Follow the Ipswich River, starting at the Willowdale Dam and continuing past all four stone arch bridges in Ipswich, then along Water Street to the Town Wharf and out to sea. Many of these photos were digitally developed from original glass negatives taken by three early Ipswich photographers, and others generously shared from private collections and the Ipswich Museum .
- Arthur Wesley Dow, the famous Ipswich artist who operated a summer art school at the Howard House on Turkey Shore Rd. Dow and George Dexter were friends and were photography enthusiasts.
- George Dexter, early Ipswich photographer. These glass plate negatives are from the collection of Robert Cronin, Ipswich native. Dexter left his collection of glass plates in the barn owned by Cronin’s father. Robert wrote about working at his father’s store on the wharf.
- Edward L. Darling, glass plate negatives courtesy of Bill Barton, from the collection of Bill’s late grandfather William J. Barton. In the 1960’s, William J. Barton wrote his memories of these locations on the back of his framed collection of Darling photographs.
View more photos and additional information at The Industrial History of the Ipswich River, produced by Alan Pearsall and John Stump.
Visit the Ipswich River Watershed Association site
Clicking on a photo opens a slideshow. Exit the slideshow by clicking on the small X in the upper left corner.
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- The ruins of Dr. Manning’s mill at Willowdale
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- Warner Bridge, Mill Road
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- The Ice House
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- Just above the dam was Goodhue’s Boathouse, at the end of Peatfield St.
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- Above the Mill dam. Photo courtesy of Bruce Lord
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- Footbridge from South Main to the Mill, circa 1900. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- The Ipswich Mills
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- “Little Venice” is the name Arthur Wesley Dow gave to the rear of houses and shops on South Main St.
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- Little Venice, by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Rear of Market Street buildings, by Arthur Wesley Dow
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- The Choate Bridge, with the Caldwell Building on the left and the Ipswich Female Seminary beyond it.
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- The Choate Bridge. On the right is the building that was Emmie’s Bridal Shop.
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- The Choate Bridge, from the northeast riverbank. Many people remember the building on the right as Bill’s Store.
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- Parades were longer, and wouund throughout town.
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- County St. Bridge
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- County St. Bridge, photo by George Dexter, before 1900
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- 19th Century mills at the County St. Bridge
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- County St. and the two steeples circa 1860, before the Ascension Church was built. The identify of the building directly behind the Methodist Church is unknown. The former Episcopal parsonage is at that location now.
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- The three churches, taken from Turkey Shore
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- View of the County Street mills from the Cove at Poplar St. Photo by Edward L. Darling.
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- The Green St. Bridge is ahead, with the jail on the left, photo by Edward L. Darling
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- Great Cove, view of the jail from Turkey Shore. Photo by George Dexter.
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- Ipswich Jail
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- Looking back from downriver. Photo by George Dexter.
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- The Green St. Bridge
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- Green St. Bridge view from Water St. Photo by George Dexter.
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- The Green St. Bridge and the Howard House. Photo by George Dexter.
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- Water Street from Summer to Green Street was called “Clam Shell Alley.”
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- The lower part of Ipswich River from the Green Street Bridge.
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- Looking back at the Green Street Bridge and the jail from Turkey Shore. Photo by George Dexter.
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- Clam shacks, with the earlier wooden Green St. Bridge in the background. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Clam shacks Water Street, Ipswich
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- Clam shacks on Water St. at high tide. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Clam shacks on Water St, low tide, by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- This house on Water St was just past the clam shacks. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Clam boats on Water St. with Glover’s Wharf in the background. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Shucking clams on Turkey Shore. Glover’s and Brown’s Wharves are across the River. Photo by George Dexter.
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- Looking across to Summer St. from the little park on Turkey Shore. Photo by Edward L. Darling.
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- View of Summer St. from Turkey Shore by George Dexter.
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- Glazier-Sweet house on Water St. Photo by Arthur Wesley Dow.
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- Looking across to Turkey Shore, photo by George Dexter.
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- View of Water Street from the Green Street Bridge
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- Glover’s wharf and Brown’s Wharf
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- Coal schooner at Glover’s Wharf
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- Water St.
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- Ipswich River by George Dexter
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- Relaxing on Turkey Shore
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- “This was Brown’s Wharf. William G. Brown dealt in wood, coal, lime, sand and cement.
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- Clam boats before the Town Wharf was built, with East Street on the left, and Agawam Ave. in the background. Photo by George Dexter.
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- the Town Wharf circa 1890, and the masts of a coal schooner unloading in front of Brown’s wharf and warehouse
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- The lower wharf before 1870
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- View from across the River, photo by George Dexter.
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- The Town Wharf circa 1930
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- Two girls standing on Ringbolt Rock
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William J. Barton wrote, “From Brown’s Wharf, the steamer Carlotta, a local steamboat owned by Nathaniel Burnham and Charles W. Brown sailed daily and carried passengers on the Ipswich River and Parker River. The Carlotta also was used as a tug boat for towing vessels up and down the river. The Carlotta carried 200 passengers with Captain Burnham as captain, plus an engineer and deck hand. Her stops on the daily trip were at Little Neck for 10 cents. The Ipswich Bluffs, 15 cents, Grape Island 20 cents, and the complete round trip to the Parker River at Newbury for 40 cents. It was very pleasant, about 12 miles.
Before the advent of the electric cars and the automobile, people took advantage of this clean and pleasant way to travel. Various organizations on moonlight nights would run excursions. Among them were the Ottawa Club, a popular group of young ladies, and a musical organization known as the Ipswich Fife and Drum Corps. The Drum Corps would march from the center of town to the wharf, followed by a large crowd. At about 7:30 pm the Carlotta would sail. The drum corps played music all the way over to the Parker River, where they would run a dance. Refreshments could be purchased at the Pavilion. It was always high tide at eleven o’clock on a full moon, so they would start the return trip home. There was no music on the return trip. Every one would cuddle up to someone on the steamer as it was cold in the early morning, and enjoy the full moon. After all, that was what this excursion was run for.
This was a wonderful thing to have the Carlotta running on the Ipswich River and Parker River. Everyone enjoyed the river. Howard C. Dodge of 4 Hovey St. had 20 boats to let that two or three could row, and some Sundays he would have to hire some boats of the clammers to take care of his customers. There was a hotel at Little Neck. The Ipswich Bluffs was one of the first places along the coast where you could have a wonderful shore dinner. At Grape Island they ran an excellent hotel. The same at the Parker River Pavilion, they always put on a good feed.”
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- Near the town wharf, 1930
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- River View Cash Market, 1935. Photo courtesy of Robert Cronin, who wrote his memories of his father’s store on the Town Wharf.
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- Ipswich town wharf, beside Fred Cronin’s store, 1935
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- Photo of wharf beside Fred Cronin’s store, about 1935
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- Ringbolt rock, boats and wharves
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- Agawam Ave., just beyond the Wharf
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- Heading out from the wharf, Ringbolt rock is on the right
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- Earliest photo of Little Neck
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- Little Neck, circa 1900
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- Wreck of the Ada K. Damon
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- View from Steep Hill: Ipswich River and Plum Island Sound. Little Neck is upper left. Photo by George Dexter
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- Schooner at the mouth of the Ipswich River.
This was really wonderful. Thank you. I do hope you’re considering putting together a book of these photos and that you preserve the wonderful tones and coloring . It would be great to see this published in print with all the captions you’ve provided. Let me know if it’s ever published it would be great to have a copy. My earliest North American ancestor spent part of his boyhood hear back in the 1600s I’d love to have this to look at. Sam. NYC
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Lovely pictures – especially of Choate and Country Street arched bridges. Delightful reminiscences.
Re the steamer Charlotta – “It was always high tide at eleven o’clock on a full moon, so they would start the return trip home. There was no music on the return trip. Every one would cuddle up to someone on the steamer as it was cold in the early morning, and enjoy the full moon. After all, that was what this excursion was run for.” Sounds wonderful.
Ipswich has such an interesting topography which these old photos really capture. Thank you!
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Wonderful photos.
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