Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/603345
48 | DECEMBER 2015 nshoremag.com MEDIAN 5 Anderson Ln., 4 beds/2 full baths, 2 half baths, 2,201 square feet PRICE $555,000 AGENT Cheryl Caldwell, William Raveis HIGH END 233 Storey Ave., 4 beds/3.5 baths, 3,609 square feet PRICE $1.38 million AGENT Dolores Person, William Raveis Real Estate Newburyport Date of settlement 1635 Date of incorporation 1649 Area 8.35 square miles Population 17,926 ZIP code 01950, 01951 Household income $78,638 tee first presented the parameters for the new district to the state for approval, they were told it was too big, says Lois Honegger, Newbury- port's administrator for arts, tour- ism, and cultural affairs. "We have so many partners outside the district," Honegger says, gesturing to the map a bit ruefully. "We didn't want to leave anyone out." But there was no way to contain all 13 art galleries, four museums, four theatres, and 12 performance spaces within the walking distance required by the state. Indeed, the cultural destina- tions in the city reach far outside of downtown, all the way to Maud- slay State Park, a 480-acre estate overlooking the Merrimack that hosts numerous annual theatre and music performances and even an outdoor sculpture show. "The arts have strong roots and a long history in Newburyport and have drawn a range of artists, ac- tors, musicians, and dancers to live and work here," says Newburyport THE DETAILS photographs by Robert Boyd (above) Perhaps it's the striking scenery, overlooking the vista where the Merrimack River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Or maybe it is the city's international identity as a shipbuilding destination. Or the craftspeople who once worked for Towle Silver Manufacturing or at the renowned decorative comb factory. Whatever the reason, Newburyport has been a magnet for creative types for centuries, says local historian and author Ghlee Woodworth, noting that a young John Quincy Adams likely attended concerts and poetry readings while studying law in Newburyport in the 1780s, when many grand salons in the Port City's mansions were said to rival those anywhere in the world. Just this year, as further evidence of the city's ties to the performing arts, a tiny theatre was discovered during a renovation of a downtown historical house. "Newburyport has always been very culturally oriented," Woodworth says. "Even shipbuilding is an art." So it's no wonder that when it came to choosing the borders for the city's new cultural district, it was hard to know where to draw the line. In fact, when the commit- Newburyport has impressive art galleries, such as the Walsingham. Right, The Buttermilk Baking Company is a must-do when visiting the town.