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Abbot Hall (Marblehead, Massachusetts)

Buildings and structures in Marblehead, MassachusettsCity and town halls on the National Register of Historic Places in MassachusettsClock towers in MassachusettsGovernment buildings completed in 1876Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Massachusetts
Maritime museums in MassachusettsMuseums in Essex County, MassachusettsNRHP infobox with nocatNational Register of Historic Places in Essex County, Massachusetts
Abbot Hall Mablehead, Massachusetts
Abbot Hall Mablehead, Massachusetts

Abbot Hall is a town hall and historical museum located at 188 Washington Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is open year-round, though with restricted hours in the colder months. Constructed in 1876 and designed in the Romanesque style by Lord & Fuller architects, the Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the historic district. Abbot Hall is the fourth town hall built in Marblehead, preceded by the First Meeting House (1638, Old Burial Hill), the Old Meeting House (1696), and the Old Town House (1727). Abbot Hall is named after a barrel maker and trader named Benjamin Abbot. When Benjamin Abbott died in 1872, he donated his fortune to the town of Marblehead. In addition to serving as the seat of Marblehead's town government, Abbot Hall has holdings as a museum. It contains the original The Spirit of '76 by Archibald MacNeal Willard, which was widely reproduced, the 1684 deed to Marblehead signed by descendants of Wenepoykin, youngest son of Nanepashemet, chief or sachem of the regional Pawtucket confederation of Abenaki peoples prior to Pilgrim settlement, a bust of native son and U.S. vice president Elbridge Gerry, a painting of Marbleheaders rowing George Washington across the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War, a painting by primitivist J.O.J. Frost, and a number of other historical artifacts. A plaque on display in the Selectmen's room, discovered in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, proclaims Marblehead the "Birthplace of the American Navy."

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Abbot Hall (Marblehead, Massachusetts)
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N 42.502483333333 ° E -70.852788888889 °
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Washington Square 18
01945
Massachusetts, United States
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Abbot Hall Mablehead, Massachusetts
Abbot Hall Mablehead, Massachusetts
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Marblehead Historic District
Marblehead Historic District

The Marblehead Historic District is a 2,300-acre (930 ha) historic district roughly bounded by Marblehead Harbor, Waldron Court, Essex, Elm, Pond, and Norman Streets in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Among its notable features are Fort Sewall, a coastal fortification with origins dating to 1644, and two National Historic Landmarks, the General John Glover House, the Jeremiah Lee Mansion, and the Simon Bradstreet House. The district includes 988 contributing buildings and features Georgian, Federal, Queen Anne, and other styles of architecture. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.It includes some buildings from the 1600s and about 200 houses in total that were built before the American Revolution. The National Register nomination notes that "the extraordinarily well preserved historic character of the Marblehead Historic District can be attributed to a number of factors: a deep sense of history and pride in the community; hilly terrain and historical building patterns which discourage a major thoroughfare; vigilant fire protection; and increasing preservation awareness and efforts.": 11 Some of the district was protected by creation of two local historic districts in 1968 by the town of Marblehead under the Massachusetts General Court Historic District Act, the Gingerbread Hill and the Old Town historic districts. These districts, if not the entire Marblehead Historic District, are administered by the Old and Historic Districts Commission, which governs on proposed changes to within-district structures.: 11 

Simon Bradstreet House
Simon Bradstreet House

The Simon Bradstreet House is a historic house built in 1738 located at 1 Mechanic Street, at the corner of Pearl Street, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is a contributing building in the National Register of Historic Places-listed Marblehead Historic District. The house was erected by the Rev. Simon Bradstreet, the great grandson of the last bay colony governor. and the second minister of the Second Congregational Church.The house is noted to be one of the "more substantial" Georgian style buildings in the district, being a five-bay, two-and-a-half story structure featuring dormers, a pedimented entry, and a gambrel roof, in contrast to lesser three-bay structures.On January 4, 1738, Simon Bradstreet was ordained and received £140 from the General Court, which had been voted to compensate Marblehead for the loss of his predecessor Rev. Edward Holyoke, who left to become the president of Harvard College. These funds were used to construct the house. He served as minister from 1738 to 1771. Bradstreet graduated from Harvard university in 1731 and gave the valedictory oration. Simon Bradstreet was replaced as minister by Isaac Story, Story was introduced to his congregation in Marblehead by Ebenezer Pemberton in his sermon to the community. Story married the daughter of Bradstreet (Rebecca Bradstreet) and moved into the house. Story was born in 1749 and a native of Boston, a graduate of the College of New Jersey in 1768. He was the minister of the Second Congregational Church of Marblehead in Marblehead, Massachusetts, from 1771-1802. Story was acquainted with and corresponded with several of the founding fathers, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Story died in 1816.Story's sermons were mentioned in the diary of John Quincy Adams. Although Story's tenure at Marblehead was lengthy, his relationship with the congregation became increasingly strained and he resigned his pastorate in 1802. Following his resignation, he wrote Thomas Jefferson several times requesting a civil appointment. He was made a commissioner of bankruptcy in 1802, only to be informed by Thomas Jefferson that his appointment was a mistake and was intended for Joseph Story, his nephew.The Cambridge room in Cambridge, MA received a collection of letters between Story and Washington and Jefferson that are in excellent condition and are available for the public to research. Chance Bradstreet, the African American slave that was a subject of the "within these walls" exhibit at the National Museum of American History was born in this home in 1762. He was later sold to Abraham Dodge of Ipswitch by Isaac Story. A copy of the agreement between Isaac Story and Abraham Dodge to lease Chance is shown below.It is also the house that William Story, Esq, the father of Reverend Isaac Story, resided at the time of his death. William was the Clerk of the Admiralty, prior to the American revolution, and at the time of the stamp act being enacted his office and later the home of Thomas Hutchinson was entered on the evening of August 26, 1765 by a crowd of angry citizens and vandalized. Possibly the attack on Story, was a carefully calculated effort to destroy records of debt and other incriminating evidence against Massachusetts merchants. But the indisputable fact was that William Story, who stood with Sam Adams in 1763, stood with Thomas Hutchinson in 1765. He was also a client of John Adams when we was practicing law in BostonOne of William Story's sons Dr. Elisha Story was a participant in the Boston Tea Party and also moved to Marblehead, where the home still stands at 102 Washington St. One of William Story's grandchildren, Joseph Story, went on to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead, Massachusetts

Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, along the North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 census. The town lies on a small peninsula that extends into the northern part of Massachusetts Bay. Attached to the town is a near island, known as Marblehead Neck, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Marblehead Harbor, protected by shallow shoals and rocks from the open sea, lies between the mainland and the Neck. Beside the Marblehead town center, two other villages lie within the town: the Old Town, which was the original town center, and Clifton, which lies along the border with the neighboring town of Swampscott. A town with roots in commercial fishing and yachting, Marblehead was a major shipyard and is often referred to as the birthplace of the American Navy, a title sometimes disputed with nearby Beverly. Marblehead was once the fishing capital of Massachusetts. It is also the origin of Marine Corps Aviation. Three US Navy ships have been named USS Marblehead. A center of recreational boating, Marblehead has long been a popular sailing, kayaking and fishing destination, with several yacht clubs established in the late 19th century. It is home to the Marblehead Light, Fort Sewall, Little Harbor, Mass Audubon's Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Crocker Park, and Devereux Beach. Archibald Willard's famous painting The Spirit of '76 currently resides in Abbot Hall. Much of the Old Town is protected by the Marblehead Historic District. Marblehead is also home of the Marblehead Men's Softball League which was established in 1939 and is the oldest and longest standing adult softball league in the world.