, published by J.W. Lewis 1888.
Maps
* Sargeant, Christopher
1794 Map of Amesbury.* Clough, Aaron
1795 Map of Salisbury.* Nichols, W., J S Morse
1830 Map of Amesbury.* Anderson, Philander
1830 Map of Salisbury.*Beers, D.G. 1872 Atlas of Essex County, Massachusett
Amesbury. Plate 9. Amesbury and Salisbury Mills. Now Amesbury Center. Plate 12. Salisbury. Plate 15. West Amesbury now Merrimac. And East Salisbury. Plate 17. Salisbury Point. Plate 19. (Now The Point in Amesbury).
* Bigelow, E.H
Amesbury and Salisbury Mills.
Bird's-eye view at the Boston Public Library website.
* Norris, George E
Amesbury.
Panoramic View. Published 1890. Burleigh Lith. Est. At the Library of Congress website.
* Hughes & Bailey
Amesbury.
Panoramic View. Published 1914.
* Walker, George H. 1884 Atlas of Essex County Massachusett
1884 Map of Amesbury. Plate 169.Amesbury, Salisbury Point. Plate 74.Merrimac Center (was West Amesbury). Plate 151.Amesbury Village Mills. Plate 170-171.1884 Map of Merrimac. Plate 172.1884 Map of Salisbury. Plate 175.Salisbury Village Mills on the Powwow River. Plate. 176-177.East Salisbury. Plate 178.Danvers Catholic Church, Folger's Carriage Factory Amesbury. Plate 166.
External links
City of AmesburyExplore AmesburyAmesbury Chamber of CommerceAmesbury Public Library
{{authority control
Cities in Massachusetts
Populated places established in 1642
Massachusetts populated places on the Merrimack River
Cities in Essex County, Massachusetts
1642 establishments in Massachusetts