Newburyport, MA
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Newburyport is a coastal city in
Essex County, Massachusetts Essex County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the total population was 809,829, making it the third-most populous county in the state, and the eightieth-most populous in the countr ...
, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mooring, winter storage, and maintenance of recreational boats, motor and sail, still contribute a large part of the city's income. A
Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
station oversees boating activity, especially in the sometimes dangerous tidal currents of the
Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into M ...
. At the edge of the Newbury Marshes, delineating Newburyport to the south, an industrial park provides a wide range of jobs. Newburyport is on a major north-south highway, Interstate 95. The outer circumferential highway of Boston, Interstate 495, passes nearby in Amesbury. The Newburyport Turnpike (
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making ...
) still traverses Newburyport on its way north. The Newburyport/Rockport MBTA commuter rail from Boston's
North Station North Station is a commuter rail and intercity rail terminal station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by four MBTA Commuter Rail lines – the Fitchburg Line, Haverhill Line, Lowell Line, and Newburyport/Rockport Line – and the Amtrak ...
terminates in Newburyport. The earlier Boston and Maine Railroad leading farther north was discontinued, but a portion of it has been converted into a recreation trail.


History

On January 28, 1764, the
General Court of Massachusetts The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the earliest days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, w ...
passed "An act for erecting part of the town of Newbury into a new town by the name of Newburyport." The act begins:
Whereas the town of Newbury is very large, and the inhabitants of that part of it who dwell by the water-side there, as it is commonly called, are mostly merchants, traders and artificers, and the inhabitants of the other parts of the town are chiefly husbandmen; by means whereof many difficulties and disputes have arisen in managing their public affairs – Be it enacted ... That that part of the said town of Newbury ... be and hereby are constituted and made a separate and distinct town ....
The act was approved by Governor Francis Bernard on February 4, 1764. The new town was the smallest in Massachusetts, covering an area of , and had a population of 2,800 living in 357 homes. There were three shipyards, no bridges, and several
ferries 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 tax ...
, one of which at the foot of Greenleaf Lane, now State Street, carried the Portsmouth Flying Stage Coach, running between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Boston. The town prospered and became a city in 1851. Situated near the mouth of the
Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into M ...
, it was once a fishing,
shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...
and shipping center, with an industry in silverware manufacture. In 1792, a bridge was built two miles above the town where the river contained an island. Merrimack Arms and Brown Manufacturing Company made Southerner
Derringer A derringer is a small handgun that is neither a revolver nor a semi/ fully automatic pistol. It is not to be confused with mini-revolvers or pocket pistols, although some later derringers were manufactured with the pepperbox configuration. ...
pistols in their Newburyport factory from 1867 to 1873. The sea captains of old Newburyport (as elsewhere in Massachusetts) had participated vigorously in the
triangular trade Triangular trade or triangle trade is trade between three ports or regions. Triangular trade usually evolves when a region has export commodities that are not required in the region from which its major imports come. It has been used to offset ...
, importing
West Indian A West Indian is a native or inhabitant of the West Indies (the Antilles and the Lucayan Archipelago). For more than 100 years the words ''West Indian'' specifically described natives of the West Indies, but by 1661 Europeans had begun to use it ...
molasses and exporting
rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Ph ...
made from it. The
distilleries Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heat ...
were located around Market Square near the waterfront. Caldwell's Old Newburyport rum was manufactured locally until 1961. Newburyport once had a fishing fleet that operated from
Georges Bank Georges Bank (formerly known as St. Georges Bank) is a large elevated area of the sea floor between Cape Cod, Massachusetts (United States), and Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia (Canada). It separates the Gulf of Maine from the Atlantic Ocean. T ...
to the mouth of the Merrimack River. It was a center for
privateering A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign or deleg ...
during the Revolutionary War and
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
. Beginning about 1832, it added numerous ships to the
whaling Whaling is the process of hunting of whales for their usable products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that became increasingly important in the Industrial Revolution. It was practiced as an organized industr ...
fleet. Later, clipper ships were built there. Today, the city gives little hint of its former maritime importance. Notably missing are the docks, which are shown on earlier maps extending into the channel of the Merrimack River, and the shipyards, where the waterfront parking lot is currently located. George Whitefield, the well-known and influential English preacher who helped inspire the
First Great Awakening The First Great Awakening (sometimes Great Awakening) or the Evangelical Revival was a series of Christian revivals that swept Britain and its thirteen North American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s. The revival movement permanently affecte ...
in America, arrived in Newburyport in September 1740. The revival that followed his labors, brought into existence Old South Church, where he was buried after his death in 1770. The city's historical highlights include: Historic events: * First of many clipper ships built here * First "Tea Party" rebellion to oppose British Tea Tax * First state mint and treasury building * Newburyport Superior Courthouse, the oldest continuously active courthouse in Massachusetts The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank on State Street was founded in 1854, and is one of the oldest banks in the United States still in operation. Historic houses and museums: * Cushing House Museum & Garden () * Newburyport Custom House Museum (1835), designed by Robert Mills Literary interests: * Was referred to in the H. P. Lovecraft story, "
The Shadow Over Innsmouth ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' is a horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November–December 1931. It forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared e ...
", as being located near Innsmouth. Lovecraft in fact based his depiction of Innsmouth largely on Newburyport. * Subject of the most ambitious community study ever undertaken, the Yankee City project conducted by anthropologist W. Lloyd Warner and his associates


Timeline

* 1635: Newbury incorporated. * 1761: Belleville Congregational Church founded. * 1764: Newburyport incorporated (formerly part of Newbury). * 1772: Marine Society of Newburyport established. * 1773 ** Isaiah Thomas opens "a printing house in King Street." ** ''Essex Journal'' newspaper begins publication. * 1790: Population: 4,837. * 1793: ''Impartial Herald'' newspaper begins publication. * 1794 ** ''Morning Star'' newspaper begins publication. ** Newburyport Woolen Manufacturing Co. established. * 1795 ** ''Political Gazette'' newspaper begins publication. ** Merrimack Bank incorporated. * 1797: ''
Newburyport Herald The ''Newburyport Herald'' (1797–1915) was a newspaper published in Newburyport, Massachusetts in the 19th century. It began in 1797 with the merger of two previous newspapers, William Barrett's ''Political Gazette'' and Angier March's '' ...
'' newspaper begins publication. * 1799: Newburyport Marine Insurance Co. incorporated. * 1801: ''American Intelligencer'' newspaper published. * 1802: Merrimac Humane Society established. * 1803 ** ''Merrimack Gazette'' and ''New England Repertory'' newspapers begin publication. ** Newburyport Female Charitable Society organized. ** Merrimack Fire and Marine Insurance Co. incorporated. * 1804: ''Political Calendar'' newspaper begins publication. * 1805: ''Merrimack Magazine'' begins publication. * 1807: ''Newburyport Gazette'' newspaper begins publication. * 1808: ''Statesman'' newspaper begins publication. * 1810 ** Newburyport Mechanick Association and Newburyport Athenaeum incorporated. ** ''Independent Whig'' newspaper begins publication. ** Merrimack Bible Society organized. * 1812: Washington Benevolent Society organized. * 1818: Howard Benevolent Society instituted "for the relief of the sick and destitute." * 1825: Newburyport Hosiery Co. established. * 1829: Newburyport Lyceum organized. * 1835 ** Society for the Relief of Aged Females founded. ** U.S. Custom House built. * 1836 ** Newburyport Linnean Society and Newburyport Steam Cotton Co. incorporated. ** Newburyport Silk Co. and Newburyport Ladies' Bethel Society established. * 1837: Bartlet Steam Mills incorporated. * 1840: Pleasant Street Christian Church organized. * 1841: Essex North District Medical Society organized. * 1842: James Steam Mills incorporated. * 1844: Essex Steam Mills incorporated. * 1845: Globe Steam Mills and Ocean Steam Mills incorporated. * 1850 ** Ladies' General Charitable Society instituted. ** Newburyport Gas Co. incorporated. * 1851: June 18: Essex North Musical convention held. * 1852: Merrimack Library Association organized. * 1854 ** Newburyport Public Library founded. ** Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank incorporated. * 1855: Newburyport Library Association organized. * 1857: Mechanic Library Association incorporated. * 1865: Washington Street Methodist Episcopal Church organized. * 1869: Merrimack Marine Railway Co. incorporated. * 1874: Newburyport Mutual Benefit Association organized. * 1877: Antiquarian and Historical Society of Old Newbury established. * 1878: Newburyport Athenaeum organized. * 1884: Newburyport YMCA incorporated. * 1886: Newburyport Society for the Relief of Aged Men incorporated. * 1887: Newburyport Electric Light & Power Co. incorporated. * 1888: ''Daily News'' established. * 1890 ** YWCA of Newburyport incorporated. ** City Improvement society organized. * 1896: Newburyport Choral Union organized. * 1904: South End Reading Room Association formed. * 1906: Newburyport Homeoepathic Hospital opens. * 1917: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Newburyport founded. * 1968: Newburyport Maritime Society established. * 1971: Market Square Historic District added to National Register of Historic Places. * 1971-1979: Downtown undergoes major renewal and historic preservation effort. * 1991: Actors Studio of Newburyport founded. * 1994: Sister city relationship established with
Bura, Taita-Taveta District, Kenya Bura is a town in Taita-Taveta County, Kenya. Location The town is located in Mwatate sub-county, approximately , north-west of Mwatate, where the county headquarters are located. This is about west of Voi, the largest town in the county. This ...
.


Historic preservation

Despite its former prosperity, in the 1950s and 1960s Newburyport's center fell into disrepair because of several factors, most notably
strip mall A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
s taking away from local business and increased use of the automobile. At this time, construction of major highways brought larger cities such as
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
and Lowell into shopping range. Consequently, by 1970 Newburyport's historic downtown section was scheduled to be razed prior to reconstruction with federal money. Ideas to rebuild the city's downtown were numerous, ranging from hotels and new stores to, ironically, a strip mall, with few buildings left for historical reasons. At the last moment, however, the city changed its mind and signed a federal grant that allowed it to keep most of its historic architecture. Renovation and restorations began during the early 1970s, and continued throughout most of the decade, initially along State Street, and culminating with creation of a
pedestrian mall Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town reserved for pedestrian-only use and in whi ...
along Inn Street. Newburyport is often cited as an example by preservationists of how to maintain a city's architecture and heritage, while still having it remain functional and liveable. Image:American Yacht Club House Newbury Port Mass c 1894.JPG, American Yacht Club House Image:State Street from Market Square, Newburyport, MA.jpg, State Street . Except for the trolley, the store fronts, and the pavement, the street has not changed. Image:Lord Timothy Dexter Place, Newburyport, MA.jpg, Dexter House , once home to eccentric "Lord" Timothy Dexter Image:Frog Pond, Newburyport, MA.jpg, Frog Pond . High Street is visible in the background. The building in the center is the old court house. Image:Joppa Landing, Newburyport, MA.jpg, Joppa Landing . The boats are fishing
dories A dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about long. It is usually a lightweight boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. It is easy to build because of its simple lines. For centuries, the dory has been used as a traditional fishin ...
. The houses remain but the landing and the boats are gone and the street has been improved. Image:Newburyport City Hall.jpg, City Hall . The building looks about the same today. It was constructed 1850–1851. The corner of Brown Square is visible across the street. The view is from where the Post Office now stands. Image:View of Brown Square, Newburyport, MA.jpg, Brown Square in 1913, viewed from before the City Hall. The statue is that of "Garrison the Liberator". The houses and church still stand but the street has been paved and more modern buildings inserted.


Geography

Newburyport is located at (42.812391, −70.877440). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (20.77%) is water. The city is part of Massachusetts' North Shore; Newburyport was laid out on the elevated south bank of the
Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into M ...
between the river and Newbury marshes. The shipyards, now boatyards (and still vigorously active), extended along the bank at the edge of the river. They were connected by Merrimac Street, which ends upriver where the bank merges into bluffs covered with pine forest. Colonial residences extend up the bank from Merrimac Street to High Street running parallel to it near the top of the ridge. The homes of the seafaring entrepreneurs line High Street. Many feature
widow's walk A widow's walk, also known as a widow's watch or roofwalk, is a railed rooftop platform often having an inner cupola/turret frequently found on 19th-century North American coastal houses. The name is said to come from the wives of mariners, who ...
s, structures on the roof where the residents could watch for the return of sailing vessels. Nearly every home maintains a splendid flower garden, most dating to colonial times. Various cross streets, such as State Street, Green Street and Market Street, connect Merrimac Street and High Street. The top of the ridge proved an ideal location for later institutions, such as Newburyport High School and nearby Anna Jaques Hospital. The ridge drops more sharply to the marsh on the other side. Along its margin a third parallel street developed, Low Street. The river bank gradually descends to marshes at Joppa Flats beyond downtown Newburyport. The Plum Island Turnpike was pushed out over the marsh on a causeway to a narrow part of the Plum Island River just to the south of where it connects to the mouth of the Merrimack. A drawbridge was built there, the only access to the island by road. On the Newburyport side a small airport, Plum Island Airport, was built at the edge of the marsh. The portion of Plum Island that is in the city has no direct access to the rest of the city; similarly, there is no access between the mainland and Woodbridge Island or Seal Island, west of Plum Island (the latter being shared between Newburyport and Newbury). Several parks and beaches dot the city, including Plum Island Point Beach, Simmons Beach, Joppa Park, Waterfront Park, Woodman Park, Cashman Park, Moseley Pines Park and Atkinson Common and March's Hill Park. Newburyport Forest is located in the southwest corner of the city, and
Maudslay State Park Maudslay State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Newburyport. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is available (by permit) for weddings and other programs. Description Maudslay State Park is a ...
lies along the northwest part of the city, along the banks of the Merrimack. Newburyport is located north-northeast of Boston, east-northeast of
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
, and south-southeast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Situated south of the
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
border, the city is bordered by the
Gulf of Maine , image = , alt = , caption = , image_bathymetry = GulfofMaine2.jpg , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Major features of the Gulf of Maine , location = Northeast coast of the ...
(Atlantic Ocean) to the east, Newbury to the south and southeast,
West Newbury West Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Situated on the Merrimack River, its population was 4,500 at the 2020 census. History Originally inhabited by Agawam or Naumkeag peoples, West Newbury was settled by Eng ...
to the west and southwest, Amesbury to the north and northwest, and
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
to the northeast.


Neighborhoods

Joppa: Joppa is bordered by Newbury to the southeast, the South End to the southwest, and Downtown to the Northwest. This is the closest neighborhood to Plum Island Airport located in Newbury. South End: The South End is bordered by Newbury to the south, Joppa to the northeast, and Downtown to the northwest. The border between the South End and Joppa is just behind Hancock Street, Chestnut Street, and, Part of Prospect Street.


Climate


Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 17,416 people, 8,264 households, and 4,428 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,086.2 people per square mile (792.0/km2). There were 7,897 housing units at an average density of 942.0 per square mile (363.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 3.6%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.16% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
people of any race were 2.7% of the population. The top five ethnic groups are: (United States 2010 Census quickfacts) * Irish – 25% * English – 16% * Italian – 11% * French (except Basque) – 7% * German – 6% There were 7,519 households, out of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. Of all households 33.1% were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.7% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $78,557, and the median income for a family was $103,306. Males had a median income of $51,831 versus $37,853 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,187. About 2.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.


Government

Upon adopting a new charter in 2011 which took effect in 2013, Newburyport has been run by a mayor with a four-year term and an eleven-member City Council (prior to that, the mayor's term lasted for two years). During the mid-twentieth century, Newburyport enjoyed a typical "small community" approach, conducted, most notably, by city mayor and activist Ed Molin, who died in 2005. The current mayor of Newburyport is Sean Reardon, and the next election year for mayor is 2025. Newburyport is part of the Massachusetts Senate's 1st Essex district.


Transportation

Interstate 95 passes through the western side of town, with one exit at Route 113. Route 113 itself has its eastern terminus at
U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making ...
and
Massachusetts Route 1A Route 1A is a north–south state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent. Due to the reconfiguration of tunnel interchan ...
, with Route 1A continuing along the same right of way as 113 towards Newbury. Route 1 and 1A cross the river along the Newburyport Turnpike Bridge; it had originally followed State Street and ended at Merrimac and Water streets before crossing the river via ferry to Salisbury. The Turnpike Bridge is the easternmost crossing of the Merrimack; upstream the river is crossed by the Newburyport Railroad Bridge (just west of the Turnpike Bridge), the
Chain Bridge A chain bridge is a historic form of suspension bridge for which chains or eyebars were used instead of wire ropes to carry the bridge deck. A famous example is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest. Construction types are, as for other suspen ...
, one of the oldest bridges along the river, and the Whittier Memorial Bridge, which brings Interstate 95 to Amesbury. The
Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MVRTA) is a public, non-profit organization in Massachusetts, United States, charged with providing public transportation to an area consisting of the cities and towns of Amesbury, Andover, Boxfo ...
provides regular bus service between the city and Haverhill, which includes access to the commuter rail station in Newburyport. The bus costs $1.25 for adults paying cash and $1 for adults paying with CharlieCard. C&J and Coach Company, privately operated coach carriers, operate commuter bus services between Newburyport and Boston.
Newburyport Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 census. A historic seaport with vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. The mo ...
is the northern terminus of the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, providing access through several North Shore cities to Boston's
North Station North Station is a commuter rail and intercity rail terminal station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is served by four MBTA Commuter Rail lines – the Fitchburg Line, Haverhill Line, Lowell Line, and Newburyport/Rockport Line – and the Amtrak ...
. Plum Island Airport is a privately owned
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport located within the city limits. It is open to the public and managed by Plum Island Aerodrome, Inc., a not-for-profit organization. The nearest scheduled commercial air service can be found at Boston's
Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport , also known as Boston Logan International Airport and commonly as Boston Logan, Logan Airport or simply Logan, is an international airport that is located mostly in East Boston and partial ...
, Worcester's
Worcester Regional Airport Worcester Regional Airport is three miles (5 km) west of Worcester, in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The main property lies within municipalities of Worcester and Leicester, with supporting facilities in Paxton. Once ow ...
, Portsmouth's Pease International Tradeport or Manchester's Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.


Education

The current site of Newburyport High School was purchased from
Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
early in the 20th century. Newburyport High School is one of the oldest public high schools in the United States. Newburyport is served by several public schools, belonging to the Newburyport School District, and several private schools. * Francis T. Bresnahan Lower Elementary School: pre-kindergarten to grade 3 * Edward G. Molin Upper Elementary School: grades 4 and 5 * Rupert A. Nock Middle School: grades 6 to 8 * Newburyport High School: grades 9 to 12 * River Valley Charter School: grades kindergarten to 8 * Immaculate Conception Catholic School: grades pre-kindergarten to 8 * Newburyport Montessori School: pre-kindergarten and kindergarten On Monday, November 4, 2019, the Newburyport School Committee unanimously (with one member absent) voted to implement a Start School Later policy, the first of the
Cape Ann League The Cape Ann League (CAL) is a high school athletic conference in District A of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is based mainly on or around Cape Ann, a small cape on the North Shore of Massachusetts Member s ...
to do so. The times will be: * Francis T. Bresnahan Lower Elementary School: pre-kindergarten to grade 3; 8:20–2:50 * Edward G. Molin Upper Elementary School: grades 4 and 5; and Rupert A. Nock Middle School: grades 6 to 8; 7:45–2:15 * Newburyport High School: grades 9 to 12; 8:15–2:45 Newburyport is served by the Newburyport Public Library, part of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium. Newburyport High School competes in the
Cape Ann League The Cape Ann League (CAL) is a high school athletic conference in District A of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is based mainly on or around Cape Ann, a small cape on the North Shore of Massachusetts Member s ...
, an athletic conference in District A of the
Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) is an organization that sponsors activities in thirty-three sports, comprising 374 public and private high schools in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The MIAA is a member of the Nat ...
. The athletics program offers a variety of sports for girls and boys during the fall, winter, and spring seasons. The school colors are Crimson and
Old Gold Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow, generally on the darker side of this range. The first recorded use of ''old gold'' as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact ...
and the mascot is a
Clipper Ship A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "Cl ...
.


Activities

Newburyport makes activities available for its residents, including a year-round ice skating rink and a beautiful waterfront and boardwalk. Many Newburyport residents love boating, fishing, swimming, and other water sports. The city's picturesque downtown shopping district also makes it a great location to enjoy boutique shopping. The city sponsors several youth sports leagues, including baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and hockey. The city's youth services program also provides classes, campouts, and activities in robotics, music, rock climbing, chess, fencing, sewing, dance, skateboarding, judo, academics, cooking, yoga, cheerleading, art, fashion design, photography, biking, and frisbee.


Annual events


Yankee Homecoming

Yankee Homecoming, run not by the city, but by the non-profit Yankee Homecoming, Inc., is the annual festival celebrating the natives coming home to Newburyport. The event was initiated in 1957 by native Newburyporter George Cashman, who sought to stimulate the economy and lift the spirit of the citizens. It lasts one week. The first Sunday of the festival, known as "Olde Fashioned Sunday", is celebrated at the Bartlet Mall in Newburyport, and features many activities, including an art show, an appearance by the city's oldest
fire engine A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an ...
, the "Neptune #8", and the participation of many local businesses. There is also an antique car parade. Each Yankee Homecoming features a grand marshal and numerous street vendors. The festival includes eight days and over 200 events. There are concerts every night at Market Landing Park. Other popular events include the Newburyport Lions' and 5-kilometer road races, which run through the city's downtown streets and neighborhoods. There is also a 45-minute
fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...
show on Saturday night, which is followed the concluding Sunday by the famous Yankee Homecoming parade. First held in 1958, Newburyport's "Yankee Homecoming" is the second-oldest homecoming festival in the United States. Many charities raise their funds during this time.


Waterfront Concert Series

This was held Friday evenings in Waterfront Park in downtown Newburyport, these free concerts were intended for all ages. The concerts were presented by the Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and the Waterfront Trust and were sponsored by a local insurance agency, Arthur S Page Insurance.


Newburyport Literary Festival

Held during the last weekend of April, the Newburyport Literary Festival was started in 2006 as a new effort by the city to increase interest in reading and literary arts. Many local authors are invited to sign and chat about their books, and schoolchildren create projects to show to an author who visits their school. Among the authors who regularly visit are
Andre Dubus III Andre Dubus III (born September 11, 1959) is an American novelist and short story writer. He is a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Early life and education Born in Oceanside, California, to Patricia (née Lowe) a ...
,
Tess Gerritsen Tess Gerritsen (born Terry Tom; June 12, 1953) is the pseudonym of Terry Gerritsen, an American novelist and retired general physician. Early life Tess Gerritsen is the child of a Chinese immigrant and a Chinese-American seafood chef. While grow ...
and
Rhina Espaillat Rhina Polonia Espaillat (born January 20, 1932, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a bilingual Dominican-American poet and translator who is affiliated with the literary movement known as New Formalism in American poetry. She has published e ...
.


Points of interest

Over the years, the town has cultivated a significant tourist population. The quaint downtown shopping center includes businesses that appeal to all ages. Local businesses and restaurants surround Market Square and along State Street. During festivals throughout the year, visitors are invited to enjoy concerts, food, and entertainment. An old mill building on Liberty Street is home to other small businesses and a local farmers' market during both the summer and winter seasons. The historic area has a charming feel and upbeat atmosphere. High Street is a remarkable street of fine old Federal-style houses, linking the Atkinson Common (1893–1894) with the Bartlett Mall, site of the
Charles Bulfinch Charles Bulfinch (August 8, 1763 – April 15, 1844) was an early American architect, and has been regarded by many as the first American-born professional architect to practice.Baltzell, Edward Digby. ''Puritan Boston & Quaker Philadelphia''. Tra ...
-designed ''Essex County Superior Courthouse'' (1805). Laid out in 1801, the Bartlett Mall was redesigned in the 1880s by noted Boston landscape architect Charles Eliot, with later improvements by
Arthur Shurcliff Arthur Asahel Shurcliff (1870–1957) was a noted American landscape architect. Born Arthur Asahel Shurtleff, he changed his last name in 1930 in order, he said, to conform to the "ancient spelling of the family name". After over 30 years of success ...
. First Presbyterian Church dates from 1756. The clock tower bell was cast by
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, Sons of Liberty member, and Patriot and Founding Father. He is best known for his midnight ride to a ...
. One of the most famous individuals in 18th-century America, evangelist George Whitefield, before dying in Newburyport in 1770, asked that his remains be buried under the pulpit of the "Old South" church, and they are there to this day. Some other points of interest are the city's historic waterfront, Atwood Park located in the south end of Newburyport, Market Square & Inn Street, Cashman Park, and Brown Square, graced with a statue to " Garrison the Liberator", before the City Hall. The recently restored City Hall itself is a fine old building featuring in the first floor corridor a portrait gallery of some of those who have fallen in service of their country. Others are listed on the central monument in Atkinson Common. *
Chain Bridge A chain bridge is a historic form of suspension bridge for which chains or eyebars were used instead of wire ropes to carry the bridge deck. A famous example is the Széchenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest. Construction types are, as for other suspen ...
* Cushing House Museum & Garden * Joppa Flats Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary *
Maudslay State Park Maudslay State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Newburyport. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. It is available (by permit) for weddings and other programs. Description Maudslay State Park is a ...
* Newburyport Brewing Company * Parker River National Wildlife Refuge


In popular culture

Newburyport was the inspiration for the city of Innsmouth, the setting of the H. P. Lovecraft story ''
The Shadow Over Innsmouth ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' is a horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November–December 1931. It forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared e ...
'', part of the Cthulhu Mythos. The narrative also cameos the actual Newburyport in the first chapter. It is where the protagonist sets out from on his journey to Innsmouth. It was also mentioned in Stephen King's, "Doctor Sleep," when it explains Dan's drinking. Also, the 2019
Goldsmiths Prize The Goldsmiths Prize is a British literary award, founded in 2013 by Goldsmiths, University of London, in association with the ''New Statesman.'' It is awarded annually to a piece of fiction that "breaks the mould or extends the possibilities of ...
winner, "
Ducks, Newburyport ''Ducks, Newburyport'' is a 2019 novel by British author Lucy Ellmann. The novel is written in the stream of consciousness narrative style, and consists of a single long sentence, with brief clauses that start with the phrase "the fact that" more ...
", featured the city.


Notable people

*
John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...
(1767–1848), U.S. president, resided in Newburyport 1787–1788 * Charlotte Johnson Baker (1855–1937), physician *
Nikole Beckwith Nikole Beckwith is an American director, screenwriter, and playwright. She has also performed live with a handful of bands and sings on Tiger Saw's 2005 record ''Sing!'' and Sam Rosen's 2006 release "The Look South". Early life Beckwith grew-up ...
(born 1980), Newburyport-born writer and filmmaker *
Kate Bolick Kate Bolick (born 1972) is the author of New York Times bestseller ''Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own''. She is also a contributing editor for ''The Atlantic,'' and host of "Touchstones at The Mount," an annual literary interview series at Edi ...
(born 1972), Newburyport-born and raised author and essayist * John Parker Boyd (1764–1830), U.S. Army Brigadier General in the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...
* John Bromfield, Jr. (1779–1849), merchant * John H. Couch (1811–1870), sea captain, pioneer and a founder of
Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
*
Osmond Richard Cummings Osmond Richard Cummings (May 17, 1923 – January 15, 2013) was an American author and historian. He published several histories of railroad systems in New England. Life and career Cummings was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, the son of Or ...
(1923–2013), author and historian * Caleb Cushing (1800–1879), diplomat and politician * Timothy Dexter (1748–1806), businessman noted for his writing and eccentricity *
Andre Dubus III Andre Dubus III (born September 11, 1959) is an American novelist and short story writer. He is a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Early life and education Born in Oceanside, California, to Patricia (née Lowe) a ...
(born 1959), novelist *
William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison (December , 1805 – May 24, 1879) was a prominent American Christian, abolitionist, journalist, suffragist, and social reformer. He is best known for his widely read antislavery newspaper '' The Liberator'', which he foun ...
(1805–1879), abolitionist *
Edmund Pike Graves Edmund Pike Graves (March 13, 1891 – November 22, 1919) was an American aviator, Royal Flying Corps and Polish Air Force officer, the latter as a member of the Polish 7th Air Escadrille "Kościuszko Squadron", who served as an instructor and ...
(1891–1919), aviator who served as a fighter pilot during
WWI World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and the Polish-Soviet War * Áine Greaney (born ), writer and editor *
Adolphus Greely Adolphus Washington Greely (March 27, 1844 – October 20, 1935) was a United States Army officer and polar explorer. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. A native of Newburyport, Massachusetts an ...
(1844–1935), polar explorer * Edwin A. Grosvenor (1845–1936), author and professor of history * Laura Coombs Hills (1859–1952), painter * Judith Hoag (born 1968) actress * Lucy Hooper (1816–1841), poet *
Charles Tillinghast James Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...
(1805–1862), mechanical engineer, designer, senator * Benjamin H. Jellison (1845–1904), Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War *
Joe Keery Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for playing Steve Harrington in the science fiction series '' Stranger Things'' (2016–present) and for his role in the comedy film ''Free Guy'' (2021) ...
(born 1992), actor * Rufus King (1755–1827), diplomat and politician * Thomas B. Lawson (1807–1888), artist *
Francis Cabot Lowell Francis Cabot Lowell (April 7, 1775 – August 10, 1817) was an American businessman for whom the city of Lowell, Massachusetts, is named. He was instrumental in bringing the Industrial Revolution to the United States. Early life Francis Cabot ...
(1775–1817), manufacturer *
John Lowell John Lowell (June 17, 1743 – May 6, 1802) was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation, a Judge of the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture under the Articles of Confederation, a United States district judge of the United States Distr ...
(1743–1802), congressman and federal judge * George Lunt (1803–1885), editor, lawyer, author, politician * John P. Marquand (1893–1960), author *
Donald McKay Donald McKay (September 4, 1810 – September 20, 1880) was a Canadian-born American designer and builder of sailing ships, famed for his record-setting clippers. Early life He was born in Jordan Falls, Shelburne County, on Nova Scotia's ...
(1810–1880), shipbuilder *
Jonathan Meath Jonathan Meath (born September 16, 1955) is an American television producer and director, based in Boston who is notable for children's television production. He was Senior Producer of the TV game show '' Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'' H ...
(born 1955), television producer * Johnny Messner (born 1970), actor *
Robert S. Mulliken Robert Sanderson Mulliken Note Longuet-Higgins' amusing title for reference B238 1965 on page 354 of this Biographical Memoir. The title should be "Selected papers of Robert S Mulliken." (June 7, 1896 – October 31, 1986) was an American ph ...
(1896–1986), recipient of 1966
Nobel Prize in Chemistry ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , alt = A golden medallion with an embossed image of a bearded man facing left in profile. To the left of the man is the text "ALFR•" then "NOBEL", and on the right, the text (smaller) "NAT•" then "M ...
*
Theophilus Parsons Theophilus Parsons (February 24, 1750October 30, 1813) was an American jurist. Life Born in Newbury, Massachusetts to a clergyman father, Parsons was one of the early students at the Dummer Academy (now The Governor's Academy) before matricu ...
(1750–1813), jurist *
James Parton James Parton (February 9, 1822 – October 17, 1891) was an English-born American biographer who wrote books on the lives of Horace Greeley, Aaron Burr, Andrew Jackson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, and contributed three b ...
(1822–1891), biographer * Edmund Pearson (1880–1937), librarian and true crime writer *
Jacob Perkins Jacob Perkins (9 July 1766 – 30 July 1849) was an American inventor, mechanical engineer and physicist. Born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Perkins was apprenticed to a goldsmith. He soon made himself known with a variety of useful mechanical i ...
(1766–1849), early American inventor * Timothy Pilsbury (1789–1858), congressman from Texas * Harriet Prescott Spofford (1835–1921), writer * Charles A. Spring (1800–1891), influential
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
leader in Iowa and Illinois * Rev. Gardiner Spring (1785–1873), author of the Gardiner Spring Resolutions, which gained
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
the support of the Presbyterian Church * Rev. Samuel Spring (1746–1819), religious leader, chaplain in Benedict Arnold's army * Clara F. Stevens (1855–1934), English professor at Mount Holyoke College * Matthew Thornton (1714–1803), signer of the
Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...
* William S. Tilton (1828–1889), Civil War brigade commander at the
Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...
*
Peter Tolan Peter James Tolan III (born July 5, 1958) is an American television producer, director, and screenwriter. Early life and career Tolan was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, where he was a perennial favorite in the high school's dramatic production ...
(born 1958), television/film producer and writer * Charles Turner (1848–1908), painter, born in Newburyport * William Gordon Welchman (1906–1985) English Mathematician, University Professor, Second World War codebreaker at Bletchley Park, United Kingdom * William Wheelwright (1798–1873), sea captain, US consul in
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
, steamship and railroad promoter in South America * Lothrop Withington (1856-1915), genealogist, historian, and book editor who was killed in the sinking of the RMS Lusitania * Martha Wright (1923–2016), singer and Broadway actress


See also

*
The Daily News of Newburyport ''The Daily News of Newburyport'' is an American daily newspaper covering northeastern Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. The newspaper is published Monday through Saturday mornings by North of Boston Media Group, a subsidiary of Community Newsp ...
* Newburyport Public Library *
List of newspapers in Massachusetts in the 18th century This is a list of newspapers in Massachusetts, including print and online. Daily newspapers :''This is a list of daily newspapers currently published in Massachusetts. For weekly newspapers, see List of newspapers in Massachusetts.'' No ...
: Newburyport


References


Bibliography

; Published in 18th–19th centuries * * * * * Newburyport: Stephen H. Fowle, 1874 * * * * Two volumes, 957 and 1173 pages. Newburyport is in Volume II; however, there are scattered facts throughout. The first half of Volume I is downloadable from Google Books. Republished (1992) by Higginson Book Company, . In that edition, Hurd is called an editor. * ; Published in 20th century * * Two volumes. Reprints and facsimiles exist. * Oliver B. Merrill. North End Papers, 1618–1880, Newburyport, Massachusetts. ''Newburyport Daily News'', 1906–1908. *
v.2
* * * Fanny Louise Walton. Historic nuggets of Newburyport. Newburyport, Mass.: Newburyport Press, 1958 * ; Published in 21st century *


External links

* * {{Authority control 1635 establishments in Massachusetts Cities in Essex County, Massachusetts Cities in Massachusetts Populated coastal places in Massachusetts Populated places established in 1635 Massachusetts populated places on the Merrimack River