On the Massachusetts North Shore
Many of our founding fathers had little trust in the instincts of the common man. John Adams observed that "Pure democracy has also been viewed as a threat to individual rights," and warned against the “tyranny of the majority.” Alexander Hamilton, one of the three authors of the "Federalist Papers" defended the system of electors by which we choose a President today.
The photo above is the house at 13 Topsfield Road, and the photo below is the same house. The 1884 Ipswich map shows the house owned by William G. Brown. It was owned by William F. Hayes in the first half of the 20th Century. Hayes was a large landowner in Ipswich, began divesting his properties in… Continue reading William G. Brown House, 13 Topsfield Road
Seven people running to replace Congressman Seth Moulton will speak at the Democratic Candidates Forum sponsored by the Ipswich Democratic Town Committee. The event is free and open to the public. John Beccia Bethany Andres-Beck Jamie Belsito Rick Jakious Dan Koh Mariah Lancaster Tram Nguyen Date and time: Wednesday, January 21st, 7:00 pm Location: Boone Hall… Continue reading Democratic Candidates Forum, Wednesday January 21
At the Massachusetts General Court, May 13, 1640, it was voted that the elders of the churches and other freemen of the Commonwealth gather their thoughts and counsels about a body of laws for the Colony and present them to the general court within eight months. Two schemes were proposed, but Governor Winthrop assigned the… Continue reading The 1641 Massachusetts Body of Liberties
However benign John Winthrop’s intentions were, the system he tried to construct rested on the discretion, or will, of individual magistrates. However, he was defeated by the Ipswich Connection’s campaign for the “skill” or “rule” of written law; and if we still prize the ideal that government should operate based on laws, not men, we owe that partly to their promotion of the Body of Liberties.
""It is certainly a great truth, namely, that man's original liberty after it is resigned (yet under due restrictions) ought to be cherished in all wise governments; or otherwise, a man in making himself a subject, he alters himself from a freeman into a slave, which to do is repugnant to the law of nature. "
The voters of the Town of Ipswich resolved on August 11, 1768, that "Thanks be given to the worthy and much esteemed ninety-two gentlemen of the late Honorable House of Representatives for their firmness and steadiness in standing up for and adhering to the just rights and Liberties of the Subjects when it was required of them at the Peril of their political existence."
Over 400 Ipswich citizens and neighbors lined South Main Street for the 47th consecutive Ipswich Rally for Democracy at noon on Saturday, January 10, joining a broad coalition of groups across the country calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend to demand accountability, honor lives lost, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s… Continue reading Ipswich “Ice Out for Good” rally, Saturday, January 10
The inhabitants of Newbury perceived bee-keeping as a new and profitable industry, but needed someone with experience. John Eales, an elderly pauper who had been sent away to Ipswich, was returned by the Court to Newbury to assist them in their efforts. An old English customs was his assistants "telling the bees" when their keeper died.
by Stephen Miles, 1/1/2026, Ipswich Historical Society Board Member 1986-1989; President 1989-92; Member Ipswich Historical Commission Richard Candee, Director of Preservation Studies at Boston University, presented a lecture on "The Industrial Heritage of the North Coast" on Sunday, February 9, 1986, at the Heard House (the Ipswich Museum), Main Street in Ipswich. This lecture was… Continue reading Establishment of the Ipswich Mills as a Global Leader in Hosiery
The Ipswich Refugee Program works in cooperation with a local refugee resettlement agency to help several newly arrived immigrant/refugee families get settled in Ipswich. welcome them into our community and to support their efforts to establish independence and self-sufficiency in a new country and culture. Join the Ipswich Refugee Program on Thursday, January 22, at… Continue reading Bridging Cultures, January 22, 2026
Circles, Lines, & Squares, Free family-friendly folk dance sampler with a mix of contras, squares, and circles at the Ipswich Town Hall Gym. Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, 7-9 pm Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, 7-9 pm Friday, Apr. 3, 2026, 7-9 pm Friday, May 1, 2026, 7-9 pm
Winter Wellness Sampler is back for its 4th year! Join us for a seasonal series designed to help you move through the darkest, coldest months with care, curiosity, and connection. This year, we're returning to the Ipswich Town Hall gym in the heart of Ipswich at 25 Green Street. From sound healing and meditation to… Continue reading 2026 Winter Wellness Sampler, January 23 – March 20, 2026
The common ancestors of many of the Kimball family in America are Richard Kimball Sr. and his wife Ursula Scott of the Parish of Rattlesden, England who moved to Ipswich in 1635. Four of the First Period homes of their descendants are still standing.
Obadiah Wood married 35-year-old widow Haselelponiah, whose scriptural name means "A shadow falls upon me," the only person in modern history with that name. Haselelpony Wood's tombstone is located at the Old North Burial Ground in Ipswich.
The Great White Hurricane of 1888 struck on the night of March 11 and continued furiously for two days, dumping 60 inches of snow on parts of the Northeast.
Historic Ipswich 