Newburyport, Massachusetts

Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, about 35 miles northeast of Boston. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 18,289 people.

Newburyport is a historic seaport known for its beautiful waterfront and busy tourism industry. Many people enjoy visiting the city to see its old buildings, shops, and restaurants. The city also helps care for boats, providing places for them to dock, get repairs, and spend the winter, which is important for the local economy. A Coast Guard station works to keep the area safe, especially near the tricky tidal currents of the Merrimack River.

The city sits near the Newbury Marshes and has an industrial park that offers many jobs. Newburyport is easy to reach by car, lying on Interstate 95, with the outer highway of Boston, Interstate 495, close by in Amesbury. The Newburyport Turnpike runs through the city. There is also a train line, the Newburyport/Rockport MBTA commuter rail, that comes from Boston's North Station and ends in Newburyport. Although an older railroad line to the north is no longer used for trains, part of it has been turned into a fun trail for walking and biking.

History

In 1680, Elizabeth Morse was found guilty of witchcraft in Newbury and was kept away from others unless a religious leader was with her until she passed away in 1690.

On January 28, 1764, Massachusetts leaders made a decision to create a new town called Newburyport from part of the existing town of Newbury. This new town, approved on February 4, 1764, was the smallest in Massachusetts, covering just 647 acres and home to 2,800 people living in 357 homes. It had three shipyards, no bridges, and several ferries, including one that carried a famous coach traveling between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Boston.

Newburyport grew and became a city in 1851. Located near the mouth of the Merrimack River, it became known for fishing, building ships, and making silverware. The city was also part of important sea trade routes and had a history of producing ships for whaling and trade. Over time, many of its old docks and shipyards disappeared, but the city still remembers its past as a busy seaport.

Some important moments in Newburyport’s history include building some of the first fast sailing ships, playing a role in early protests against British taxes, and having one of the oldest courts in Massachusetts. The Newburyport Five Cents Savings Bank, founded in 1854, is one of the oldest banks in the United States that is still operating.

Newburyport has many historic buildings and museums, such as the Cushing House Museum and Garden and the Newburyport Custom House Museum. It has also been featured in stories and studies, including being the model for a famous fictional town created by writer H. P. Lovecraft.

Historic preservation

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

In the 1950s and 1960s, Newburyport's downtown area began to fall apart. People were shopping more in big strip malls and driving cars instead of visiting local shops. Bigger cities like Lawrence and Lowell became easier to reach with new highways. By 1970, leaders planned to tear down the old downtown and rebuild it, but they decided to save the historic buildings instead.

The city started fixing and restoring its old buildings in the early 1970s. They began on State Street and later created a special walking area on Inn Street. Today, Newburyport is known for keeping its history while still being a nice place to live and visit.

Geography

Newburyport is a city in Massachusetts. It is near the coast and close to the Merrimack River. The city has both land and water areas. There are many parks and beaches, including Plum Island Point Beach and Waterfront Park.

The city has different neighborhoods like Joppa, South End, and Plum Island. Plum Island is a special area that is part of Newburyport but is separated from the rest of the city. It has a lighthouse and is a nice place for fishing.

Demographics

See also: List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income

2020 census

In the year 2020, Newburyport had 18,289 people. The middle age of the town was 50.3 years. About 18.4% of the people were younger than 18, and 24.0% were 65 years or older. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males, and for every 100 females who were 18 or older, there were 83.4 males who were 18 or older.

Most people, 95.6%, lived in town areas, while 4.4% lived in the country parts.

There were 7,971 homes in Newburyport. About 24.1% of these homes had children younger than 18 living in them. Almost half of the homes, 49.4%, were couples who were married. Some homes, 14.7%, had a man living alone without a wife or partner. And 30.4% of homes had a woman living alone without a husband or partner. About one-third of all homes, 33.6%, were just one person, and 16.9% of these were people who were 65 or older living alone.

There were 8,615 places to live, but 7.5% of them were empty. The rate of empty homes for people who owned them was 0.8%, and for people who rented, it was 3.8%.

2010 census

In 2010, there were 17,416 people living in Newburyport. The number of people per square mile was 2,086.2. There were 7,897 places to live, with an average of 942.0 per square mile. The people were mostly White at 90.2%, with small amounts of African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, people from other races, and people from two or more races making up the rest. About 2.7% were Hispanic or Latino.

The biggest groups of people by where their families came from were Irish (25%), English (16%), Italian (11%), French (except Basque) (7%), and German (6%).

There were 7,519 homes. About 25.9% had children younger than 18. Almost half, 47.7%, were couples living together, married. Some homes, 8.5%, had a woman living alone without a husband. And 41.1% were not families. One-third of homes, 33.1%, were just one person, and 9.7% were people 65 or older living alone. The usual number of people in a home was 2.24, and in a family, it was 2.90.

The ages of people were spread out. About 20.7% were younger than 18, 4.4% were between 18 and 24, 32.7% were between 25 and 44, 28.2% were between 45 and 64, and 14.0% were 65 or older. The middle age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males, and for every 100 females who were 18 or older, there were 82.9 males.

The middle amount of money a home made was $78,557, and a family made $103,306. Men usually made $51,831, while women made $37,853. Each person, on average, had $34,187. About 2.8% of families and 5.2% of all people had less money than they needed, including 4.5% of children younger than 18 and 6.9% of people 65 or older.

Government

In 2011, Newburyport started using a new way to run the city. Now, the city is led by a mayor who serves for four years, along with an eleven-member City Council. Before this, the mayor’s term was only two years. The city is part of the Massachusetts Senate's 1st Essex district.

Transportation

Interstate 95 runs near the west side of Newburyport and has an exit at Route 113. Route 113 ends at U.S. Route 1 and Massachusetts Route 1A, which continue together toward Newbury. These roads cross the river on the Newburyport Turnpike Bridge.

The Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority offers free bus service between Newburyport and Haverhill, connecting to the train station. Newburyport is the last stop on the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail, linking to Boston's North Station.

Plum Island Airport is a small, private airport for general aviation within the city. For regular flights, people usually travel to Boston's Logan International Airport.

Education

Newburyport has several schools for children of different ages. The schools include:

• Francis T. Bresnahan Lower Elementary School: pre-kindergarten to grade 3
• Edward G. Molin Upper Elementary School: grades 4 and 5
• Rupert A. Nock Middle School: grades 6 to 8
• Newburyport High School: grades 9 to 12
• River Valley Charter School: kindergarten to grade 8
• Immaculate Conception Catholic School: pre-kindergarten to grade 8
• Newburyport Montessori School: pre-kindergarten and kindergarten

Newburyport High School is one of the oldest public high schools in the United States. It has sports teams that compete in the Cape Ann League, and the school colors are Crimson and Old Gold.

The city also has the Newburyport Public Library, which is part of the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium.

Activities

Newburyport offers many fun activities for everyone. You can enjoy ice skating all year round, and there is a lovely waterfront and boardwalk to explore. People in Newburyport love boating, fishing, swimming, and other water sports. The downtown area is perfect for shopping in unique boutiques.

The city also supports many youth sports leagues, including baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and hockey. There are many other programs for kids, with classes and activities like robotics, music, rock climbing, chess, fencing, sewing, dance, skateboarding, judo, cooking, yoga, cheerleading, art, fashion design, photography, biking, and frisbee.

Annual events

Yankee Homecoming

Yankee Homecoming is a big festival in Newburyport where people who grew up there come back to visit. It started in 1957 and lasts one week. The first Sunday is called "Olde Fashioned Sunday" and has many fun activities like an art show and a parade of old cars. There are concerts every night and races through the city streets. A big fireworks show happens on Saturday night, and the festival ends with a big parade on Sunday.

Waterfront Concert Series

Free concerts for everyone happen on Friday evenings in Waterfront Park in downtown Newburyport.

Newburyport Literary Festival

Every year in late April, Newburyport holds a book festival to encourage reading and love for books. Local authors come to talk about their books, and school children show projects they made for visiting authors.

Newburyport Chamber Music Festival

In early August, Newburyport hosts a music festival where talented musicians from around the world come to perform. They give many concerts, have practice sessions in public places, and even have special music events in people's homes. The festival also includes a free concert for families and talks about the music they will play.

Points of interest

Newburyport is a lovely place for visitors. The downtown area has shops for everyone, with many restaurants near Market Square and along State Street. During special events, people can enjoy concerts, tasty food, and fun activities. An old mill on Liberty Street hosts small shops and a farmers' market in both summer and winter.

High Street shows beautiful old houses and connects Atkinson Common to Bartlett Mall, where you can see the old Essex County Superior Courthouse. The First Presbyterian Church, built in 1756, has a special bell made by Paul Rever. The city’s waterfront, Atwood Park, Market Square, and Brown Square with its statue of “Garrison the Liberator” are also popular spots. The City Hall has a gallery of people who served their country.

• Chain Bridge
• Cushing House Museum & Garden
• Joppa Flats Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary
• Maudslay State Park
• Newburyport Brewing Company
• Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

In popular culture

Newburyport inspired the city of Innsmouth in H. P. Lovecraft’s story The Shadow Over Innsmouth, which is part of the Cthulhu Mythos. The real Newburyport is mentioned in the first chapter as the protagonist travels to Innsmouth. The city also appears in Stephen King’s "Doctor Sleep," and is the main focus of the 2019 Goldsmiths Prize-winning book, Ducks, Newburyport.

Notable people

Newburyport has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some of these include:

• John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), who became the U.S. president and lived in Newburyport for a short time.
• Nikole Beckwith (born 1980), a writer and filmmaker who grew up in Newburyport.
• Kate Bolick (born 1972), an author who was born and raised in Newburyport.
• Joe Keery (born 1992), an actor known for his roles in TV and movies.
• Robert S. Mulliken (1896–1986), who won a 1966 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• Matthew Thornton (1714–1803), one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Many other notable individuals have lived or were born in Newburyport, contributing to its rich history.