Skip to content

Historic Ipswich

On the Massachusetts North Shore

  • Home
  • Search
  • About
  • Visit
  • Events
  • Posts
  • History
  • American Revolution
  • Historic Houses
  • Essex County
  • Ancestry
  • Burying Grounds
  • Literature
  • Book Shop
  • Images
  • Maps
  • Recreation
  • Bicycle Rides
  • Blog
  • Walking Tours

Author: Gordon Harris

Gordon Harris is a local historian living in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and publisher of the Historic Ipswich site. Follow him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gordonrharris/

Ipswich Manning House at the MFA

February 25, 2025November 14, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment

The frame of a 1692 house that once stood at the intersection of Manning and High Streets in Ipswich is on display in the "Art of the Americas" wing at the Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.

Posted in HousesTagged Boston, manning, mfa

The Ipswich Revolt of 1687

February 23, 2025December 8, 2025 Gordon Harris3 Comments
Ipswich revolt of 1687

On August 23, 1687, the citizens of Ipswich, led by the Reverend John Wise, denounced the levy of taxes by the arbitrary government of Sir Edmund Andros, and from their protest sprang the American Revolution of 1689.

Posted in Andros Rebellion, VideoTagged 1689, Andros, Destination Ipswich, featured, Ipswich, John Wise, Samuel Appleton

Description of Ipswich in the 1797 American Gazetteer

February 21, 2025February 21, 2025 Gordon Harris1 Comment
American Gazetteer 1795

The township of Ipswich is divided into 5 parishes, and contains 601 houses, and 4502 inhabitants...This was heretofore a place of much more consideration than at present. Its decline is attributed to a barred harbor and shoals in the river.

Posted in DocumentsTagged 1797, American Gazetteer

Narrative of the Wreck of the Dorchester, November 1844

February 12, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
The ship Dorchester, owned by Eben Caldwell

In November 1844, Eben Caldwell, a native of Ipswich was captain of the 415-ton "Dorchester" which was destroyed off the coast of Ireland in a strong hurricane. This story of the almost miraculous deliverancewas told by Captain Caldwell.

Posted in StoriesTagged Dorchester, Eben Caldwell, sailing, ships

Three Old Houses at the Intersection of Poplar St. and Turkey Shore

February 11, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
Three historic houses at the intersection of Poplar St. and Turkey Shore in Ipswich MA

The Dr.John Calef House, the Heard-Lakeman House and the Burnham-Patch-Day House sit near each other, a charming sample of 18th century Ipswich architecture.

Posted in HousesTagged burnham, day, Georgian architecture, Heard, John Calef, Patch

High Spirits on Town Hill

February 9, 2025November 13, 2025 Gordon Harris3 Comments

Standing 14' high and about 12' wide, the new bronze sculpture by Chris Williams on North Main St. in Ipswich honors the town's creative community. It was conceived and funded by Ipswich resident Richard Silverman as a tribute to his late wife Robin Silverman.

Posted in PlacesTagged High Spirits, Robin Silverman

Born in a Refuge Camp

January 29, 2025January 29, 2026 Gordon Harris1 Comment
Statue of Liberty

By Ingrid Miles, Ipswich I was born in a refugee camp, and I feel as if I am reliving my parents' nightmare after World War II, when my dad had to modify his name and identify himself as Christian; my mother was Catholic in order to come to this country as displaced persons aka DP's.… Continue reading Born in a Refuge Camp →

Posted in CommentaryTagged refuge, women

The White Horse Inn, and the Early Ipswich taverns

January 22, 2025February 18, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
White Horse Inn, Ipswich MA

The house began as a small one-over-one structure built one of the lot's four 17th-century owners. Corp. John Andrews' White Horse Inn makes a good story, and that's how the house got its name.

Posted in ArchitectureTagged Inns, Ipswich inns, Ordinary, sparks tavern, taverns, White Horse Inn

Life at an Estuarine Front

January 19, 2025March 23, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
View of Plum Island from Steep Hill by Crane Beach

Shorebirds congregate and drift in rafts along the estuarine front where the mixing of fresh and saltwater stirs up small fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic organisms.

Posted in Natural areas, Nature, Plum IslandTagged Crane Beach, Plum Island, Plum Island Sound, Rip, Rip line

Jake Burridge, the sailor

January 19, 2025November 9, 2025 Gordon Harris4 Comments
Jake Burridge, Ipswich MA

Legendary Ipswich native Jake Burridge had a century of sailing stories toย share with you.

Posted in People, VideoTagged Ipswich Neighbors, Jake Burridge, ships

Descendants of Thomas & Mary Treadwell of Ipswich, Massachusetts

January 18, 2025May 18, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
Gravestone of Nathaniel Traedwell of Ipswich MA who died in 1723

The extensive Treadwell family in Ipswich are almost certainly descendants of Thomas Treadwell, who was thirty years old when he arrived on the ship Hopewell with his wife, Mary Wilson, along with their son Thomas, one-year-old.

Posted in ancestryTagged Thomas Treadwell, Treadwell's Island

The Cape Ann Vikings

January 16, 2025November 13, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
Summer in the Greenland coast circa year 1000 by Jens Erik Carl Rasmussen (1841โ€“1893)

I find no evidence that Lief Ericsonโ€™s brother Thorvald was buried on Cape Ann in 1004 AD or even that Vikings actually set foot here.

Posted in Native AmericansTagged Mary Ellen Lepionka

“Mill End” Ipswich

January 14, 2025November 19, 2025 Gordon Harris1 Comment
Millend Ipswich

"Millend" was the west side of the settlement, including today's Topsfield Rd. and Washington St. Home of Samuel Appleton andย John Whipple, it was separated from the east side by a wetland. In1717, Capt. Beamsley Perkins was taken to court for blocking their path to the Meeting House.

Posted in HistoryTagged Perkins, Perley

The Battle of Gloucester, August 8, 1775

January 12, 2025May 18, 2026 Gordon Harris2 Comments
Map of Gloucester MA in 1832

Royal Navy Captain John Linzee commanding the sloop-of-war HMS Falcon, chased a scooner into Gloucester Harbor, upon which the townspeople responded with their militia. Linzee failed in his attempt to retaliate by burning the town, and the patriot forces captured three dozen British seaman.

Posted in Gloucester, Revolutionary WarTagged american-revolution, Gloucester

“We Walked in the Clouds and Could Not See our Way”

January 12, 2025November 13, 2025 Gordon HarrisLeave a comment
A Modern Enquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft by John Hale, Pastor of the Church of Christ in Beverly, 1967

Rev. John Hale of Beverly participated in the witch trials until his wife was accused. Hale later publishedย an analysis in which he assertedย that Satan had trickedย the Puritans, and made a plea for forgiveness.

Posted in History, StoriesTagged 1697, Beverly, conspiracy, fear, Salem, witches

“Wording it Over the Sheep” and Behaving Badly

January 11, 2025November 2, 2025 Gordon Harris4 Comments
Sheep

Samuel often had words with his neighbor John Lee Sr. over the handling of cattle and sheep, and in 1668 the two landed in court for disturbing the peace. Neither would not admit to any wrong. A witness testified that John's son Joseph hit Samuel with a club as they โ€œwere wording it over the sheepโ€

Posted in StoriesTagged 1668, Court, Ipswich, Samuel Hunt

Posts navigation

Older posts
Newer posts
Ipswich MA historic photos by William Varrel

Your orders through Bookshop.org and Amazon.com help support this site.

Early Inhabitants of Ipswich, Massachusetts by Abraham Hammatt
Ipswich Massachusetts Revisited by William Varrel

ยฉ Gordon Harris 2026

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com
  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Historic Ipswich
    • Join 276 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Historic Ipswich
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar

Loading Comments...