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50-573: Marblehead Harbor is a harbor located in Marblehead, Massachusetts , 17 miles northeast of Boston . It is considered the birthplace of the Continental Navy , forerunner of the United States Navy , and of United States Marine Corps Aviation . Marblehead Harbor is located to the east of the town's center. To the south is an isthmus that connects the town to Marblehead Neck, which is located on

100-465: A Burgess Model H seaplane given to him by the Burgess Company. His flight was the start of United States Marine Corps Aviation . After World War II, the town enjoyed a population boom, developing as a bedroom community for nearby Boston, Lynn , and Salem. This boom ended around 1970, when the town became built out. Marblehead today continues to be a sailing and small-town tourism destination in

150-504: A blockhouse...". Regular Army commanders of the fort (combined with Fort Pickering in Salem) from 1800 to 1812 included Capt. Alexander D. Pope 1800–1802, a detachment of Capt. Nehemiah Freeman's company 1802–1803, no federal garrison 1804–1808, and Capt. Stephen Ranney 1809–1812. During the War of 1812 , on April 3, 1814, USS  Constitution took shelter under the guns of Fort Sewall from

200-512: A crew from Marblehead. With their nautical backgrounds, soldiers from Marblehead under General John Glover were instrumental in the escape of the Continental Army after the Battle of Long Island .The Marblehead militia had become the 14th Continental Regiment of George Washington's army—and one of the few integrated regiments in the entire army. Marblehead men ferried George Washington across

250-439: A household in the town was $ 97,441, and the median income for a family was $ 129,968. Males had a median income of $ 70,470 versus $ 44,988 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 46,738. About 3.2% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over. Marblehead Public Schools oversees four schools: Brown and Glover elementary schools;

300-456: A pursuing pair of British frigates , HMS Tenedos and HMS  Endymion . Despite lacking the ammunition and powder needed to sink or drive off the two frigates, the fort's garrison was able to bluff the British by running out all of their guns and acting as though they were preparing to attack. Faced with a 44-gun frigate and the defensive batteries of a fort, the British elected to retreat, none

350-458: A rocky peninsula that extends into the bay, with an additional neck to the east connected by a long sandbar , now a causeway. This ring of land defines Marblehead's deep, sheltered harbor. Marblehead Neck is home to a bird sanctuary, as well as Castle Rock and Chandler Hovey Park at its northern tip, where Marblehead Light is located. Fountain Park and Fort Sewall are located at the western edge of

400-473: A year later, the lawmakers reversed themselves. Marblehead finally became independent of Salem in 1649. At times called " Marvell Head" , " Marble Harbour " (by Captain John Smith ) and " Foy " (by immigrants from Fowey , Cornwall), the town would be named "Marblehead" by settlers who mistook its granite ledges for marble . It began as a fishing village with narrow crooked streets, and developed inland from

450-548: Is known as the First System of U.S. fortifications . A blockhouse was added in 1794, with further rebuilding in 1799; magazines from both of these rebuildings remain. Fort Sewall was also rebuilt in 1809 with 8 guns as part of the Second System (1807 to 1820). The secretary of war 's report on fortifications dated December 1811 describes the fort as "an enclosed work of masonry and sods, mounting eight heavy cannon, covered by

500-406: Is no connection between Marblehead and the city of Beverly across Beverly Harbor.) Marblehead is home to the eastern termini of Massachusetts Route 114 and Route 129 , which both terminate at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Ocean Avenue. Route 114 heads west into Salem, while Route 129 heads south along Atlantic Avenue into Swampscott towards Lynn. There are no freeways within town, with

550-532: Is performed at most major town events and commemorations. It was written by the Reverend Marcia Martin Selman to the music of the hymn tune "The Lily of the Valley", from a melody by J. R. Murray, "Songs of Rejoicing", 1888. There are six active yacht clubs in town: Club House Occupied (under 21 only) Marblehead has multiple historic cemeteries and public and private burial grounds found within

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600-525: The Delaware River for his attack on Trenton . Many who set out for war, however, did not return, leaving the town with 459 widows and 865 orphaned children in a population of less than 5,000. The community lost a substantial portion of its population and economy, although it was still the tenth-largest inhabited location in the United States at the first census, in 1790. When George Washington visited

650-683: The Grand Banks of Newfoundland . However, a gale or hurricane in that area on September 19, 1846, sank 11 vessels and damaged others. With 65 men and boys lost in the storm, the town's fishing industry began a decline. The storm is depicted in Fireboard: The Great Gale of 1846, c. 1850 by William Thompson Bartoll. A copy of the book is held by the Peabody Essex Museum . During the Civil War , 1,048 Marblehead men went to war, joining both

700-574: The Köppen Climate Classification system, Marblehead has a humid continental climate or an oceanic climate , abbreviated "Cfb" or "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Marblehead was 101 °F (38.3 °C) on July 23, 2011, while the coldest temperature recorded was −20 °F (−28.9 °C) on February 4, 2023. As of the census of 2010, there were 19,808 people, 8,838 households, and 5,467 families residing in

750-503: 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

800-503: The Army and Navy. One hundred ten died; 87 were wounded, many of whom died later of their injuries. During the war, Marblehead would raise almost $ 100,000 to supplement the war effort, an incredible effort for a town of 8,000 that relied mainly on fishing for income. Marblehead would be the first regiment in the state to answer the call for troops. A Grand Army of the Republic veterans organization

850-629: The Boston Yacht Club, Corinthian Yacht Club, Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead Yacht Club, Dolphin Yacht Club, and the oldest junior yacht club in America, the Pleon Yacht Club. This also caused numerous "summer homes" of wealthy Boston residents to be built on Marblehead Neck. The building boom would cause Marblehead Light to be replaced in 1896 with a new iron structure since the light of shorter tower

900-498: The British. After the war, and later into the 19th century, wealthier citizens wanted a new bank to finance vessels, and to serve the town's fishermen and merchants. On March 17, 1831, with a capital of US$ 100,000, they founded the Grand Bank . The name was changed to National Grand Bank on October 3, 1864. The town's fishermen had 98 vessels (95 of which exceeded 50 tons) putting to sea in 1837, where they often harvested fish off

950-527: 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

1000-650: 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. Marblehead was originally called Massebequash after the river which ran between it and Salem . The land was inhabited by the Naumkeag tribe of the Pawtucket confederation under

1050-465: The Old Town to the northeast and Clifton to the southwest. Given its small area, most of the residential land in town is densely settled. Marblehead's town center is located approximately 4 miles (6 km) from the center of Salem , 16 miles (26 km) northeast of Boston and 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Cape Ann . It is bordered by Swampscott to the south and Salem to the northwest. (As Salem's water rights extend into Massachusetts Bay, there

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1100-629: The Village School (grades 4–6); Marblehead Veterans Middle School; and Marblehead High School . The town is also home to the Marblehead Community Charter Public School, the first Commonwealth charter school to open in Massachusetts, as well as Tower School, a private day school for kindergarten through eighth grade. The Town of Marblehead has the unique distinction of having an official town anthem "Marblehead Forever". It

1150-645: The War of 1812. During the Civil War , Massachusetts militia troops were garrisoned at Fort Sewall, 12 pieces of artillery were mounted to defend Marblehead Harbor with the fort rebuilt accordingly, and a few Confederate prisoners of war were held there. The fort was nearly doubled in size by 1864 under Army engineer Major Charles E. Blunt, with a bombproof shelter added. A report on the fort's armament dated January 31, 1865 shows one 24-pounder smoothbore gun , eight 24-pounder rifled guns, and three 32-pounder rifled guns. From May 16, 1864 to August 15, 1864 Fort Sewall

1200-410: The average family size was 2.94. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males. According to a 2009 estimate, the median income for

1250-499: The eastern side of the harbor. The harbor is home to many yachts and also a fishing community, which has increased over the years. There are 2,000 moorings and the harbor contains 14.2 miles of tidal coastline. For a number of years, the Burgess Company was located along the shores of the harbor. Fort Sewall is also located along the northwestern edge of the harbor. Marblehead Harbor has a distinguished military history as well. It

1300-617: The era of United States Marine Corps Aviation . In 1915, Naval Training Station Marblehead was opened, operating until 1917. The station was the first air station in the state, and trained units from all over the region. In July 1997, the USS ; Constitution was moored overnight in Marblehead Harbor. Marblehead, Massachusetts Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts , United States, along

1350-547: The era, including the Jeremiah Lee Mansion . A large percentage of residents became involved early in the Revolutionary War , and the sailors of Marblehead are generally recognized by scholars as forerunners of the United States Navy . The first vessel commissioned for the army, Hannah , was equipped with cannons, rope, provisions (including the indigenous molasses/sea water cookie known as " Joe Frogger " ), and

1400-590: The harbor. The shoreline smelled of drying fish , typically cod . These were exported abroad and to Salem. The town had one accused individual during the Salem Witch Trials , Wilmot Redd . She was found guilty of witchcraft and executed by hanging on September 22, 1692. The town peaked economically just before the American Revolution , as locally financed privateering vessels sought bounty from large European ships. Much early architecture survives from

1450-400: The indigenous " Joe Frogger " molasses/sea water cookie. The nautical backgrounds of the crew were instrumental in helping the colonists during various sea campaigns during the course of the war. On 20 August 1912, Alfred Austell Cunningham became the first Marine aviator, taking off from Marblehead Harbor in a Burgess Model H seaplane given to him by the Burgess Company . His flight began

1500-805: The mouth of Marblehead Harbor. The town land also includes several small islands in Massachusetts Bay and Dolliber Cove, the area between Peaches Point and Fort Sewall. The town is partially divided from Salem by the Forest River, and is also home to several small ponds. In keeping with the town's location, there are four beaches (one in Dolliber Cove, one in Marblehead Harbor , and two along the southern shore of town), as well as six yacht clubs, one public kayaking center and several boat ramps. Besides Marblehead Neck, there are two other villages within town,

1550-521: The nearest access being to Massachusetts Route 128 in Peabody and Beverly. Two MBTA bus routes—the 441 and 442 —originate in town regularly with service to Boston, with weekend service to Wonderland station in Revere. The former Eastern Railroad began service in 1839 and had lines connecting through Swampscott and Salem was discontinued in the late 1950s. The track routes were converted to bike trails and

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1600-495: The new First Congregational Church was built ( Old North Church ). The Town House would serve as the town hall until the construction of Abbot Hall in 1876, where the town clerk and board of selectmen still meet today. Marblehead is comprised by a total of 4.4 square miles (11.4 km ) of land and 15.2 square miles (39.4 km ), or 77.61%, of water. Marblehead is situated on the North Shore of Massachusetts along Massachusetts Bay and Salem Harbor . The town consists of

1650-440: The overall sachem Nanepashemet . Epidemics in 1615–1619 and 1633, believed to be smallpox , devastated the tribe. Numerous shell mounds and burial sites have been found throughout the town's history, along with foundations of multiple villages and forts. On September 16, 1684, heirs of Nanepashemet sold their 3,700 acres (15 km ); the deed is preserved today at Abbot Hall in the town. Marblehead's first European settler

1700-406: The population. There were 8,541 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. Of all households 28.7% were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and

1750-513: The presidential level, Marblehead leaned towards the Republican candidate in results tabulated from 1968 through 1988, but has since swung predominantly to the Democratic Party, as with many other communities in Massachusetts. Fort Sewall Gale's Head was first fortified in 1634, and was one of the oldest English coastal fortifications in the United States. A more permanent fortification

1800-457: The summer months. The Town of Marblehead has an open town meeting, and is led by a Board of Selectmen. A board of seven selectmen first met on Friday, December 22, 1648. The seat of the first town government used the existing Meeting House on what is now the site of Old Burial Hill . The meeting house served as a place for the town to meet and the main church in town; a dual use that was typical during this time period. The second meeting house

1850-616: The three train depots were torn down. The Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail passes through neighboring Swampscott and Salem, with service between the North Shore and Boston's North Station . The nearest air service is located at Beverly Municipal Airport , with the nearest national and international service at Boston's Logan International Airport . Seasonal ferry service to Boston can also be found in Salem. According to

1900-400: The town borders. There have also been Native America burials sites found throughout town. See: Arts, Films section for actors who came for location shooting. Notable paintings & artists depicting Marblehead scenes and figures: Movies filmed in Marblehead include: A television show has yet to been filmed in the town, but Marblehead has been mentioned in the following TV series: At

1950-588: The town during his presidential tour of 1789, he knew the sailors of Marblehead well; they had served him honorably in the war. He observed that the town "had the appearance of antiquity." In the 75 years from the American Revolution to the middle of the nineteenth century, Marblehead experienced a golden age of fishing. The War of 1812 brought disruption similar to during the American Revolution, with fishing grounds being blockaded, and fisherman heading off to war, with over 500 Marbleheaders being imprisoned by

2000-429: The town. The population density was 4,373 inhabitants per square mile (1,688/km ). There were 8,906 housing units at an average density of 1,966.3/sq mi (759.2/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 97.6% White , 0.4% Black or African American , 0.1% Native American , 1.0% Asian , >0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.2% from other races , and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of

2050-602: The wiser. In 1814 the fort was named for Samuel Sewall (1757–1814), who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court from 1800 until his death in 1814. He was the great-grandson of the Salem witch trials judge of the same name, also a chief justice of the colony's highest court. From April 1816 to March 1821 Fort Sewall was garrisoned by Company B of the Light Artillery Regiment with about 60 soldiers. The fort fell into ruins after

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2100-638: Was Joseph Doliber or John Peach (highly disputed) in 1629, who set up on the shore near what is now the end of Bradlee Road. Three years earlier, Isaac Allerton, a Pilgrim from the Mayflower , had arrived in the area and established a fishing village at Marblehead Little Harbor. In May 1635, the General Court of Massachusetts Bay established the town of Marblehead on land that belonged to Salem. Marblehead residents, who never saw eye-to-eye with their more devout and conservative neighbors, were delighted, but less than

2150-499: Was becoming blocked by the large new homes. Marblehead was also the site of the Burgess & Curtis Aircraft Factory , where it was the first licensed aircraft manufacturer in the United States. William Starling Burgess designed and flight-tested most of the aircraft that were manufactured at the two plant sites in town. On August 20, 1912, Alfred Austell Cunningham became the first Marine aviator, taking off from Marblehead Harbor in

2200-529: Was built around 1696 on Franklin Street, which would become known as the " Old Meeting House ", also serving the dual use of a town meeting location and church. In 1726, it was decided by the town to construct a separate Town House, which was completed in 1727 ( Old Town House ). However, the Old Meeting House would continue to occasionally be used for large town meetings, before it was demolished around 1825 after

2250-529: Was built in 1742 during King George's War and it served through the French and Indian War . Gale's Head Fort was rebuilt in 1775 during the American Revolutionary War . It was garrisoned by Colonel John Glover 's Marblehead Regiment in 1775–76. After the American Revolution, the federal government took over the property during an expansion of the nation's coast defenses from 1794 to 1807, which

2300-414: Was formed after the war, and established headquarters in the old town house, where it still displays artifacts from the Marblehead regiments that served. During the late 19th century, Marblehead had a short-term industrial boom from shoe-making factories. At the same time, the exceptional harbor attracted yachting by wealthy boat owners, and some yacht clubs established centers there. It would become home to

2350-478: Was garrisoned by the 11th Unattached Company of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia (formerly Company I, 8th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia ). On August 15, 1864 the 11th Company was relieved by the 20th Unattached Company (formerly Company E, 4th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Militia ) which also garrisoned the fort at Salisbury Point in the town of Salisbury. The 20th Company

2400-573: Was mustered out shortly after the end of the war on June 29, 1865. Fort Sewall was seen as no longer needed as a coast defense fort following the Civil War. The last military use of Fort Sewall was during the Spanish–American War in 1898. It was used as the mobilization site for Battery H, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, commanded by Captain Walter L. Pratt, from June to August, 1898. Battery H

2450-705: 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

2500-454: Was the home port of the schooner Hannah , the first armed vessel of the Continental Navy , and her original owner and master and most of her crew were from Marblehead. A diary entry by a local sailmaker records her sailing on her first military expedition during the American Revolution , under the command of John Glover ; the birth of what was to become the United States Navy . The ship was equipped with cannon and with provisions including

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