Historic Ipswich

The North Green in the early 19th Century

Ipswich, Massachusetts was founded in 1634 in an area the Indigenous people called “Agawam,” and is known as “America’s best-preserved Puritan town.” The historic neighborhoods of Meeting House Green, High Street, the East End, and the South Green are well-preserved streetscapes of 17th to 19th-century residences. Opposition by the people of Ipswich to a tax imposed by the King is commemorated in the seal of the town of Ipswich, with the motto, “The Birthplace of American Independence 1687.”

Over 50% of the land in Ipswich is protected, with forested rolling hills, salt marshes, sandy dunes and one of the most beautiful beaches in New England.

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Recent posts

Register now for Flags for Heros - Ipswich-Rowley Rotary will present its annual Flags for Heroes, dedicated to honoring local heroes on the Ipswich South Green, from June 10 to July 9, 2023 Register now at the Ipswich Rowley Rotary website, www.ipswichrowleyrotary.org to sponsor a flag honoring your hero. Or you can visit an Ipswich branch of the Institution for Savings or BankGloucester in Ipswich.

Destination Ipswich: The Dow & Bull Brook Conservtion Areas - In Episode 6 of Destination Ipswich, we take a walk in the Dow Brook Conservation Area, starting at the trailhead next to White Farms Ice Cream on upper High St. (Rt. 1A). The trail takes us to the Dow Book Reservoir, where we walk across the dam, and check out the water and electric generator station constructed in 1894. The next stop is the Ipswich Water Department, where superintendent Joe Ciccotelli explains how water from the the reservoirs is filtered and makes its way to our faucets. Continuing onto Bull Brook, we viewed the remains of the 300-year-old dam and mill built by Nejemiah Jewett. A short distance ahead is the reservoir's concrete spillway. A wooded trail follows the edge of the reservoir and takes us to the other trailhead at the Mile Lane playing fields.… Continue reading