Ipswich, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Ipswich is a coastal town
in Essex County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation
, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island
. A residential community with a vibrant tourism
industry, the town is famous for its clams
, celebrated annually at the Ipswich Chowder
fest and also for Crane Beach
, a barrier beach near the Crane estate.
, one of the founders of Massachusetts Bay Colony
in 1630 and its first governor, elected in England in 1629. Several hundred colonists sailed from England in 1630 in a fleet of 11 ships, including Winthrop's flagship, the Arbella
. Investigating the region of Salem, Massachusetts
, and Cape Ann
, they entertained aboard the Arbella for a day, June 12, 1630, a native chief of the lands to the north, Chief Masconomet
. The event was recorded in Winthrop's journal on the 13th, but Winthrop did not say how they overcame the language problem. The endonym they heard from Masconomet concerning the country over which he ruled has been reconstructed as Wonnesquamsauke, which the English promptly rendered into an anglicised exonym, Agawam
. The colonists however sailed to the south where some buildings had already been prepared for them at a place newly named Charlestown
.
That winter they lost a few hundred colonists from malnutrition and disease. They also experienced their first northeaster, which cost them some fingers and toes, as well as houses destroyed by the fires they kept burning day and night. Just as Winthrop was handing out the last handful of grain, the supply ship, Lyon, entered Boston Harbor. John now sent for his family in England, but his then wife, Margaret, her children, and his eldest son, John, whose mother was the elder John's first wife, Mary Forth, did not arrive until November, on the Lyon.
John the Younger resided with his father and stepmother until 1633, when he resolved to settle in Agawam, with the permission of the General Court of Massachusetts. Captain John Smith
had written about the Angoam or Aggawom region in 1614, referring to it as "an excellent habitation, being a good and safe harbour." There is no record of any native resistance to the colonization either at Charlestown or at Agawam, even though estimates of the earlier populations run into the thousands. A plague
of 1616-1618 and again in the early 1630s, perhaps smallpox
brought from abroad, had apparently devastated the once populous Indian
tribes. The fields stood vacant. The colonists encountered but few natives.
John the Younger and 12 men aboard a shallop sailed into Ipswich harbor and took up residence there. Two men continued up the river (now River Road) to a large meadow, which they called New Meadows, now Topsfield, Massachusetts
. Agawam was incorporated on August 5th, 1634 as Ipswich, after Ipswich
in the county of Suffolk
, England
. The name "Ipswich" was taken "in acknowledgment of the great honor and kindness done to our people which took shipping there." Nathaniel Ward
, an assistant pastor in town from 1634 to 1636, wrote the first code of laws for Massachusetts and later published the religious/political work, The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam in America in England.
Pioneers would become farmers, fishermen
, shipbuilders
or traders. The tidal Ipswich River
provided water power for mills, and salt marsh
es supplied hay for livestock
. A cottage industry in lace-making developed. But in 1687, Ipswich residents, led by the Reverend John Wise
, protested a tax imposed by the governor, Sir Edmund Andros
. As Englishmen, they argued, taxation without representation
was unacceptable. Citizens were jailed, but then Andros was recalled to England
in 1689, and the new British sovereigns, William and Mary, issued colonists another charter. The rebellion is the reason the town calls itself the "Birthplace of American Independence."
Great clipper ships
of the 19th century, however, bypassed Ipswich in favor of the deep-water seaports at Salem, Newburyport, Quincy, and Boston. The town remained primarily a fishing and farming community, its residents living in older homes they could not afford to replace—leaving Ipswich with a considerable inventory of early architecture
. In 1822, a stocking
manufacturing machine which had been smuggled out of England arrived at Ipswich, violating a British ban on exporting such technology, and then community developed as a mill town
. In 1828, the Ipswich Female Seminary
was founded. In 1868, Amos A. Lawrence established the Ipswich Hosiery Mills beside the river. It would expand into the largest stocking mill in the country by the turn of the 20th century. What may be the last witchcraft trial in North America was held in Ipswich in 1878. In the Ipswich witchcraft trial
, a member of the Christian Science
religion was accused of using his mental powers to harm others, including a spinster living in the town.
The town government was reformed in 1950 with the acceptance of the Town Manager Charter. This charter was rescinded by the voters, regained, lost again, and the present Town Manager-Selectmen Charter was adopted by the voters in 1967.
In 1910, Richard T. Crane, Jr. of Chicago, the magnate
owner of Crane Plumbing, bought Castle Hill
, a drumlin
on Ipswich Bay. He hired Olmsted Brothers
, successors to Frederick Law Olmsted
, to landscape his 3500 acres (14.2 km²) estate, and engaged the Boston architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge
to design an Italian
Renaissance
Revival style villa
on the summit. A grande allée
, 160 feet (48.8 m) wide and lined with statuary, would run the half mile from house to sea. But his wife, Florence, loathed the building. Crane promised that if she still didn't like it in 10 years, he would replace it. True enough, in 1928 a new 59-room mansion
designed by Chicago architect David Adler
in the English Stuart
style stood in its place, called the Great House. At Mrs. Crane's death in 1949, the entire property was bequeathed to The Trustees of Reservations, which uses it as a venue for concerts and weddings.
and Plum Island
Sound, which join at their mouths and empty through a narrow but navigable channel at the foot of Castle Hill around Sandy Point
into Ipswich Bay adjoining the Atlantic Ocean
. The southern portion of Plum Island
falls within the area alloted to the town, making up the town's ocean shore along with Castle Neck, south of the Sound. The northeastern part of town is marshy, where the Rowley River
, Roger Island River
, and Eagle Hill River
drain into Plum Island Sound. South of Castle Neck, the Castle Neck River separates the town from neighboring Essex
. A large portion of the western end of town is dominated by Willowdale State Forest, and other portions of the town are also protected land, including Crane Wildlife Refuge
on Castle Neck, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
and Sandy Point State Reservation
on Plum Island
, as well as Hamlin Reservation
, Heartbreak Hill Reservation, Bull Brook Reservoir, Greenwood Farm
and a portion of Appleton Farms
Sanctuary, which extends into Hamilton
.
Ipswich is located in central Essex County, and is 11 miles south of Newburyport
, 12 miles northwest of Gloucester
, 13 miles north of Salem
, 20 miles east of Lawrence
and 28 miles northeast of Boston
. It is bordered by Rowley
to the north, Boxford
to the west, and Topsfield
, Hamilton
, Essex
and Gloucester to the south. (The border with Gloucester lies across Essex Bay, and as such there is no land connection between the two.)
There is no interstate highway which runs through Ipswich; Interstate 95
passes through neighboring Boxford and Topsfield. U.S. Route 1
, known as the Newburyport Turnpike, passes through the western end of town. Route 1A
and Route 133
pass through the town, entering concurrently from Rowley and passing through the center of town before splitting south of the town center; Route 1A heads towards Hamilton and Beverly, while Route 133 leads to Essex and Gloucester. Ipswich has a station
along the Newburyport/Rockport Line
of the MBTA Commuter Rail
, providing service between Newburyport and Boston's North Station. There is no air service within town; the nearest small airports are in Newbury and Beverly, and the nearest national service is Boston's Logan International Airport
.
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 12,987 people, 5,290 households, and 3,459 families residing in the town. The population density
was 398.6 people per square mile (153.9/km2). There were 5,601 housing units at an average density of 66.4 persons/km2 (171.9 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 97.60% White, 0.39% African American
, 0.08% Native American, 0.80% Asia
n, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 5,290 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples
living together, 8.4% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,284, and the median income for a family was $74,931. Males had a median income of $51,408 versus $38,476 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $32,516. 7.1% of the population and 4.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7.8% are under the age of 18 and 13.0% are 65 or older.
Ipswich High School (IHS) has been considered one of the best public high schools in the Boston area. The Ipswich Public Schools also have what is considered one of the best performing arts programs.
In 2006, the high school was named a "Blue Ribbon" school. The Blue Ribbon
is an award for national excellence in education under the No Child Left Behind legislation. The school also received a Vanguard award for similar academic prowess. IHS offers college-prep, honors, and AP-level classes. IHS has one of the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts.
The high school mascot is the Tiger and the school colors are orange and black. Ipswich competes in the Cape Ann League. Football won the Division 3A Super Bowl Championship in 2006. It was the school's first title since 1992, and the fifth in school history. (Previous titles were achieved in 1974, 1977, 1991, and 1992.) Ipswich's traditional rival is Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School of Hamilton, MA.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation
Sandy Point State Reservation
Sandy Point State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Ipswich. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Sandy Point is a coastal park located at southern tip of Plum Island. The reservation is an important nesting area for the piping plover and the...
, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island
Plum Island (Massachusetts)
Plum Island, Massachusetts is an island located off the northeast coast of Massachusetts, north of Cape Ann. It is a barrier island approximately 11 miles in length.-Captain John Smith:...
. A residential community with a vibrant tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industry, the town is famous for its clams
Soft-shell clam
Soft-shell clams, scientific name Mya arenaria, popularly called "steamers", "softshells", "longnecks", "piss clams", "Ipswich clams", or "Essex clams" are a species of edible saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Myidae....
, celebrated annually at the Ipswich Chowder
Chowder
In North America Chowder is a generic name for a wide variety of seafood or vegetable stews and thickened soups, often with milk or cream. Some varieties are traditionally thickened with crushed ship biscuit instead of flour, which is more usual...
fest and also for Crane Beach
Crane Beach
Crane Beach is a conservation and recreation property located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, immediately north of Cape Ann. It consists of a four mile long sandy beachfront, dunes, and a maritime pitch pine forest...
, a barrier beach near the Crane estate.
History
Ipswich was founded by John Winthrop the Younger, son of John WinthropJohn Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
, one of the founders of Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
in 1630 and its first governor, elected in England in 1629. Several hundred colonists sailed from England in 1630 in a fleet of 11 ships, including Winthrop's flagship, the Arbella
Arbella
The Arbella or Arabella was the flagship of the Winthrop Fleet on which, between April 8 and June 12, 1630, Governor John Winthrop, other members of the Company and Puritan emigrants transported themselves and the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company from England to Salem, thereby giving legal...
. Investigating the region of Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, and Cape Ann
Cape Ann
Cape Ann is a rocky cape in northeastern Massachusetts on the Atlantic Ocean. The cape is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Boston and forms the northern edge of Massachusetts Bay. Cape Ann includes the city of Gloucester, and the towns of Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and...
, they entertained aboard the Arbella for a day, June 12, 1630, a native chief of the lands to the north, Chief Masconomet
Chief Masconomet
Masconomet, spelled many different ways in colonial deeds, was sagamore or chief of the Agawam tribe among the Algonquian peoples during the time of the English colonization of the Americas...
. The event was recorded in Winthrop's journal on the 13th, but Winthrop did not say how they overcame the language problem. The endonym they heard from Masconomet concerning the country over which he ruled has been reconstructed as Wonnesquamsauke, which the English promptly rendered into an anglicised exonym, Agawam
Agawam (tribe)
The Agawam tribe was a Native American tribe in New England at the arrival of the English colonists in the early 17th century. Decimated by pestilence shortly before the English colonization and fearing attacks from their hereditary enemies among the tribes of Maine, they invited the English to...
. The colonists however sailed to the south where some buildings had already been prepared for them at a place newly named Charlestown
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
.
That winter they lost a few hundred colonists from malnutrition and disease. They also experienced their first northeaster, which cost them some fingers and toes, as well as houses destroyed by the fires they kept burning day and night. Just as Winthrop was handing out the last handful of grain, the supply ship, Lyon, entered Boston Harbor. John now sent for his family in England, but his then wife, Margaret, her children, and his eldest son, John, whose mother was the elder John's first wife, Mary Forth, did not arrive until November, on the Lyon.
John the Younger resided with his father and stepmother until 1633, when he resolved to settle in Agawam, with the permission of the General Court of Massachusetts. Captain John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
had written about the Angoam or Aggawom region in 1614, referring to it as "an excellent habitation, being a good and safe harbour." There is no record of any native resistance to the colonization either at Charlestown or at Agawam, even though estimates of the earlier populations run into the thousands. A plague
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
of 1616-1618 and again in the early 1630s, perhaps smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
brought from abroad, had apparently devastated the once populous Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
tribes. The fields stood vacant. The colonists encountered but few natives.
John the Younger and 12 men aboard a shallop sailed into Ipswich harbor and took up residence there. Two men continued up the river (now River Road) to a large meadow, which they called New Meadows, now Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,085 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfield.-Colonial period:...
. Agawam was incorporated on August 5th, 1634 as Ipswich, after Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
in the county of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The name "Ipswich" was taken "in acknowledgment of the great honor and kindness done to our people which took shipping there." Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward
Nathaniel Ward was a Puritan clergyman and pamphleteer in England and Massachusetts. He wrote the first constitution in North America in 1641....
, an assistant pastor in town from 1634 to 1636, wrote the first code of laws for Massachusetts and later published the religious/political work, The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam in America in England.
Pioneers would become farmers, fishermen
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, shipbuilders
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
or traders. The tidal Ipswich River
Ipswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
provided water power for mills, and salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es supplied hay for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. A cottage industry in lace-making developed. But in 1687, Ipswich residents, led by the Reverend John Wise
John Wise (clergyman)
John Wise was a Congregationalist reverend and political leader in Massachusetts during the American colonial period...
, protested a tax imposed by the governor, Sir Edmund Andros
Edmund Andros
Sir Edmund Andros was an English colonial administrator in North America. Andros was known most notably for his governorship of the Dominion of New England during most of its three-year existence. He also governed at various times the provinces of New York, East and West Jersey, Virginia, and...
. As Englishmen, they argued, taxation without representation
No taxation without representation
"No taxation without representation" is a slogan originating during the 1750s and 1760s that summarized a primary grievance of the British colonists in the Thirteen Colonies, which was one of the major causes of the American Revolution...
was unacceptable. Citizens were jailed, but then Andros was recalled to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1689, and the new British sovereigns, William and Mary, issued colonists another charter. The rebellion is the reason the town calls itself the "Birthplace of American Independence."
Great clipper ships
Clipper ships
At the 'crest of the clipper wave' year of 1852, there were 200 clippers rounding Cape Horn.Notable examples of the clipper ship include:* Archibald Russell, 1905, a steel-hulled 4-masted barque, 291.3 ft. x 43 ft. x 24 ft., built by Scott Shipbuilding and Engineering Co of Greenock...
of the 19th century, however, bypassed Ipswich in favor of the deep-water seaports at Salem, Newburyport, Quincy, and Boston. The town remained primarily a fishing and farming community, its residents living in older homes they could not afford to replace—leaving Ipswich with a considerable inventory of early architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
. In 1822, a stocking
Stocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
manufacturing machine which had been smuggled out of England arrived at Ipswich, violating a British ban on exporting such technology, and then community developed as a mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
. In 1828, the Ipswich Female Seminary
Ipswich Female Seminary
Ipswich Female Seminary in Ipswich, Massachusetts was founded in 1828 by Zilpah P. Grant Banister, making it one of the first major educational institutions for women in the United States. According to the United States Department of Education:...
was founded. In 1868, Amos A. Lawrence established the Ipswich Hosiery Mills beside the river. It would expand into the largest stocking mill in the country by the turn of the 20th century. What may be the last witchcraft trial in North America was held in Ipswich in 1878. In the Ipswich witchcraft trial
Ipswich Witchcraft Trial
The Ipswich witchcraft trial was an 1878 American civil court trial in which Lucretia L. S. Brown, an adherent of the Christian Science religion, accused fellow Christian Scientist Daniel H. Spofford of attempting to harm her through his "mesmeric" mental powers...
, a member of the Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
religion was accused of using his mental powers to harm others, including a spinster living in the town.
The town government was reformed in 1950 with the acceptance of the Town Manager Charter. This charter was rescinded by the voters, regained, lost again, and the present Town Manager-Selectmen Charter was adopted by the voters in 1967.
In 1910, Richard T. Crane, Jr. of Chicago, the magnate
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
owner of Crane Plumbing, bought Castle Hill
Castle Hill, Ipswich, Massachusetts
Castle Hill refers to either a drumlin surrounded by sea and salt marsh or to the mansion that sits on the hill. Both are part of the Crane Estate located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The former summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard T...
, a drumlin
Drumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word droimnín , first recorded in 1833, is an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated till or ground moraine.-Drumlin formation:...
on Ipswich Bay. He hired Olmsted Brothers
Olmsted Brothers
The Olmsted Brothers company was an influential landscape design firm in the United States, formed in 1898 by stepbrothers John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. .-History:...
, successors to Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, to landscape his 3500 acres (14.2 km²) estate, and engaged the Boston architectural firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge
Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge was a successful architecture firm based in Boston, Massachusetts, operating between 1886 and 1915, with extensive commissions in monumental civic and collegiate architecture in the spirit and style of Henry Hobson Richardson....
to design an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Revival style villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
on the summit. A grande allée
Allee
Allee may refer to:* Alfred Allee , U.S. sheriff.* J. Frank Allee , U.S. merchant and politician.* Warder Clyde Allee , U.S. ecologist, discoverer of the Allee effect.* Verna Allee , U.S. business consultant....
, 160 feet (48.8 m) wide and lined with statuary, would run the half mile from house to sea. But his wife, Florence, loathed the building. Crane promised that if she still didn't like it in 10 years, he would replace it. True enough, in 1928 a new 59-room mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
designed by Chicago architect David Adler
David Adler
David Adler was a prolific architect, designing over 200 buildings...
in the English Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
style stood in its place, called the Great House. At Mrs. Crane's death in 1949, the entire property was bequeathed to The Trustees of Reservations, which uses it as a venue for concerts and weddings.
Geography
Ipswich is drained by the Ipswich RiverIpswich River
Ipswich River is a small river in northeastern Massachusetts, USA. It is long, and its watershed is approximately , with an estimated population in the area of 160,000 people. - Geography :...
and Plum Island
Plum Island, Massachusetts
Plum Island is a small village on the island of the same name in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.Technically it is a precinct in the town of Newbury. Plum Island is the Easternmost of three precincts dividing the town. The other two precincts are Old Town and Byfield, the westernmost...
Sound, which join at their mouths and empty through a narrow but navigable channel at the foot of Castle Hill around Sandy Point
Sandy Point State Reservation
Sandy Point State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Ipswich. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Sandy Point is a coastal park located at southern tip of Plum Island. The reservation is an important nesting area for the piping plover and the...
into Ipswich Bay adjoining the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The southern portion of Plum Island
Plum Island (Massachusetts)
Plum Island, Massachusetts is an island located off the northeast coast of Massachusetts, north of Cape Ann. It is a barrier island approximately 11 miles in length.-Captain John Smith:...
falls within the area alloted to the town, making up the town's ocean shore along with Castle Neck, south of the Sound. The northeastern part of town is marshy, where the Rowley River
Rowley River
The Rowley River is a small river between Ipswich and Rowley, Massachusetts.The river lies within in the estuary of Plum Island Sound, and is formed by the confluence of the Egypt River and Muddy Run in Ipswich, with numerous tributaries in the estuary...
, Roger Island River
Roger Island River
The Roger Island River is a small tidal estuary between Ipswich and Rowley, Massachusetts. It is a southern branch of the larger Rowley River passing around Roger Island....
, and Eagle Hill River
Eagle Hill River
The Eagle Hill River is a small river in Ipswich, Massachusetts.The river arises within salt marshes just north of Ipswich, and empties into the Plum Island Sound. Broad and shallow, its total length is approximately 2 miles.See also: Bagwell Island....
drain into Plum Island Sound. South of Castle Neck, the Castle Neck River separates the town from neighboring Essex
Essex, Massachusetts
Essex is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, north of Boston. The population was 3,504 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Essex.- History :...
. A large portion of the western end of town is dominated by Willowdale State Forest, and other portions of the town are also protected land, including Crane Wildlife Refuge
Crane Wildlife Refuge
The Crane Wildlife Refuge, located in Ipswich and Essex, Massachusetts, is a property managed by The Trustees of Reservations. Located nearby are the Trustees of Reservations managed Castle Hill and Crane Beach.-External links:*...
on Castle Neck, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitats for migratory birds. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the refuge is of vital stopover significance to waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds during migratory periods.The refuge...
and Sandy Point State Reservation
Sandy Point State Reservation
Sandy Point State Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Ipswich. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Sandy Point is a coastal park located at southern tip of Plum Island. The reservation is an important nesting area for the piping plover and the...
on Plum Island
Plum Island, Massachusetts
Plum Island is a small village on the island of the same name in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.Technically it is a precinct in the town of Newbury. Plum Island is the Easternmost of three precincts dividing the town. The other two precincts are Old Town and Byfield, the westernmost...
, as well as Hamlin Reservation
Hamlin Reservation
Hamlin Reservation is a nature reserve located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The property is owned by The Trustees of Reservations.- External links :*...
, Heartbreak Hill Reservation, Bull Brook Reservoir, Greenwood Farm
Greenwood Farm (Ipswich, Massachusetts)
Greenwood Farm is an historic property and nature reserve located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, which is owned by The Trustees of Reservations and features a First Period farmhouse constructed in 1694.-History of Greenwood Farm Reservation:...
and a portion of Appleton Farms
Appleton Farms
Appleton Farms is a park in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that is owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations.-References:*...
Sanctuary, which extends into Hamilton
Hamilton, Massachusetts
Hamilton is a town located in the eastern central portion of Essex County in eastern Massachusetts. It is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates...
.
Ipswich is located in central Essex County, and is 11 miles south of Newburyport
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
, 12 miles northwest of Gloucester
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
, 13 miles north of Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, 20 miles east of Lawrence
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
and 28 miles northeast of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. It is bordered by Rowley
Rowley, Massachusetts
Rowley is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2000 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Rowley.-History:...
to the north, Boxford
Boxford, Massachusetts
Boxford is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,965 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Boxford.-Geography:...
to the west, and Topsfield
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,085 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Topsfield.-Colonial period:...
, Hamilton
Hamilton, Massachusetts
Hamilton is a town located in the eastern central portion of Essex County in eastern Massachusetts. It is primarily a suburban bedroom community, most commonly known for its equestrian estates...
, Essex
Essex, Massachusetts
Essex is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, north of Boston. The population was 3,504 at the 2010 census.Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Essex.- History :...
and Gloucester to the south. (The border with Gloucester lies across Essex Bay, and as such there is no land connection between the two.)
There is no interstate highway which runs through Ipswich; Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...
passes through neighboring Boxford and Topsfield. U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
, known as the Newburyport Turnpike, passes through the western end of town. Route 1A
Massachusetts Route 1A
Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
and Route 133
Massachusetts Route 133
Route 133 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Lowell to Gloucester.-Route description:Route 133 begins at the junction of Route 38 and Route 110 in Lowell, where Route 110 begins a concurrency with Route 38 northbound. Route 133 heads east from this point, heading...
pass through the town, entering concurrently from Rowley and passing through the center of town before splitting south of the town center; Route 1A heads towards Hamilton and Beverly, while Route 133 leads to Essex and Gloucester. Ipswich has a station
Ipswich (MBTA station)
Ipswich is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Newburyport/Rockport Line. Before service on the line was restored to Newburyport, Ipswich was the terminus of the line. Just south of the end of the platform are two auxiliary tracks that were used to store trains during that time. In...
along the Newburyport/Rockport Line
Newburyport/Rockport Line
The Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch of...
of the MBTA Commuter Rail
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail serves as the regional rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in the United States. It is operated under contract by the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company a joint partnership of Veolia Transportation, Bombardier Transportation and Alternate...
, providing service between Newburyport and Boston's North Station. There is no air service within town; the nearest small airports are in Newbury and Beverly, and the nearest national service is Boston's Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
.
Demographics
This article describes the town of Ipswich as a whole. Additional demographic detail is available which describes only the more densely-populated central settlement or village within the town, although that detail is included in the aggregate values reported here. See: Ipswich (CDP), MassachusettsIpswich (CDP), Massachusetts
Ipswich is a census-designated place located in the town of Ipswich in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,161 at the 2000 U.S. Census.-Geography:...
.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 12,987 people, 5,290 households, and 3,459 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 398.6 people per square mile (153.9/km2). There were 5,601 housing units at an average density of 66.4 persons/km2 (171.9 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 97.60% White, 0.39% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.08% Native American, 0.80% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 5,290 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.4% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $57,284, and the median income for a family was $74,931. Males had a median income of $51,408 versus $38,476 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $32,516. 7.1% of the population and 4.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7.8% are under the age of 18 and 13.0% are 65 or older.
Elementary schools
Paul F. Doyon Elementary and Winthrop Elementary schools are the town's two elementary schools. The schools use the Everyday Math program.Middle and high schools
The middle school and high school are housed in the same building and share the library, the cafeteria, performing arts facilities and athletic resources (tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a football field, and a running track).Ipswich High School (IHS) has been considered one of the best public high schools in the Boston area. The Ipswich Public Schools also have what is considered one of the best performing arts programs.
In 2006, the high school was named a "Blue Ribbon" school. The Blue Ribbon
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
is an award for national excellence in education under the No Child Left Behind legislation. The school also received a Vanguard award for similar academic prowess. IHS offers college-prep, honors, and AP-level classes. IHS has one of the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts.
The high school mascot is the Tiger and the school colors are orange and black. Ipswich competes in the Cape Ann League. Football won the Division 3A Super Bowl Championship in 2006. It was the school's first title since 1992, and the fifth in school history. (Previous titles were achieved in 1974, 1977, 1991, and 1992.) Ipswich's traditional rival is Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School of Hamilton, MA.
Points of interest
- Appleton FarmsAppleton FarmsAppleton Farms is a park in Ipswich, Massachusetts, that is owned and maintained by The Trustees of Reservations.-References:*...
(1638) - Castle HillCastle Hill, Ipswich, MassachusettsCastle Hill refers to either a drumlin surrounded by sea and salt marsh or to the mansion that sits on the hill. Both are part of the Crane Estate located in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The former summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard T...
(1928) - Choate BridgeChoate BridgeChoate Bridge is a historic stone arch bridge on Route 1A/Route 133 over the Ipswich River in Ipswich, Massachusetts that is the oldest surviving double arch bridge in North America.-History:...
(1764) - John Heard House/Ipswich Historical Society (c. 1800)
- John Whipple HouseJohn Whipple HouseThe John Whipple House is a historic colonial house and National Historic Landmark in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Built in the seventeenth century, the house has been open to the public as a museum since 1899.-History:...
(1642/1677) - South Green Historic DistrictSouth Green Historic District (Ipswich, Massachusetts)South Green Historic District is a historic district on MA 1A in Ipswich, Massachusetts.The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980....
- Crane BeachCrane BeachCrane Beach is a conservation and recreation property located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, immediately north of Cape Ann. It consists of a four mile long sandy beachfront, dunes, and a maritime pitch pine forest...
Notable residents
- Anne BradstreetAnne BradstreetAnne Dudley Bradstreet was New England's first published poet. Her work met with a positive reception in both the Old World and the New World.-Biography:...
, poet - Simon BradstreetSimon BradstreetSimon Bradstreet was a colonial magistrate, businessman, diplomat, and the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Arriving in Massachusetts on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, Bradstreet was almost constantly involved in the politics of the colony but became its governor only in 1679...
, governor - Robert Campo, filmmaker
- Nathan DaneNathan DaneNathan Dane was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress from 1785 through 1788...
, lawyer - Arthur Wesley DowArthur Wesley DowArthur Wesley Dow was an American painter, printmaker, photographer, and influential arts educator....
, artist - Thomas DudleyThomas DudleyThomas Dudley was a colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the town's first home...
, governor - Dennis EckersleyDennis EckersleyDennis Lee Eckersley , nicknamed "Eck", is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career .He...
, Hall-of-Fame Pitcher - Ed EmberleyEd EmberleyEdward Randolph Emberley is an American artist and illustrator.- Biography :Emberley studied art at the Massachusetts School of Art in Boston , from which he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and illustration...
, artist of children's drawing books - John NortonJohn Norton (Puritan divine)John Norton was a Puritan divine, and one of the first authors in the United States of America.-Career:...
, Puritan divine, author, minister at Ipswich 1636 - John UpdikeJohn UpdikeJohn Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
, author - Nathaniel WardNathaniel WardNathaniel Ward was a Puritan clergyman and pamphleteer in England and Massachusetts. He wrote the first constitution in North America in 1641....
, clergyman & jurist - Melissa FerrickMelissa Ferrick-Early life:Ferrick was raised in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Herfather John was a well-liked public school teacher who managed several free-jazz bands on the side. As a child, Ferrick would often accompany her father to clubs on Boston's North Shore to watch the bands play. She began taking...
, musician - Dick BerggrenDick BerggrenDr. Dick Berggren is a motorsports announcer and magazine editor from Manchester, Connecticut in the United States. Born in Westerly, Rhode Island, he now lives in Ipswich, Massachusetts with his wife Kathy. He is commonly seen wearing a trademark flat cap.- Academia :Berggren described himself...
, motorsports announcer and magazine editor - James MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
founding father, politician - John ProctorJohn ProctorJohn Proctor was a farmer in 17th century Massachusetts. He married three women in his life, and divorced the first two. The last one he married was Elizabeth Proctor, who gave birth to two children, William and Sarah...
, victim of the Salem witch trialsSalem witch trialsThe Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693... - Allan Perley, emigrant ancestor of politicians George Halsey PerleyGeorge Halsey PerleySir George Halsey Perley, KCMG, PC was an American born Canadian politician and diplomat.-Early life:...
, William Goodhue PerleyWilliam Goodhue PerleyWilliam Goodhue Perley was a businessman and member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1887 to 1890.He was born in Enfield, New Hampshire in 1820. His emigrant ancestor was Allan Perley. During the 1840s, he established a lumber business based on timber from northern New York...
and many others. - John Perley, the first son of Allan Perley.
- Samuel Perley, the second son of Allan Perley.
- Thomas Perley, the third son of Allan Perley.
- Nathaniel Perley, the fourth son of Allan Perley.
- Timothy Perley, the fifth son of Allan Perley.
- Sarah Perley, the first daughter of Allan Perley.
External links
- Ipswich Public Library
- Willowdale State Forest
- Town of Ipswich History
- History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton by Joseph Barlow Felt published 1834. Online at books.google.com
- Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Vol.2 1700-1917 by Thomas Franklin Waters, Sarah Goodhue, John Wise. Published 1917.
- Memorial of Samuel Appleton of Ipswich, Massachusetts by Isaac Appleton Jewett, published 1850.
- 1795 Map of Ipswich, Massachusetts Click on the screen size maps to get a much larger image.
- 1832 Map of Ipswich, Massachusetts by Philander Anderson.
- 1872 Map of Ipswich plate 66-67 in the 1872 Atlas of Essex County, Massachusetts.
- 1872 Map of Ipswich Center plate 69 in the 1872 Atlas of Essex County, Massachusetts.
- Old USGS maps of Ipswich.
