Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1252581
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 28 JUNE + JULY 2020 FAC E S + P L AC E S can Navy. It shares that title with Beverly, its neighbor across Salem Sound. Histori- ans clash over the true biological mother of the nation's blue-and-gold armada. The debate centers on the schooner Hannah, which George Washington, then general and commander of the Continental Army, commissioned on September 2, 1775, as our first maritime vessel to fight the British. Mas- sachusetts State House reporter Christian M. Wade captured the crux of the dispute in two sentences: "The Hannah was owned and manned by Marblehead residents. It was modified and launched in Beverly." Being one of the more affluent North Shore communities, it is no surprise that the coast of Marblehead brims with yacht clubs. In fact, boats are designed and restored, and sails are still made in this village. During the summer, residents and visitors can dock their vessels at the Marblehead, Corinthian, Eastern, Boston, Dolphin, or the Pleon yacht clubs. Most of these clubs began by small groups of wealthy gentlemen seeking to gather like-minded boating aficionados. Although Marblehead Yacht Club dockmas- ter Bill Kilham boasts that they have "the friendliest folks in town," Boston is the oldest yacht club not just in Marblehead (it was organized in 1866), but in all of New Eng- land. Like other yacht clubs, it is available for dining and private functions. It also houses a 13-room hotel for members and guests. According to official town historian, Don Doliber, Marblehead became the yachting capital of the region for several reasons. One being the town's location between Boston to the south and elite communities to the north, such as Beverly Farms and Manches- ter. "Marblehead also has a rich history and tradition of coastal and international trade to Europe, the West Indies, and South Africa," Doliber states. More than anything, though, the beauty of the harbor has attracted recre- ational boaters for generations. For the foodie, the town is filled with a va- riety of eating houses with fare ranging from the quick-and-simple to the elegant. Among the local favorites is The Landing, located adjacent to the docks where it procures daily catches. Favorites from the kitchen of chef Stephen James include the swordfish Mediter- ranean and the lobster mac and cheese. The offering what Menard calls "a diverse palate of productions for all tastes." Marblehead is the quintessential New Eng- land town. Walking its meandering lanes and side streets (some of them former cow paths) one feels the lure of an unhurried time. From the architecture, to the gravestones that mark the resting place of 600 Revolutionary War soldiers in the Old Burial Hill cemetery (one of the oldest graveyards in New England), to the elegant Har- bor Light Inn, to Wayne George's F.L. Woods nau- tical clothing boutique, to Fort Sewall overlook- ing the 1835 lighthouse in Chandler Hovey Park, to the white sails that fill the harbor, Marblehead is a picturesque town from another era. bar offers a host of delectable rum cocktails as well as ice-chilled draughts. Devotees of live performances can catch one of almost a dozen annual productions at the Marblehead Little Theatre (MLT), rated one of the 50 best small-stage playhouses in America. Julie Menard, president of the board of directors, has been with the troupe since 2009 and has seen the playhouse, for- merly a firehouse, come from its former shell to the multipurpose black box theatre it is to- day. Her hope, especially once the COVID-19 pandemic ends, is that "patrons can leave their problems outside and see the theatre as a respite." MLT appeals to a wide audience PHOTOGRAPHS BY ELISE SIANGRA Marblehead's historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.