OPEN HOUSES NOT TO BE MISSED
Essex county is rich with historical landmarks and notable architecture. Historic properties dot our coastline, telling the story of our farming and maritime heritage. Many of our clients are drawn to the wide pine floors, exquisite woodwork, and opportunity for restoration in some of the antique homes in Newburyport, Amesbury, and the surrounding area. Here are five of our favorite historically relevant properties to visit.
THE PINK HOUSE | PLUM ISLAND TURNPIKE, NEWBURYPORT
Perhaps the most recognizable and mysterious Newburyport property, The Pink House, sits alone on the salt marsh beside the Plum Island Turnpike. The notoriety of the Pink House comes from its unique color and the urban legend that accompanies it. As legend has it, amid a contentious divorce, the wife demands her husband build her a new house that looks exactly like their Newburyport home. However, she fails to specify the location, so her husband built it on the salt marsh out of spite. This story lends an air of mystery and intrigue to the house; however, there is no evidence that any of it is based on fact. Support the Pink House is an organization that has researched the house and raises money to support it. To learn more https://historynewburyport.com/the-pink-house/
SPENCER-PEIRCE-LITTLE FARM | 5 LITTLE’S LANE, NEWBURY
This 230- acre family-friendly National Historic Landmark is the site of an 1860 manor house and working farm. The original owner, John Spencer, was granted the 400-acre parcel as part of the area’s first settlement by the English. Eventually, it was sold to one of Newburyport’s wealthiest merchants, Nathaniel Tracy, and then operated as a working farm by the Little Family until 1986. Now Spencer Peirce is one of our most treasured family destinations, complete with acres of open farmland, live animals, and even vintage baseball. The farm is a central destination for everyone in the area. https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/spencer-peirce-little-farm/
THE ROCKY HILL MEETING HOUSE | 4 OLD PORTSMOUTH ROAD, AMESBURY
The exquisitely preserved Rocky Hill Meeting House showcases the best of eighteenth-century meeting house design. The meeting house’s unspoiled state is partly because no active congregation has met in the building since the mid-nineteenth century. The intricate eighteenth-century details like the original hardware, a marbleized pulpit, and pillars make this an architectural treasure. The Rocky Hill Meeting House has a long history of importance, not the least of which is that George Washington paused here to greet the townspeople on his northward journey in 1789. https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/rocky-hill-meeting-house/
COFFIN HOUSE | 14 HIGH ST, NEWBURY
Built in 1678 and owned by the Coffin family for over 300 years, the Coffin House was originally a tiny two-room structure. Additions were made as the family expanded throughout generations. The Coffin family gifted the home to Historic New England in 1929, and it has been a museum ever since. After your tour, cross the street to view the First Parish Burying Ground, where many members of the Coffin family are buried. https://www.historicnewengland.org/property/coffin-house/
MACY-COLBY HOUSE| 257 MAIN ST. AMESBURY MA
Built by Thomas Macy in 1649, the Macy-Colby house was sold to Anthony Colby in 1654. Macy was Amesbury’s first town clerk. After leaving Amesbury in 1659, he became the first English settler to take up permanent residence on Nantucket. Anthony Colby was one of Amesbury’s first settlers. Nine generations of Colby’s lived in the house. Colby descendants owned the property for 245 years until they donated it to the Bartlett cemetery association as a memorial to the Colby and Macy families and the people of Amesbury. https://www.macycolbyhouse.org
The Northshore is known for its idyllic beaches and unapparelled natural beauty. We are so fortunate to also enjoy a rich history with treasured museums and historic homes to visit.
