Newburyport
An ancient, clustered, European style harbor town in northern Essex County Massachusetts at the mouth of the Merrimack River (on the south bank.)
Known for clipper ship construction two centuries ago, it has a very long history of prosperity and decline and figured prominently in the HPL story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" among other literary works.
In the last half century it has gone from slum to a wealthy place dominated by yuppies, and has some of the best preserved early 19th century urban architecture anywhere in North America.
But as someone already said, it has it's secrets... has had them for centuries.
More towns should be designed like Newburyport.
Known for clipper ship construction two centuries ago, it has a very long history of prosperity and decline and figured prominently in the HPL story "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" among other literary works.
In the last half century it has gone from slum to a wealthy place dominated by yuppies, and has some of the best preserved early 19th century urban architecture anywhere in North America.
But as someone already said, it has it's secrets... has had them for centuries.
More towns should be designed like Newburyport.
Newburyport has a long and rich history. Located on the south bank of the Merrimack River before it empties into the Atlantic Ocean, the area was originally inhabited by the Pawtucket Indians. It was settled in the 1630’s by European immigrants who founded the city of Newbury. The small port of Newbury was quickly settled and became a fishing and trading center with the rest of Newbury turning to agricultural pursuits.
By 1764, the port was so prosperous and densely settled that it broke off from Newbury to become Newburyport. Maritime trade fueled the city’s economy, sparking extraordinary building activity in the decades following.
In 1811, a catastrophic fire leveled the downtown. That event, coupled with restrictive federal trading policies and embargoes implemented in response to the War of 1812 and the national financial panic of 1816, resulted in the city’s economic downfall...
-From the C. of C. website
By 1764, the port was so prosperous and densely settled that it broke off from Newbury to become Newburyport. Maritime trade fueled the city’s economy, sparking extraordinary building activity in the decades following.
In 1811, a catastrophic fire leveled the downtown. That event, coupled with restrictive federal trading policies and embargoes implemented in response to the War of 1812 and the national financial panic of 1816, resulted in the city’s economic downfall...
-From the C. of C. website
Newburyport by Miskatonic Jack 2 March 29, 2011
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