Map and Walking Tour of Historic Marblehead
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Start your walking tour at Abbot Hall on Washington Square 1 . The building was constructed in 1876, and A Walk Through is the seat of Marblehead’s town government. In it, many artifacts of Marblehead’s history Historic are displayed in several areas, maintained by the Marblehead Marblehead Historical Commission. In the large Selectmen’s Room, a focal point is The Spirit of ‘76 A self-guided Walking Tour painting by Archibald Willard. Nearby is the original deed of Downtown Marblehead to Marblehead from an Algonquian tribe of Native Americans, dated 1684. Above that is a bust sculpture of 1 Elbridge Gerry, who was a Revolutionary Patriot statesman, Abbot Hall signer of the Declaration of Independence, Governor of Massachusetts in 1810, and United States Vice President under James Madison during the three-year War of 1812. Another historical painting among several there depicts the Crossing of the Delaware River in December 1776 during the American Revolution for the surprise attack on Trenton, NJ, which turned the tide of the war. The crossing was orchestrated by Marblehead’s military regiment of several hundred men from a town of just over 900 families, under the command of Colonel, later General, John Glover. The Marblehead mariners manned the boats that carried George Washington’s Continental Army across the ice-choked river, and their tenacity and endurance made the difficult crossing possible, throughout Christmas night in 1776, in lashing sleet, and back again after the battle, with prisoners. Remarkably, there were no American The Spirit of ‘76 casualties in that entire engagement. A portrait of the Marblehead Regiment’s commander, Colonel John Glover, portrays him after he was promoted to General in early 1777. He served through the entire seven years of the Revolution. Glover’s fine Georgian-style home can be seen later on this tour. Another portrait shows Joseph Story, who was appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1811 when he was only 32 years old. To this day, he is still the youngest ever appointed. He served for 34 years, until his death in 1845, and helped write much of early America’s important maritime admiralty law. Also inside Abbot Hall are historically themed murals from America’s WPA project in the 1930s, which helped put unemployed artists to work after the Great Depression. A Maritime History Museum Room VisitMarblehead.com shows the town’s seafaring and naval heritage over nearly 400 years. Abbot Hall is open year-round. Summer hours (Memorial Day through October): Mon., Tues., Thurs., 8–5; Fri. 8–12:30; Wed. 8–6; Sat. 10–4; Sun. 11–5. Closed most weekends November–May. Marblehead The Maritime History Museum Room and a gift shop are generally Historical Commission open Mon.–Thurs. 10–4, Fri. 10–1, Memorial Day through Christmas and some weekends. MarbleheadHistory.org For further information, visit Marblehead.org and click on Marblehead Historical Commission under the online heading Visiting & Town History. As you leave Abbot Hall Diagonally across the street by the Washington Street on Hooper Street is the King entrance, turn right going Hooper Mansion 5 once down the hill. On the left the home of Robert Hooper, you will see three privately- merchant prince and ship owned houses (numbers owner. He was known as 185, 183 2 and 181) built “King” because of his wealth during the mid-l8th century and his fair dealings and by members of the Lee and generosity to the town. The 2 Hooper families—successful 6 older part of the building Samuel Lee & R. Hooper Houses ship owners and merchants. J. Palmer / Colonel Jeremiah Lee was constructed in 1728, and its pine-paneled rooms The house at 185 (“Lafayette”) House clearly reflect their early Washington Street 3 date. The Georgian front rooms were added after 1747, and is a fine example of late their ornamentation and elegance form an interesting contrast Georgian-style architecture. to the older rooms. The home also contains a wine cellar, cozy It features a “rusticated” cellar kitchen, and a third floor ballroom. The Marblehead wood facade built to Arts Association owns the building and uses the lovely resemble stone blocks. The surroundings for art exhibits throughout the year. The building, back portion of the house its art galleries and a gift shop with members’ artworks for sale was built around 1743, and are open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 1–5pm. the front part some years 3 later. After 1771, it was the When leaving the Hooper home of Colonel William home, turn left and follow Robert Hooper / William R. Lee House Raymond Lee, a nephew of Hooper Street to Union Colonel Jeremiah Lee and Street. At this corner is a very a major, then a colonel, in Glover’s Regiment, which played a fine Georgian-style house significant role in the American Revolution. 6 . Legend has it that the carriage of the Marquis de At the bottom of the hill Lafayette, a Revolutionary at 161 Washington Street War general and a favorite is the Jeremiah Lee 7 aid to General George Mansion 4 . The house Washington, was too large is considered to be one of Boston Yacht Club to pass by the house when the finest examples of he visited Marblehead in 1824, so the corner of the house was Georgian architecture in removed. Actually, the corner was built that way for a retail shop America. Its wood facade entrance. This was also the first home of Col. Jeremiah Lee and is “rusticated” and was his family for 17 years (1751–68) —more than twice as long as 4 originally sand-painted to they lived in grand style in look and feel like stone. Jeremiah Lee Mansion their larger new mansion, Open to public seasonally Built in 1768 by Colonel Lee, which you already saw. a wealthy merchant and Follow Union Street to Water patriot leader, it is a superb example of pre-Revolutionary Street and down toward the gentry living, with outstanding furniture and decorative objects Boston Yacht Club, 7 one of the period, original and virtually unique hand-painted English of the oldest yachting clubs wallpapers, and some of the most elaborate interior woodwork in the country, which began carving in America. Rich mahogany paneling from the West operating in Marblehead in Indies and fine ceramics, glass and 8 1902. hand-painted wallpaper from England Crocker Park were brought to America in Lee’s and Continue on to Front other merchants’ ships. Street and Crocker Park 8 . From the park you will enjoy a magnificent view of Marblehead Harbor. Rest rooms and The Jeremiah Lee Mansion has been benches are available. owned by the Marblehead Museum & Historical Society since 1909, As you continue down Front and is open June–October, Tuesday– Street, you will find the Saturday 10am–4pm; closed Sunday State Street Wharf 9 the and Monday. town’s public landing since the mid-1600s. Benches Special exhibits at the Museum’s and seasonal rest rooms are galleries across the street at 170 available. Washington Street highlight specific 5 aspects of the collections. The galleries Beyond the Front Street and research archives are open year- 9 wharves is Glover Square King Hooper Mansion round, Tuesday–Friday, 10am–4pm, 10 named for the Open to the public and some Saturdays. State Street Wharf / Town Landing Revolutionary War hero A Walk Through Historic Marblehead All content © Marblehead Chamber of Commerce General John Glover. For originally stood opposite his house a year and a half, while a until a new church was built a block Colonel, he led the country’s away in 1824 (#14 below). first regiment of military Follow Franklin Street and turn left mariners (precursors of on Washington Street. On the right is the Marines), which was the First Church’s third edifice, now comprised of nearly 600 referred to locally as Old North Church Marblehead fishermen 14 . Founded in 1635, the church (or and seamen. Under his meeting house) was originally located 10 leadership, they rowed on Old Burial Hill. The building at General Washington and his Glover Square & General 41 Washington Street was constructed army across the Delaware John Glover House of rough granite in 1824. A new cut River. Four months earlier, stone facade was added in 1886. they had ferried a larger force of 9,000 men, oxen, and cannon 14 across the East River in New York after the Battle of Long Island. The beautiful codfish weather vane on Old North Church the steeple is made of gilded copper, At the end of Front Street and at the entrance to Marblehead and is 52 inches long (just over four feet!). It is believed to have Harbor is Fort Sewall 11 been made about 1700, although the artisan is not known. first established in 1644. Originally rough earthen On the opposite side barriers constructed by of the street stands 44 the town against sudden Washington Street 15 attacks from the sea by childhood home (later the French, the grounds enlarged) of Elbridge Gerry, were improved in 1742 and a signer of the Declaration then housed Revolutionary of Independence, Governor and later garrisons. Some of Massachusetts, and Vice 11 underground chambers President of the United Fort Sewall still exist. 15 States in 1813–14, during the War of 1812, under fourth In 1814, during the War of 1812, the frigate USS Constitution Elbridge Gerry House president James Madison. sought shelter in Marblehead’s harbor from two pursuing British men o’ war. Marblehead seamen in the Constitution’s crew and At 65 Washington Street 16 is the house of Captain Samuel the intimidating guns and cannon on Fort Sewall made the Russell Trevett, leader of an artillery company at the Battle of escape possible.