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Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, along the North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 census. [2] . The town lies on a small peninsula that extends into the northern part of Massachusetts Bay.
- Fort Sewall
- Chandler Hovey Park and Marblehead Light
- Self-Guided Walking Tour
- Downtown Marblehead
- Devereux Beach
- Old Burial Hill
- Jeremiah Lee Mansion
- Castle Rock Park
- Abbot Hall Maritime Museum
- Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary
With a long history going back almost 400 years, Fort Sewall guards the entrance to Marblehead Harbor atop the promontory, Gale’s Head. There was a temporary fortification here as early as 1634, but the origin of the current fort is 1742, during King George’s War. This was rebuilt during the American Revolutionary War when it was garrisoned by John...
Developed as a summer resort in the 19th century, Marblehead Neck is its own peninsula, cradling Marblehead harbor from the east side and attached to the mainland by a causeway. This area is renowned for its stately mansions, and at the rocky northern tip is the unique Marblehead Light. This skeletal structure, raised in 1895 to replace an earlier ...
By any measure, the Marblehead Historic District is huge, encompassing 2,300 acres and almost 1,000 contributing buildings. If you want to immerse yourself in the town’s maritime history, the best thing to do is arm yourself with a map, venture into this winding streetscape and discover those wonderful old houses once inhabited by merchants, shipow...
Amid all that history, Marblehead’s Old Town is a great place to hang out, filled with mom and pop stores, boutiques, galleries, live music venues and places to eat. Seafood is on the menu in a maritime town like this, and The Landing (81 Front St) and Maddie’s Sail Loft (15 State St) are a couple of central spots devoted to classic New England-sty...
Marblehead’s main public beach is sandy bay at the base of the Causeway leading to Marblehead Neck. Facing southeast, Devereux Beach is well screened from ocean swells, and has ankle-high waves ideal for smaller children to play in the water. Lifeguards are on duty every day during the summer season, and there’s a concession stand on Ocean Ave at t...
One of the oldest graveyards in New England is also one of its most scenic, on a granite hill looking out over Marblehead Harbor and Salem Sound. In 1638, this hilltop was the site of Marblehead’s first meetinghouse, and if you look around you’ll discover a slew of 17th-century headstones with memento mori carvings. Some of the graves belong to Mar...
When Jeremiah Lee (1721-1775) built this opulent Georgian mansion in 1768 he was the richest shipowner and merchant in Massachusetts. With an amazing level of preservation, his residence is considered one of the finest late Georgian houses in the United States, and is now managed by the Marblehead Museum. Some of the original details still in situ ...
A crucial lookout in Marblehead’s seafaring days, this dramatic granite outcrop faces the Atlantic Ocean on Marblehead Neck. All along the shore are palatial waterfront mansions, and it is thought that the name for this headland came from the castle-like Carcassonne mansion just behind. The small surrounding park can be reached from a path off Ocea...
Marblehead’s fourth town hall was built in 1876, and some 150 years later is still the seat of the town government. Abbot Hall is in the Romanesque Revival style, and is crowned by a splendid clock tower housing a Howard #2S clock, installed in 1877 and still manually wound by maintenance workers every week. As well as having a municipal function, ...
At the heart of the Marbleneck Peninsula there’s a 20-acre wildlife sanctuary managed by the Massachusetts Audubon Society. This property is made up of swamp, woodlands and thickets. The woods here attract a surprising variety of migratory birds in spring and fall, particularly warblers making their way along the Atlantic coast. As well as being ec...
- See The Lighthouse at Chandler Hovey Park. You can actually see Marblehead Lighthouse from a few different places around town, but if you want to get up close, be sure to visit Chandler Hovey Park.
- Tour The Historic Homes. Within the historic district of Marblehead you’ll find over 200 homes with rich history dating back to Revolutionary War times, and the town has recently created a self-guided walking tour map you can use to explore them all yourself.
- Visit Fort Sewall. Continuing with our history theme, be sure to also stop by Fort Sewall, which is now a beautiful park where you can take in views of the water, and of Marblehead Lighthouse across the harbor.
- Enjoy The Sunrise And Views From Castle Rock. One of the most scenic places to see in Marblehead, MA is Castle Rock. This is an incredible stretch of coastline that provides amazing sunrises over the water, and is incredibly scenic.
A coastal community of 19,808 residents located 18 miles north of Boston, Marblehead is famous for its unsurpassed contributions to the American Revolution and Civil War. Today, its quaint narrow streets and historic 17th and 18th century buildings mirror Marblehead as it has existed since its founding in 1629.
- Abbott Hall. Start your morning at one of Marblehead’s top sites, Abbott Hall, which opens at 8:00am. This stately red brick building is Marblehead’s town hall, where the five town selectmen have offices (there is no mayor).
- Marblehead Museum. Next, walk one minute northeast on Washington Street to Marblehead Museum, which will be on your right. This small building does not open until 10am, so if you are early I recommend first walking three minutes to Mookie’s at Mugford for coffee and a scone.
- Jeremiah Lee Mansion. Before leaving Marblehead Museum, purchase $10 entry tickets to the Jeremiah Lee Mansion at the front desk (or online here). Then head across the street to the front door of the blue-gray mansion for your 45-minute tour, which leaves on the hour.
- Wander the Old Town. If you haven’t already taken a coffee break, now is a good time to do so. This is also a great opportunity to browse the many local shops and galleries along Washington Street.
Residents and visitors alike bask in Marblehead’s historic past with every stroll along the town’s narrow crooked streets lined with grand houses built centuries ago; with every visit to Marblehead’s many historic sights – Old Burial Hill, Fort Sewall, Old Powder House, Jeremiah Lee Mansion and others; with every reenactment by the ...
Visit Fort Sewall. Learn about the town at the Marblehead Museum. See the famous “Spirit of 76” painting at Abbott Hall. Visit Old Burial Hill. Find Daytime Cemetery Scenes From Hocus Pocus. Chill Out On The Beach. Visit Salem. Share this post: The Best Things To Do In Marblehead. Take a Walking Tour.
