The inhabitants of the part of Ipswich known as Chebacco (now Essex) established their own parish in 1679, but were still residents of the town of Ipswich. Among its early residents were many of the most important and influential people in Ipswich history.
On April 6, 1818, two hundred and six men of Chebacco petitioned the Legislature for incorporation, and the town of Essex as they named it, came into existence on Feb. 5, 1819.
Historic houses of Essex, Massachusetts - The inhabitants of the part of Ipswich known as Chebacco (now Essex) established their own parish in 1679, but were still residents of the town of Ipswich. Among its early residents were many of the most important and influential people in Ipswich history.On April 6, 1818, two hundred and six men of Chebacco petitioned the Legislature for incorporation, and the town of Essex … Continue reading Historic houses of Essex, Massachusetts
Carted back to Ipswich, 1714 - In the Old North Burying Yard on High Street in Ipswich lies the body of the Reverend Samuel Belcher. Born in Ipswich in 1639, he graduated from Harvard College in 1659, and studied for the ministry, and was preaching at Kittery, Maine as early as 1663. In 1668 he married Mary, daughter of Rev. Thomas Cobbett of Ipswich. In … Continue reading Carted back to Ipswich, 1714
Taking to the air in Ipswich, 1910-11 - In 1909, W. Starling Burgess joined with Augustus Moore Herring to form the Herring-Burgess Company, manufacturing aircraft under a license with the Wright Brothers, thus becoming the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the United States. Burgess took the initial flight of his first plane in 1908 at Chebacco Lake in Hamilton, MA. Burgess had been offered $5,000 by Charles Parker … Continue reading Taking to the air in Ipswich, 1910-11
Invention of the fried clam, 1916 - (This article is from the New England Historical Society.) On July 3, 1916, Lawrence ‘Chubby’ Woodman invented the fried clam. It was a hot, steamy day in Essex, Mass. Chubby Woodman and his wife Bessie had opened a small concession stand on Main Street two years earlier. On weekends they sold small grocery items, homemade potato chips … Continue reading Invention of the fried clam, 1916
Choate Island and Rufus Choate - Featured image: Painting of the Choate homestead by E. Choate Kane, courtesy of Joyce Patton Choate Island was originally known as Hog Island. In the Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it is recorded that keeping hogs on islands or in fenced enclosures during the planting season was the law from the 1630’s, and each … Continue reading Choate Island and Rufus Choate
The trolley comes to Ipswich, June 26, 1896 - The brief era of horse-drawn trolleys apparently never materialized in Ipswich. Electric trolleys occupied the streets of Ipswich in the early 20th Century. A trolley line from Beverly through Hamilton to Essex and Gloucester opened in 1895, and on June 26, 1896, the first car on the branch that followed Candlewood Road to Ipswich arrived … Continue reading The trolley comes to Ipswich, June 26, 1896
Essex shipyards and the age of the Gloucester schooners - Over 4000 wooden vessels were launched from Essex, including many schooners that sailed from nearby Gloucester, once the largest fishing port in the United States. View below, “Legacy: Shipbuilders, Fishermen and the Age of the Gloucester Schooners” (58 minutes).
1793 and 1818: the “Burden of the Poor” divides Ipswich into three towns - The increase in the size of ships and the consequent decline of the fishing industry in Ipswich during the latter half of the 18th Century deprived many families of their means of support and compelled an increasing number of the inhabitants to ask relief from the Town. The town responded by ordering the Sheriff to serve … Continue reading 1793 and 1818: the “Burden of the Poor” divides Ipswich into three towns
The Great Colonial Hurricane and the wreck of the Angel Gabriel, August 25, 1635 - Featured image: Pemaquid Point plaque commemorating the wreck of the Angel Gabriel On the last Wednesday of May, 1635, the Angel Gabriel, a 240 ton ship set out from England, bound for New England. The ship had been commissioned as the Starre for Sir Walter Raleigh’s last expedition to America in 1617. It was stout … Continue reading The Great Colonial Hurricane and the wreck of the Angel Gabriel, August 25, 1635
The women of Chebacco build a Meeting House, March 21, 1679 - In 17th Century New England, the church was the center of government. Chebacco was the section of Ipswich that is now Essex, and its inhabitants were expected to make the ten-mile round trip every Sabbath, Lecture Day, Training Day or Town Meeting day to the Meeting House in Ipswich. Chebacco residents petitioned the town of … Continue reading The women of Chebacco build a Meeting House, March 21, 1679
The Body Snatcher of Chebacco Parish - The Old Burying Ground in Essex was established in 1680 for inhabitants of Chebacco Parish, the former part of Ipswich which is now Essex. In 1819 people in the parish began noticing lights moving about at night in the graveyard. It was soon discovered that the body of 26-year-old Sally Andrews who had died of … Continue reading The Body Snatcher of Chebacco Parish
Building a ship in Essex - This very entertaining mid-20th Century documentary is shown at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum, just a short drive from Ipswich. Viewing time: 12 minutes.
The Rev. John Wise of Ipswich - The concepts of freedom about which Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence came from the pulpit and pen of the Rev. John Wise of Ipswich, Massachusetts. “The first human subject and original of civil power is the people…and when they are free, they may set up what species of government they please. The end of all good … Continue reading The Rev. John Wise of IpswichHistoric Essex houses
The following First Period, Georgian and Federal era houses in Essex are listed on MACRIS, The Massachusetts Cultural Resources Information System. Dates for other historic houses on the interactive map below are from the Town of Essex Patriot Properties property database and are not confirmed. View at Google Maps
| Russell, Richard House, 1705 Apple St ESS.23 |
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| Perkins, Isaac House, 1765 Apple St ESS.25 |
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| Story, Jacob House, 1831 1 Apple St ESS.22 |
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| Story House, 1830 18 Apple St ESS.24 |
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| Brown, Joseph – Cleveland, John House, 1713 23 Belcher St ESS.42 |
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| Giddings, George House, 1690 66 Choate St ESS.1 |
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| Giddings, George Barn, 1700 66 Choate St ESS.2 |
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| Butler, Simon House, 1690 Conomo Dr ESS.72 |
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| 22 Eastern Ave, 1745 ESS.186 |
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| 5 Grove St, 1768 ESS.205 |
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| Andrew, John House, 1768 68 Grove St ESS.71 |
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| Cross – Proctor House, 1760 Harlow St. ESS.80 |
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| Choate, Francis House, 1730 Hog Island ESS.79 |
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| Powder House, 1816 John Wise Ave ESS.901 |
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| Giddings, Lt. Samuel House, 1678
143 John Wise Ave |
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| Titcomb, Benaiah House, 1700 189 John Wise Ave ESS.87 |
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| Butnam, Archer House, 1730 King’s Ct ESS.73 |
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| 16 Main St, 1830 ESS.30 |
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| Center School, 1835 Main St ESS.35 |
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| First Congregational Church, 1746 39 Main St ESS.36 |
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| Lamson, Dr. Josiah House, 1830 16 Main St ESS.31 |
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| Griggs House, 1832 18 Main St ESS.32 |
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| Cavies, John House, 1725 22 Main St ESS.33 |
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| Story, Epes House, 1828 25 Main St ESS.34 |
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| 148 Main St, 1830 ESS.219 |
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| Proctor – Pankhurst House, 1780 166 Main St ESS.78 |
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| Lyman, James House, 1820 21 Martin St ESS.69 |
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| Goodhue House, 1775 113 Martin St ESS.63 |
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| Burnham, John and David House, 1685 57 Pond St ESS.19 |
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| Preston, David House, 1737 182 Southern Ave ESS.70 |
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| Cogswell’s Grant, 1728 60 Spring St ESS.3 |
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| Crafts House, 1791 Story St ESS.40 |
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| 14 Story St, 1790 ESS.37 |
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| Story, McKensi House, 1770 38 Story St ESS.38 |
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| 38 Story St ESS.39 |
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| Story, Elisha House, 1784 49 Story St ESS.41 |
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| Webster, Rev. Josiah House, 1795 7 Western Ave ESS.4 |
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| Pickering, Rev. Theophilus House, 1730 9 Western Ave ESS.5 |
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| Pickering, Rev. Theophilus converted barn, 1725 11 Western Ave ESS.6 |
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| Cogswell, William House, 1771 17 Western Ave ESS.7 |
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| Lowe, Winthrop House, 1718 18 Western Ave ESS.9 |
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| Congregational Church Parsonage, 1824 19 Western Ave ESS.8 |
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| Andrews, Col. House, 1806 21 Western Ave ESS.10 |
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| 98 Western Ave, 1750 ESS.16 |
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| Burnham, Francis House, 1790 135 Western Ave ESS.17 |
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| Allen, Joe Gill House, 1727 246 Western Ave ESS.18 |
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Historic sites on the Essex walking tour
- ESSEX TOWN HALL AND T.O.H.P. BURNHAM LIBRARY This exuberant Shingle Style building with a working clock tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
- FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Housed in the steeple is an original Paul Revere bell, cast in 1797. The first minister, Reverend John Wise, was one of the earliest to speak out against the Salem Witchcraft Delusion of 1692. Additional History
- OLD BURYING GROUND AND HEARSE HOUSE Laid out in 1680, the Old Burying Ground was the site of the notorius grave robberies of 1818. The Hearse House still stands and is believed to be one of only three left in America. Additional History
- CENTRAL SCHOOLHOUSE, VETERAN’S HALL AND MUSEUM For 55 years, this building was a two-room schoolhouse for 60 pupils in grades one through eight. It later became a meeting hall for veterans and today house Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum exhibits and archives. Additional History
- SHIPBUILDING IN ESSEX For over 300 years, close to 4,000 wooden vessels – more two-masted vessels than any other town in the world – were built and launched in Essex. The majority of vessels were fishing schooners. At its peak in 1851, sixty vessels launched from 15 shipyards. Additional History
- ESSEX SHIPBUILDING MUSEUM Preserving American maritime history in the heart of Essex at the site of the historic Story Shipyard, established in 1813. Additional History
- THE ESSEX CAUSEWAY, “GREAT BRIDGE” AND SPAR POND This main roadway served the needs of Essex shipyards and brought together two parts of a town. Upstream, a spar pond held logs used for masts and booms so they would not dry out. Additional History
- THE ESSEX BRANCH OF THE EASTERN RAILROAD Built in 1870 to transport ice cut from Chebacco Lake, the railroad later carried Boston picnickers to Centennial Grove. Additional History
- OLD SOUTH ESSEX ENGINE HOUSE In the mid 1800’s, this building was the second firehouse built in South Essex. Additional History
- ESSEX RIVER AND CLAM FLATS This tidal waterway is central to Essex’s economic vitality – from the early days of shipbuilding to shellfishing, boating and recreation today. Additional History
- THE GREAT MARSH AND ESTUARY The largest contiguous acreage of salt marsh north of Long Island, extending from Cape Ann to Salisbury, Masssachusetts. Additional History
ESSEX ANTIQUE SHOPS Regarded as “America’s Antique Capital”, Essex has long been a collector’s, dealer’s and decorator’s paradise. Additional History - BURNHAM’S CORNER This part of town, South Essex, was home to several small shops and one large shoe factory at the end of the 19th century.
- METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH This Federal-style structure was the gathering place of several different congregations – spanning nearly 200 years.
