Newburyport is undoubtedly a completely contemporary place, full of restaurants, boutiques, beautiful views, and friendly people. Perched at the mouth of the Merrimack River and close to routes 1 and 95, it combines both natural beauty and commuter-friendly access to Boston and shopping centers. It has everything a modern family could need.
But pay attention as you’re strolling along the waterfront or sipping a craft beer at a local taproom, and you’ll soon realize that Newburyport is also a place where history stretching back hundreds of years is still evident around every corner.
“What I love about it is there are all these different layers of history,” says Bethany Groff Dorau, executive director of the Museum of Old Newbury, which collects artifacts, documents, and stories about the past in Newburyport, Newbury, and West Newbury.
Perhaps the most obvious link to the city’s past is in its buildings. On even a casual drive or walk through town, it is easy to spot architecture from every century back to the area’s settlement by Europeans. There are simple, wood-sided Georgian homes; stately Federal buildings; Greek Revival designs with classically influenced cornices and pilasters; Victorians with gabled roofs and welcoming verandas.
“You can see the evidence of the way people lived in the past,” Dorau says. “It’s just a feast for the eyes.”
The charming brick downtown tells a story of its own: In 1811, the existing buildings were destroyed in a catastrophic fire. When the center was rebuilt, the city mandated brick construction to prevent another such disaster, yielding the distinctive, quaint look of the present-day downtown. Today, these buildings are home to a wide array of independent businesses, from elegant boutiques and gift shops where local artisans sell their wares to ice cream parlors, homey pubs, and restaurants to suit every taste.
Up the street, the Tannery is today a commercial complex that is home to dozens of small local businesses. The industrial-yet-rustic architecture reflects its past life as the site of mills and tanneries.
“You can still see evidence of the industrial past,” Dorau says.
In one visit to the Tannery you can dine on Asian food at Joy Nest or Brown Sugar by the Sea, pick up some toys for your favorite little ones at Henry Bear’s Park, relax with a massage or yoga class, or pick up just the right accessory for your kitchen.
Visitors exploring the town should seek out the five interpretative signs that make up the Newburyport Black History Initiative, a project intended to cast light on the often-neglected history of Black residents in the city. More signs are slated for installation later this year, and there are plans in the works for walking tours to each of the locations. The stories featured on the signs include those of Black activists who organized and fought for abolition and a formerly enslaved woman who became a trusted domestic servant for a prominent Newburyport family.
“It was stories like that we really wanted to surface as part of the Newburyport Black History Initiative,” says Kabria Baumgartner, a Newburyport resident, history professor at Northeastern University, and one of the founders of the initiative. “There’s a very vibrant and rich history of the African-American experience here in Newburyport.”
Additional in-depth history can be found at local museums, like Dorau’s workplace, the Museum of Old Newbury, and the recently reimagined Custom House Maritime Museum.
Outside of the downtown, there are ways to enjoy the outdoors while still embracing some historical perspective. The Bartlet Mall was first established as a public space in the 1600s, when townspeople grazed their sheep there. Today, it is a lush, scenic park for picnicking, strolling, or relaxing on the banks of the charming frog pond, presided over by an 1805 brick courthouse. Maudslay State Park showcases the early 20th-century estate of broker Frederick Strong Moseley, which today features rolling meadows, gorgeous stands of mountain laurel, and exquisitely designed gardens.
“It’s just a treasure,” Dorau says.
So whether you’re a history buff eager to dig in to fascinating stories of the past, or whether you just appreciate the richness stories of the past bring to a visit to a new place, Newburyport is a prime destination.
It will be a visit you’ll appreciate for all time.