Newburyport’s Black Sailors
Once Massachusetts fully abolished slavery in 1783, black sailors would have been a mainstay in a maritime port city like Newburyport; the 1820 census, for example shows almost 100 black residents, compared to 10 in Newbury.
Newburyport’s Many Shipyards
Among many “firsts” associated with Newburyport’s many shipyards was the building and launching of the first US Revenue Cutter in 1791 – the USRC Massachusetts – from the yard of Searle and Tyler, near today’s Waterfront Park. The US Coast Guard considers this to be the first ship launched into its service…
Dreadnought – Infamous 19th Century Ship
The Dreadnought, one of the most famous ships of the 19th century, was built in the Currier & Townsend Shipyard at the foot of Ashland Street, in 1853. The ship was employed in the North Atlantic trade between New York and Liverpool.
Daniel I. Tenney Figurehead
Daniel I. Tenney (1800-1881), a native of Newburyport, was a successful jeweler and generous benefactor to his beloved hometown. He is memorialized as a figurehead from his namesake ship, constructed in 1875 in Newburyport.
Newburyport’s Global Heritage
During Newburyport’s merchant heyday in the mid-19th century, her captains visited every corner of the globe, returning with exotic cargos and souvenirs that bespoke her global reach.
Saunkskwa of Survivance Sculpture & Tribute
The “Saunkskwa of Survivance” sculpture is an artistic tribute to the strength, wisdom, creativity and authenticity of Indigenous women everywhere.
Newburyport Hidden Heroes – Adolphus Greely
Adolphus Greely, was on the cutting edge of technology. He was one of the first telegraphers in the military, a founder of the U.S. Weather Service, and introduced the radio and the automobile to the military, as well.
Newburyport’s Essex National Heritage Visitor’s Center
Have you ever traveled any stretch of the ninety mile route of the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway to explore the picturesque and historic Boston’s North Shore? The route meanders through fourteen coastal communities in Essex County and makes a greatday.
We Love Our Lighthouse! Photos & Oral History
It was the evening of August 5th, 2022 when the Custom House Maritime Museum transported its members back to the lives of New England lighthouse keepers and their families.
Nathaniel Tracy Letter: Custom House Collection
The Custom House Maritime Museum is proud to have been able to bid, and win, this letter for our collection – and bring it back home. We were able to do that through a generous donation by a local anonymous benefactor.