County Street

County Street is in the Ipswich Architectural Preservation District and has some of the oldest houses in town. The section between East and Summer Streets was originally called Cross St, and the section between the County Street bridge and Poplar Street was known as Mill St. The roads were connected when the County Street Bridge was constructed in 1861. It continues as County Road beyond the South Green.

county-bridge-rapids
Remains of an old mill below the County St. bridge.
Heartbreak Hill rises beyond Turkey Shore in this 19th Century photo of the County Street woolen mill, no longer standing.
Heartbreak Hill rises beyond Turkey Shore in this 19th Century photo of the County Street woolen mill (no longer standing).

Sawmill Point

The sawmill at the County Street bridge

When the County street bridge was built in 1860 it joined together Cross and Mill streets, which then became County street, and completely obliterated “Falls Island” which stood in the middle of the river and had always been a busy center of industry since Robert Calef built the first grist mill in 1715. Fulling, saw, grist and woolen mills flourished along with the several small enterprises across the street: saw, box and veneer mills. In time the mill burned down, the smaller mills closed their doors, and all that’s left to remind us of that long ago time are the three small houses, facing Elm street, and standing more or less on what was Fall’s Island.

10 County Street, the Dennis – Dodge House (1740) - The 1740 Dennis-Dodge house was owned by Captain John Dennis, whose father Thomas Dennis was a renowned woodworker and owned a home across the street. A succession of Dennis family members retained this property. Captain Ignatius Dodge (1816 - 1901) inherited the house. In the early 1800's, Eunice Hale maintained a school in the building.… Continue reading 10 County Street, the Dennis – Dodge House (1740)
11 County Street, the Bennett – Caldwell house (1725) - Joseph Bennett built this early Second Period house in 1725. In 1818 the house was sold to Capt. Sylvanus Caldwell, who engaged in maritime trade along the coast from Massachusetts to Maine for a half century.… Continue reading 11 County Street, the Bennett – Caldwell house (1725)
15 County Street, the Rev. Levi Frisbie house (1788) - This house at 15 County Street was built in 1788 for Rev. Levi Frisbie, pastor of First Church in Ipswich. He continued in the pastorate thirty years until his death in 1806, succeeded by the Rev. David Tenney Kimball.… Continue reading 15 County Street, the Rev. Levi Frisbie house (1788)
16 County Street, the Abraham Knowlton house (1726) 16 County Street, the Abraham Knowlton house (1726) - The original house is believed to have been constructed between 1725 and 1740. The house was in poor condition and in 2003 was restored by Ipswich architect Matthew Cummings. It is identical in construction to the Dennis-Dodge house a few doors away.… Continue reading 16 County Street, the Abraham Knowlton house (1726)
County Street, Ipswich MA 17 County Street, Perkins and Daniels Shoe Factory (1843) - This house was built in 1843 near the EBSCO dam as Hoyt’s Veneer Mill. It was moved in 1859 to its present location where it became the Perkins & Daniels Stocking Factory. Farley & Daniels succeeded in 1884. … Continue reading 17 County Street, Perkins and Daniels Shoe Factory (1843)
25 County St., Ipswich MA 25 County Street, the J. Caldwell house (c 1860) - The house at 25 County Street in Ipswich was built in approximately 1860 on a corner of the former Ipswich Jail grounds. The 1872 Ipswich map shows the owner as J. Caldwell. In 1910 the owner is N. S. Kimball. … Continue reading 25 County Street, the J. Caldwell house (c 1860)
26 County St., J. M Dunnels house, Ipswich MA 26 County Street, the John M. Dunnels house (1867) - This home was constructed in approximately 1867 by J. M. Dunnels, who was a "tin and sheet iron worker" with a shop downtown.… Continue reading 26 County Street, the John M. Dunnels house (1867)
28 County St. Ipswich 28 County St., the Asa Stone -Theodore Wendel house (1872) - Theodore Wendell Wendel first lived in this Victorian house before moving to Argilla Rd. The nearby County Street and Green Street bridges appear in his paintings, as does Town Hill and the rolling landscapes beyond.… Continue reading 28 County St., the Asa Stone -Theodore Wendel house (1872)
3 County Street, Ipswich MA 3 County Street, the William Treadwell house (1850) - The house does not appear on the Ipswich maps through 1910, at which time this tiny parcel was owned by Dr. Russell. It may be a wing of the Captain William Treadwell house which was removed from the other corner of East Street in order to widen the intersection.… Continue reading 3 County Street, the William Treadwell house (1850)
31 County Street, Ascension Memorial Episcopal Church (1875) - The Ascension Memorial Episcopal Church on County Street was designed by famed architect James Renwick Jr. (1818-1895) and is considered “American Gothic Revival” in style. Construction was begun in 1869 and completed in 1875.… Continue reading 31 County Street, Ascension Memorial Episcopal Church (1875)
35 County St., Ipswich MA 35 County St., the Lydia and Reuben Daniels house (1863) - The house was build by Reuben Daniels, surveyor and shoe manufacturer, and his wife Lydia. … Continue reading 35 County St., the Lydia and Reuben Daniels house (1863)
45 County Street, the Amos Dunnels house (1823) - The Amos Dunnels house was constructed in 1823 on South Main St. and was moved to 45 County St. in the 20th Century. … Continue reading 45 County Street, the Amos Dunnels house (1823)
The Benjamin Grant house, County Street in Ipswich MA 47 County Street, the Benjamin Grant house (1735) - The Benjamin Grant House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It appears to have been originally built as a half house. Benjamin Grant was born in 1701 in Ipswich to Robert and Mary Grant, who emigrated from England. Benjamin married Anne Perkins in 1722, and was killed in the French and Indian War in 1756.… Continue reading 47 County Street, the Benjamin Grant house (1735)
Pinder-Rindge house, Summer St., Ipswich 5 County Street, the Richard Rindge / Pindar house (1718) - The First Period house at 5 County Street was originally on upper Summer St., moved to this location in the last half of the 19th Century.… Continue reading 5 County Street, the Richard Rindge / Pindar house (1718)
Thomas Dennis house, County Street, Ipswich MA 7 County Street, the Thomas Dennis House (1663-1706) - Shoreborne Wilson, a cooper, built a house and shop on this site about 1660. Thomas Dennis, the well-known master joiner, bought the property in 1663. A 1685 deed for a neighboring lot refers to the "new dwelling house" of Thomas Dennis.… Continue reading 7 County Street, the Thomas Dennis House (1663-1706)
9 County Street, the Benjamin Dutch house (1705) - This was built early in the 1700’s, and was owned by one of several men named Benjamin Dutch who owned and sold properties throughout town. The asymmetrical facade and timber frame are typical of First Period construction.… Continue reading 9 County Street, the Benjamin Dutch house (1705)

2 thoughts on “County Street”

  1. We live at 23 County St at the corner of Green St. Our understanding is that this house was originally built by the Caldwell family, the same family that the Caldwell block downtown is named for and the nursing home across the street was named for.

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