The town voted in 1861 to build County Street and its stone arch bridge, connecting Cross and Mill Streets. A Woolen mill, saw mill, blacksmith shop and veneer mill operated near the bridge.
County Street, Sawmill Point, and Bare Hills
Tag: Ipswich River
Historic Survey of the Ipswich Mills Dam
Inventory No: IPS.9009: Ipswich Mills Hosiery Manufacturing Company Dam. Survey Form F (structure) submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Recorded by: Ted Dattilo for the Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc., May 2024. Received by the Mass. Historical Commission on Nov. 12, 2024 Year Constructed: 1908; Architect: Stickney, Stephen A. Company Recommended for listing in the National… Continue reading Historic Survey of the Ipswich Mills Dam
The Willowdale Mill
In 1829, Dr. Thomas Manning of Ipswich constructed a 6' tall dam and mill on the Ipswich River along Topsfield Rd. Workers were provided housing a the large stone house. In 1884 the mill building burned and much of the stone walls for the mill building collapsed.
The Old Town Landings and Wharfs
Many a pleasant sail down the river are in the memories of William J. Barton. "These were the names of the places and flats along the Ipswich River before my time, and familiar to me during my time. They were used by the fishermen and clammers. I know. I was one of them. It was the happiest time of my life."
The Last Days of Norwood’s Mill
A landmark we're probably all familiar with was the old mill building on the Hamilton side of the Mill Road bridge. The abandoned sawmill was last used in 1919 and was demolished in late February 2024.
The Green Street Dam
"It was a poor time in which to build a dam. The winter was very severe and at times the temperature was below zero. The center of the dam was soon washed away, and by spring the new structure had almost disappeared."
The Fox Creek Canal and Robinson’s Boatyard
The Fox Creek Canal is the oldest man-made tidewater canal in the United States, dug in 1820. In 1938 it was dredged to accommodate ship-building at Robinson's Boatyard, where small minesweepers were constructed for World War II.
Samuel J. Goodhue’s Pier 1 Canoe Depot
In the late 19th century, Samuel Goodhue operated a canoe rental business on the Ipswich River at the end of Peatfield St in the area known as Pole Alley.
The Green Street Bridge
Twenty years after building the County Street Bridge, construction began for the Green Street Bridge. The original structure was made of wood but was later replaced by an arched bridge of stone on May 14, 1894. This was the fifth bridge built on the Ipswich River in the Town of Ipswich.
The Ice House
Lathrop Brothers Coal and Ice Company harvested on the Ipswich River between Upper River Road and Haywood Street. Lines were drawn on the ice and horses dragged "groovers" along the line, cutting the ice about 6 to 8 inches deep. The ice was then floated to the ice house, where it was cut into blocks.
Destination Topsfield: Mass Audubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary
Massachusetts Audubon's Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary at 87 Perkins Row in Topsfield has miles of trails weave through an amazing mix of forests, meadows, and wetlands, with beautiful views of the Ipswich River from an observatory and two glacial eskers.
The Choate Bridge
The American Society of Civil Engineers cites the Choate Bridge in Ipswich as the oldest documented two-span masonry arch bridge in the U.S., and the oldest extant bridge in Massachusetts.
The Mill Road Bridge and the Isinglass Factory
The triple stone arch Warner Bridge that connects Mill Rd. in Ipswich to Highland St. in Hamilton was constructed in 1829, and rebuilt in 1856. The isinglass mill sat on the downstream Ipswich side of the bridge.
Destination Ipswich: the Mill Pond
We're back with Episode Eight of Destination Ipswich with local historian Gordon Harris, and Carla Villa from the Ipswich River Watershed Association, who takes us on a couple of trails at the IRWA headquarters, then joins us for a kayak trip to the Mill Dam and back. Special thanks to Bryan Grasso and Beth Myer from Ipswich ICAM.
Massachusetts Provincial Law: “An Act to Prevent the Destruction of Alewives on the Ipswich River”
Concerns about the environmental toll that dams have on the Ipswich River date to before 1773.
Industrial History of the Ipswich River
The Industrial History of the Ipswich River was produced for the Ipswich 375th Anniversary by John Stump, , and Alan Pearsall.Historic photos are by Ipswich photographer George Dexter.
Historic Ipswich 