Join us in celebration of Newburyport’s 250th anniversary as we honor the veterans of all wars from Newburyport’s history since 1764. Military vehicles, uniforms, displays, and living historians will give you a glimpse into life during wartime from the Revolutionary War to present day.
Join living historian Maeve, an Irish immigrant who fled Ireland during the potato famine and settled in America for an afternoon of tales, history and myth! At the 1:00 p.m. performance Maeve will be entertaining the children with stories of life in Ireland and her immigration experience. She will be reading an Immigrants Tale- a storybook- for the younger members of her audience.
Essex county is home to an extraordinary collection of homes, buildings and artifacts from America's First Period (1625-1725) of European settlement. Explore these architectural treasures and discover what is was like to live in Essex County during America's first century.
Various properties are open to the public on the first Saturday of each month, June - October, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
The Paine House (1694), a yellow clapboard saltbox, is a remarkable and rare example of First Period (1620-1725) architecture. Three generations of the Paine family made their home here, including Robert Paine, foreman of the Salem witch trial jury in 1692.
You're invited to celebrate the magic of the holidays as the Great House on Castle Hill is festively decorated by area florists and designers for the 'Greening of the Great House'. The Greening of the Great House is a weekend-long event where families will enjoy live music, a dance performance, a children's Eye Spy, refreshments, and more throughout the weekend.
It’s Base Ball, 1861 style at Spencer Peirce Little Farm! Watch the teams of the new Essex Base Ball Association play for the Championship! The Newburyport Clamdiggers, Portsmouth Rockinghams, Lynn Live Oaks, and Lowell Base Ball Nine will play baseball using 1860s rules. These fun, historically accurate games feature underhand pitching and no gloves are allowed. A ball bounced once and caught is an out! Snacks, baseballs, and cards are available for purchase. Come and see for yourself how this game was played in the 1860's!
Bring the family to see this newly-restored Gloucester schooner, learn some maritime history and have some fun! The Schooner Adventure will be hosting an Open House with free admission at the Gloucester Marine Railways on Rocky Neck as part of the Trails & Sails! The open house includes:
Join the Peabody Historical Society & Museum Smith Barn & Peabody Historical Commission for a Trails & Sails exploration of the history of change in a downtown setting, namely Peabody Square. Our reference point will be a letter written in 1902 commenting on places, buildings and people from an earlier Peabody.
Enjoy a guided tour of Halibut Point State Park around the Babson Farm Quarry, unearthing the granite industry era followed by a traditional hand-tool stone splitting demonstration. Halibut Point itself is made of sheets of 440 million year-old granite that now cascade from rocky headlands to the abundant tidal pools below. The panorama encompasses views from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. This glorious natural landscape is breathtaking and inspiring.
Come on down to the Essex Shipbuilding Museum for Salty Dog Day - a fun celebration of the long history of dogs in the maritime trades! This family event is a wonderful opportunity to wander around the Museum and have fun with your family and pets! Salty Dog Day features water rescue demonstrations, an agility course, a costume parade, vendors, hot dogs and more!
