An Introduction to Newburyport History, Architecture, & PreservationThe Newburyport Preservation Trust exists to promote preservation education and advocacy. But just what are we preserving, anyway? And why? How did Newburyport get to be the way it looks now? Has it always been this way? This page and its links aim to provide answers to these questions. The concise and informative narrative, Newburyport History In-Brief: A Preservationist Perspective, with accompanying photos, is a viewable, downloadable, and printable PDF file. This overview purposefully avoids identification of heroes, villains, brilliance, or ignorance. But to be sure, it is the resilient citizens of all persuasions, working through or around the inherent disharmony of democracy, that have made Newburyport work. Readers desiring more detail are encouraged to consult the bibliography and links at the bottom of this page.
For those interested in the dramatic changes in relatively recent decades, a must-see video is the 30-minute documentary about Newburyport’s restoration, A Measure of Change, by Lawrence Rosenblum (1975).
Through the happy combination of circumstance and vision, Newburyport has come to be known for its uncommonly rich stock of early American domestic architecture in First Period, Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival styles. To a lesser degree, also found in Newburyport are fine examples of late 19th- and early 20th-century styles from Victorian and Shingle style (19th century) to Arts & Crafts, Tudor, Colonial Revival, and American Four-Square (20th century). This page provides an introduction to the styles most commonly found in Newburyport that draw people here from far-and-wide to visit and/or make their home.
The first permanent homes that early English settlers built in New England between 1625-1725 have come to be known as “First Period” houses. Characteristics of this post-medieval style adapted from building practices in England’s southeastern and central counties, include a steeply-pitched roofline, a thick central chimney, and, in the earliest examples, asymmetrically-placed diamond-pane casement windows. (Sliding sash windows with multiple rectangular panes came into use about 1700.)
The interior of a typical First Period house was generally one-room deep. Stairs to the second floor formed an “L” or “U” shape around the central chimney. Expansion of these post-and-beam structures took the form of lean-to additions.
There are few surviving First Period homes in New England that retain original features or fabric. The post-and-beam frames were built to last, however, and in Newburyport, and especially Newbury, there are several fine examples. Two Historic New England First Period house museums, the Tristram Coffin, Jr. House (1678) and the Swett-Ilsley House (1677) on High Road just into Newbury, are open for public tours on selected dates. Consult the Historic New England web site for the seasonal schedule at www.HistoricNewEngland.org.
The Georgian style of colonial era house in New England is so-named because of its period of vogue during the 18th-century reign of England’s succession of kings named … George.
The style was based on Italian architect Andrea Palladio’s (1508-1580) interpretation of classical design principles, which were adapted by early English architects and published in pattern books for tradesmen. These publications led to a kind of standardization of house-building among tradesmen. In New England the style was carried out as a simple, symmetrical, two-story, two-room deep house with a center entry and its windows aligned horizontally and vertically. The house was set on a raised foundation, and a gambrel or gable roof was common. In later examples, chimneys were set at each end of the house instead of one at the center. The paneled front door was usually capped with a decorative crown, supported on the sides by decorative pilasters.
The “high-style” Georgian house in New England was a sign of status and wealth. In Newburyport there are examples of the “high-style”, such as the Dalton House (1747) at 95 State Street, but there are far more examples of Georgian style homes that have comparatively modest decorative embellishments.
The Federal style of domestic architecture, so-named because it flowered during our country’s founding decades, refined the Georgian style by introducing cleaner lines and more delicate decorative features. In common with the Georgian style, the Federal house was/is a two-room deep rectangular box, with a raised foundation, a center door, and symmetrical five-bay window placement. Sometimes referred to as the “Adam” style, after the published designs (1792) of English architect Robert Adam (1728-1792), the Federal style is associated with a number of notable American architects and craftsmen of the era: Charles Bulfinch (1763-1844), Asher Benjamin (1773-1845), Samuel McIntire (1757-1811), and Benjamin Latrobe (1764-1820). Their work and publications made them stylistic tastemakers of their time. The Federal style house is distinguished by its low-hipped roof and three levels of windows that are successively smaller, with the smallest windows on the low-ceiling third-floor. Fanlights are common over the front entry. Chimneys were generally in spaced pairs, with a staircase located in the center of the house.
In 1818, architect Benjamin Latrobe’s (1764-1820) design of the new Bank of the United States in Philadelphia, based on the look of the Parthenon in Athens, set the tone for public buildings in our young country. This is often cited as the first Greek Revival building in the U.S. Our newest American architects popularized the style in their published pattern books, particularly Asher Benjamin (1773-1845) in his The Practical House Carpenter (1830). An adaptation of the style for domestic architecture was introduced in New England that included Grecian-themed moldings and columns on a gable-front wood-frame house.
Newburyport is rich with Greek Revival domestic architecture. In addition to dozens of examples in the neighborhoods, the city has a fine formal example in granite in its 1835 Custom House (now the Custom House Maritime Museum at 25 Water Street), designed by Robert Mills (1781-1855), architect of the Washington Monument.
The Victorian category of domestic architecture encompasses a number of elaborately ornamented building styles that came into fashion during the reign (1845-1901) of England’s Queen Victoria (1819-1901). In Newburyport, the most common Victorian styles are Italianate (1845-1885), Second Empire (1855-1885), and Queen Anne (1880-1910). The Italianate style was inspired by informal Italian villas and their square towers. The French-derived Second Empire style is characterized and easily identified by its mansard roof. The Queen Anne style (in the example at right) was an amalgam of a variety of influences, but is most characterized by its asymmetry and its round corner tower. Noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-1886) is credited with designing the first Queen Anne home in the U.S. (1874). The Philadelphia Exposition (1876) drew attention to the new style, and soon builders could consult newly-published plan books and order mass-produced building materials.
In Newburyport in the mid- and late-19th century, there was a growing menu of stylistic choices for those who could afford to build a new home. The three aforementioned Victorian styles, as well as some examples of Stick (1860-1890) and Shingle (1880-1900) style homes can be found in Newburyport. – R.W. Bacon (text & graphics), for the Newburyport Preservation Trust (2012)
A Gallery of Public Architecture is a viewable, downloadable, and printable single-page PDF file featuring notable public buildings in Newburyport, past and present. The photos are from pre-1923 public domain colorized postcard images.
A Gallery of Newburyport Homes is a viewable, downloadable, and printable two-page PDF file featuring photographs of notable Newburyport homes included in Albert Hale’s Old Homes of Newburyport (1912). (See the link below to download the entire book from the Internet Archive.)
Architecture-related links of interest, including organizations, databases, web sites, and books/publications, can also be found on our Preservation Resources page. Links most directly relevant to the topic are below. For those researching specific houses or neighborhoods, don’t forget to consult the links to Newburyport historic maps below.
Historic New England’s Architectural Style Guide. The Historic New England web site includes this guide as an introduction to American domestic architectural styles. Styles covered begin with First Period colonial architecture and proceed through the Colonial Revival architecture of the early twentieth century. The guide focuses on the common styles found in New England, and therefore does not include every style of American domestic architecture.
Three Self-Guided Residential Walking Tours, with an Overview of Common Styles, Local History, and Significant Public Buildings (2011), by the Newburyport Preservation Trust. Enthusiasts of Newburyport architecture need this book! Purchase your own copy from the Newburyport Preservation Trust online here or from your favorite local bookseller.
The Inventory of the Newburyport National Register Historic District. Essential reference for those investigating house history or architectural evolution of specific properties, this site holds a selection of individual property data sheets compiled in 1984 for Newburyport’s National Historic District inventory. Streets are listed alphabetically, with properties listed in numerical order by address. (N.B.: Not all data sheets are shown. Hard copy binders of all data sheets and photos can be viewed at the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center.) The web site includes data sheets on special districts within the National Register District: Chestnut Street Victorian Residential District, Fruit Street Historic District, High Street Historic District, Joppa Historic District, Merrimac Street Shipbuilding District, Ocean Mills Historic District, Pleasant Street Industrial District, South End Historic District, and Washington Street Historic District.
Old Newburyport Houses, by Albert Hale (1912). This 150-page book is packed with photos of houses and architectural features. (The link is to a readable and downloadable PDF file at the Internet Archive.)
White Pine Monograph on Old Homes of Newburyport, Massachusetts, by Richard Arnold Fisher (1917). This 32-page booklet was published by the White Pine Bureau of St. Paul, Minn. (The link is to a readable or downloadable PDF file at the Internet Archive.)
The HABS and the HABs Nots: Documenting the Architecture of Newburyport in the Historic American Buildings Survey, by Reginald W. Bacon (2017). This large-format volume presents the crisp photos and elegant measured drawings of Newburyport houses documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), the federal program established in the 1930s that advanced preservation across the U.S. Related context includes economic history, origins of the HABS program, earlier documentation efforts, a guide to house styles, and topical bibliographies. The “HABs Nots” Gallery looks at the future of preservation in Newburyport, where the more modest historic homes in its 750-acre National Register Historic District are at greatest risk of being lost to “the march of progress.”
For those researching the history of Newburyport houses and neighborhoods, maps of the past offer valuable context to augment information found in the written records of history. Below are links to maps of Newbury (1640 & 1700) and Newburyport (1871, 1872, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1891, 1894, 1900, 1904, and 1909. The early Newbury maps are downloadable; the later Newburyport maps can be viewed online in great detail. The 1888, 1894, 1900, 1906, and 1914 Sanborn Fire Insurance maps from the U.S. Library of Congress are downloadable. Some of the maps viewable on a commercial web site are also available for purchase.
Maps of Newbury 1640 & 1700. The file is a viewable and downloadable PDF. The 1640 map is from John J. Currier’s History of Newbury, Massachusetts 1635-1902 (1902). The 1700 map was drawn by noted lawyer, editor, and historian Sidney Perley (1858-1928).
Map of Newburyport 1851. Entitled “Plan of Newburyport, Mass. from an Actual Survey,” this map was published by Henry McIntyre. The link is to a viewable map at the Boston Public Library’s Norman B. Leventhal Map Center.
Map of Newburyport 1871. This map is from the Massachusetts State Atlas published by Stedman, Brown, & Lyon. The link is to a viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1872. This map is from the Atlas of Essex County published by D.G. Beers Co. The link is to a viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport Center 1872. This map is from the Atlas of Essex County published by D.G. Beers Co. The link is to a viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1880. This is a “bird’s eye view” rendering that was popular in the late 19th century. These views generally were not drawn to scale, and they usually emphasized the largest industrial buildings or most notable landmarks. The map was published by E.H. Bigelow. The link is to a viewable map at the Boston Public Library’s Norman B. Leventhal Map Center.
Map of Newburyport 1884. This map, in six separate sections, is from the Atlas of Essex County published by the George H. Walker Co. The link is to the viewable map sections at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1888. This map, in 14 separate sections, is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. The link is to the viewable map sections at the U.S. Library of Congress.
Map of Newburyport 1891. This map is from the Massachusetts State Atlas published by the George H. Walker Co. The link is to the viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1894. This map, in 20 separate sections, is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. The link is to the viewable map sections at the U.S. Library of Congress.
Map of Newburyport 1900. This map is from the Massachusetts State Atlas published by the George H. Walker Co. The link is to the viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1900. This map, in 25 separate sections, is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. The link is to the viewable map sections at the U.S. Library of Congress.
Map of Newburyport 1904. This map is from the Massachusetts State Atlas published by the George H. Walker Co. The link is to the viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1906. This map, in 32 separate sections, is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. The link is to the viewable map sections at the U.S. Library of Congress.
Map of Newburyport 1909. This map is from the Massachusetts State Atlas published by the George H. Walker Co. The link is to the viewable map at a commercial web site.
Map of Newburyport 1914. This map, in 36 separate sections, is a Sanborn Fire Insurance Co. map. The link is to the viewable map sections at the U.S. Library of Congress.
A Sketch of the History of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury, by Joshua Coffin (1845). This dense 416-page tome, packed with excerpts from town records, still stands the test of time over 150 years after its publication. The author, Joshua Coffin (1792-1864), was Dartmouth graduate, a founder of the New England Anti-Slavery Society (1832), an itinerant schoolmaster, and the town clerk in Newbury for seven years. (The link is to a copy online at the Internet Archive.)
History of Newburyport, Mass. 1764-1906 (Vol. 1) , by John J. Currier (1906). John James Currier (1834-1912) was an exceedingly prolific local historian — the first volume alone is 755 pages. Vol. 1 includes valuable information about Newburyport’s streets and buildings. (The link is to a copy online at the Internet Archive.)
History of Newburyport, Mass. 1764-1909 (Vol. 2) , by John J. Currier (1909). For those that didn’t get enough in Vol. 1, there are 679 more pages in Vol. 2. Currier also wrote History of Newbury, Mass. 1635-1902, a work of 755 pages. (The link is to a copy online at the Internet Archive.)
North End Papers 1618-1880, Newburyport, Massachusetts: Development of the North End of the City, by Oliver B. Merrill (1906-08). This series of articles was originally published in the Newburyport Daily News, 1906-1908. The series was transcribed by Margaret Peckham Motes, and published in book form in 2007. (The link is to a Google Books online preview.)
Patriots and Partisans: The Merchants of Newburyport 1764-1815, by Benjamin W. Labaree (1962). This focused study looks at the economy of Newburyport in its period of West Indies trade maritime prosperity, and the roughly 200 merchants that dominated local affairs in that period. The clash of money-hungry Federalists vs. democracy-advocating Jeffersonians plays out leading up to the 1807 Embargo Act, as Newburyport merchants generally preferred the status-quo of the slavery-based “Triangle Trade” profits. This link is to an Internet Archive online preview.
A Brief History of Old Newbury: From Settlement to Separation, by Bethany Groff (2008).This is an excellent up-to-date introduction to local history by historian and museum professional Bethany Groff Dorau. This book is also available at local libraries, booksellers, and museums.
Poverty and Progress: Social Mobility in a Nineteenth Century City, by Stephen Thernstrom (1980). (This is a limited online preview at Google Books.) This book is a study of the Newburyport economy and stratified society in the mid- to late-19th century. Inspired by the five-volume Yankee City series of 1930s social and economic analysis by W. Lloyd Warner, the author of this study tackles the earlier period with more historical context.
Life in Newburyport 1900-1950, by Jean Foley Doyle (2007). The author’s two books on the city’s 20th-century history proceed chronologically using a formula that covers political, economic, and social history separately by category. The raw material for the books included newspaper accounts, city records, interviews, and photos from the Newburyport Public Library’s Archival Center and the Historical Society of Old Newbury. The author is a lifelong Newburyport resident now retired from a 30-year career teaching history and international relations at Newburyport High School. This book is available at local libraries.
Life in Newburyport 1950-1985, by Jean Foley Doyle (2010).This book picks up where Doyle’s previous book left off, and using the same format, carries the story of Newburyport through the mid-1980s. This book is available at local libraries.
Newburyport: As I Lived It! The Trials and Tribulations of a Young Wharf Rat During the Early 1900s in Massachusetts, by John Lagoulis (2011). This book of first-person accounts is a compilation of the author’s columns that first appeared in the Newburyport Daily News. The author grew up in Newburyport in the 1930s Depression years, and his recollections give his impressions of the city in the early- and mid-20th century.
Newburyport and Its Business District, by Josephine P. Driver (1964). This 10-page article was published in the spring 1964 issue of Old Time New England, a quarterly journal of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now known as Historic New England). The article features 19th-century photos of Newburyport by George E. Noyes, and voices concern about urban renewal plans that were taking shape at the time.
Newburyport and a New Kind of Urban Renewal, by Paul J. McGinley, Executive Director, Newburyport Redevelopment Authority (1971). This 5-page article was published in the spring 1971 issue of Old Time New England, a quarterly journal of the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (now known as Historic New England). The article recaps the preservation vs. demolition decisions of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
City of Newburyport Historic Preservation Plan (1991). (1991). The city’s Historic Preservation Plan, which included a cogent and illuminating narrative of Newburyport history, was completed in 1991 and its findings were formerly referenced in the city’s Master Plan. The city’s Master Plan of 2001 expresses many of the same ideals.
A Port in Progress. (2007) Between March and November 2007 the Newburyport Daily News published a 37-part series of articles on Newburyport’s 1970s renewal entitled “A Port in Progress.” The series included over 200 photos. A hardbound book of the same name was published by the Daily News in 2008, and is available at the Newburyport Public Library.
Walk Newburyport: Three Self-Guided Residential Walking Tours, With an Overview of Common Styles, Local History, and Significant Public Buildings, by the Newburyport Preservation Trust (2011). Prepared by local architects, writers, and designers, the book includes an introduction to the periods and styles of domestic architecture found in Newburyport, a glossary of terms, and historical sidebars in addition to the walking tours. Walk Newburyport is a must-have for residents who want to learn more about the buildings that give the city its special character. You can also purchase Walk Newburyport directly from the Newburyport Preservation Trust online, or from your favorite local bookseller.
Clipper Heritage Trail. Speaking of walking Newburyport, visit the Clipper Heritage Trail website for a fascinating immersion into Newburyport’s notable places and people through the centuries … and then get out and walk and see the sites for yourself. The walking tours and the website are the initiative of Newburyport historian Ghlee Woodworth.
A Measure of Change (Video, 1975, 29 min.). This award-winning documentary by Lawrence Rosenblum is a must-see for every new arrival to Newburyport. In just 29 minutes, the documentary examines the landmark decision to use historic preservation principles for the first time in federal HUD urban renewal projects. Go directly to the video here.