A letter in The London Chronicle, January 5-7, 1768, believed to have been penned anonymously by Benjamin Franklin, using the pseudonym "F†S" (abbreviated) To the Printer of the London Chronicle Sir, As the cause of the present ill humour in America, and of the resolutions taken there to purchase less of our manufactures, does not… Continue reading The Waves never rise but when the Winds blow
Year: 2026
Prominent Members of the Early Ipswich Bar
Ipswich boasts a long line of legal luminaries – lawyers and judges – going back to the dawn of the Town’s existence. Not only is this the “Birthplace of American Independence” but the home to many notable statesmen, and the caliber of the bench and bar of a people is in part a measure of the quality of the culture.
Recollections of a Boy’s Life In the Village
This story was written by Amos E. Jewett in 1945. At the time, he was 83 years old. having been born in Ipswich Village, near Rowley, on June 16, 1862.
Election Night in Ipswich
"The climax of petty officialdom might well have been reached in 1797 when the list of officers chosen at the Town meeting included Selectmen, Overseers, Town Clerk and Treasurer, Tithing-men, Road Surveyors, Fish Committee, Clerk of the Market, Fence Viewers, Haywards, Surveyors of Lumber, Cullers of Fish, Sealers of Leather, Hog-reeves, Gangers of Cask, Sealers of Weights, Measurers of Grain, Corders of Wood, Firewards, Packer of Pork, and Cullers of Brick.”
GemJam
GemJam is a free public outdoor drum, dance & DJ event held on the 4th Friday of each month at the Ipswich Riverwalk Mural behind 4 Union Street. Time and place: 6 to 8 pm at the Take Out Terrace Truss & Stage, 4 Union Street
Emma Jane Mitchell Safford
Emma Jane Mitchell Safford was a descendant of Massasoit, Sachem of the Wampanoag. Her daughter, also Emma, tried to help her relatives regain land taken from them on the reservation.
CRANE ESTATE ART SHOW, NOV. 7 & 8, 2026
The theme for the annual free Crane Estate Art Show & Sale this year is "SEIZE THE MOMENT," and will feature more than 200 works of original artwork on the first and second floors of the Great House, student works in the Casino Complex, and, on Saturday afternoon, a student reception. Art proceeds will benefit… Continue reading CRANE ESTATE ART SHOW, NOV. 7 & 8, 2026
The October Gale of 1841
In the latter part of September, 1841, was a long, unbroken spell of uncomfortable weather, which culminated in a violent and cold storm of wind, snow and rain on the night of October 2, continuing four days.
The Temptations of John Dane, a Declaration of Remarkable Providences
This handwritten narrative from 1682 is the personal memoir of John Dane, who immigrated to Ipswich by 1638.
Pink Flamingos, More Musings From a Musty Mind
I call for all of us to embrace a cause that may serve to unite our fractured democracy before it’s all too late. This of course is the plight of Plastic Pink Flamingos. What, you ask?
The Karma of Modern Problems
by Gavin Keenan. This article was first posted in 2017, and is timely as ever.
Abolition and the Underground Railroad in Essex County
A network of the Underground Railroad ran north along the coast from Boston to Salem, where it split into three trails; one continued through Beverly, Ipswich, Newburyport and West Newbury to Amesbury where escaped slaves were escorted into New Hampshire.
What Our Ancestors Ate
"Most of them had pea and bean porridge, sometimes hasty pudding, both morning and evening. A lady of eighty, after having partaken of Thanksgiving dainties, was heartily glad to return home and set a meal of her favorite broth."
Names of the Ipswich slaves
In 1641 the Massachusetts Bay Colony adopted a code of laws that made slavery legal. In 1755, the slaves in this town above the age of sixteen numbered sixty-two, but within ten years, public opinion began turn against slavery. In 1780, the present Constitution of Massachusetts was adopted, its first article asserting that all men are born free and equal.
Interactive Map of Historic Ipswich
Check out the new Interactive Map of Historic Ipswich! Go to: https://umap.openstreetmap.de/en/map/historic-ipswich-massachusetts_154081#16/42.681237/-70.835252 Pinpoints on the map link to posts on this site. Red: Historic houses. Green: Outdoor sites
Market Street, Then and Now
Photos of Market St. from the present day back to the early days of photography.
