Marblehead Adventures: Historical Treasure Trove

Marblehead, originally settled in 1629, is a coastal New England town located in Essex County, Massachusetts. Its population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Crocker Park, the Marblehead Lighthouse, Fort Sewall, Little Harbor and Devereux Beach. Archibald Willard's famous painting The Spirit Of '76 currently resides in Abbot Hall.

A town with roots in commercial fishing, whaling and yachting, Marblehead was a major shipyard and is known as the birthplace of the American Navy. It is also the origin of Marine Corps Aviation. A center of recreational boating, it is a popular sailing, kayaking and fishing destination. Several yacht clubs were established here in the late 19th century, which continue to be centers of sailing.

For perspective, the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth Massachusetts on September 6, 1620. FYI: We visited the Mayflower and Plymouth in September 2011 while on our Great loop adventure.

No this is not the Mayflower

We spent four fun filled days in Marblehead harbor at the town dock and I think we shall start our history lesson here. The town docks also known as Tucker's Wharf has a plaque showing an amazing history. Originally known a Pedrick's Wharf, it dates from 1770. From this wharf in 1775, the 12- gun sloop Polly and the four-gun schooner Spring Bird sailed against the British and later, Washington's Navy schooners Hannah, Franklin, Hancock, Warren and Lee sailed against the British..

Yes, I know it's upside down

One on the highlights of our Marblehead adventure was visiting Abbot Hall. Abbot Hall, constructed in 1876, was a bequest from Benjamin Abbot who died in Boston in 1872. Abbot stipulated that the building could used for any purpose as determined by the town fathers. Today it serves as the town hall and a historical museum. As shown in the photo below, it is a prominent landmark.

Abbot Hall houses the original painting Spirit of '76 by American Archibal MacNeal Willard, which was widely reproduced. Of note, he used his father, Samuel Willard, as the model for the middle character of the painting.

Spirit of '76

Also at Abbot Hall:

Plaque commemorating the Hannah, the first ship in the US Navy

Scale model of an LST (Landing Ship Tank)

Encounter between the USS Constitution and the British frigate Guerriere
A decisive victory for the Constitution
Source of the nickname "Old Ironsides"

.We are in the room with the painting, The Spirit of 76" Notice the older man in the chair. He is the local historian. I did not get his name. He was chatting with a couple about Marblehead history and we joined the conversation. You can see Kodi listening intently to every word. So did we.

Note: I did not have to take notes. The town fathers published a 48 page book entitled "Celebrating Abbot Hall" containing an explanation of everything in the museum.

Now to the historical district.  

Map of the Marblehead Historical District

The town docks were right in the heart of the district, which made it easily accessible for us. The following is a quote from the Trust For Architectural Easements: "The colonial town has preserved its sense of time and place with picturesque streetscapes of densely-clustered Georgian houses with low-pitch gable or hip roofs, double interior chimneys, and pedimented entries with columns or pilasters. There are many commercial buildings too, such as the Old Town House, one of New England’s oldest, continuously used public buildings. But it is the concentration of Georgian architecture, which reflects the pre-Revolutionary War prosperity from fishing and commerce, that is most striking."

We agree. Walking through the historical district is like going back in time. In fact here's another excerpt that captures the mood of the district:

"It is said that the houses came first, and then the streets. This is certainly believable when one walks or drives through the old town. Houses face in many directions, front doors are not always in the front, and streets don’t always seem very well thought out. In early times people walked or rode on horseback, following dirt paths. When carts began to be used, the streets were made, working around large rocks, streams and ledge. They don’t seem logical now, but they did at the time."

House from 1718. See plaque below

Stock photo of historical homes

Ariel photo of the historical district.

A few more things about this wonderful city. Eating was great. We had dinner a Five Corners Kitchen, Cafe Italia Trattoria and Maddie's Sail Loft. All were excellent. Getting in an out of Marblehead, however, was a difficult. You have to drive through Salem and there is a two to three mile stretch that takes an hour to get through and there is no alternative route. The locals confirmed that "Yes, it's a bear every day, especially when school is in session."

Finally, I have to comment on the town dock's provision for dingies. Notice that it is low tide and how the dingies are secured. If you look close astern you will notice a heavy weight on a pulley. This arrangement allows the boats to maintain there position as the tide rises and falls. Very clever.

Written by Les.