Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EXPLORING THE TOWN
Marblehead is a wonderful place for aimless wandering; to add some structure, con-
sult the walking tour described on the chamber of commerce's website. Whatever else
you do, be sure to spend some time in
Crocker Park
, on the harbor off Front
Street. Especially in the warmer months, when boats jam the water nearly as far as the
eye can see, the view is breathtaking. The park has benches and a swing, and it's a great
place for a picnic. The view from
Fort Sewall,
at the other end of Front Street, is
equally mesmerizing.
Just inland, the
Lafayette House
is at the corner of Hooper and Union streets. A
corner of the private home was chopped off to make room for the passage of the Mar-
quis de Lafayette's carriage when he visited the town in 1824. In Market Square on
Washington Street, near the corner of State Street, is the
Old Town House,
in use for
meetings and gatherings since 1727.
Abbot Hall
A 5-minute stop here (look for the clock tower) is just the ticket if you
want to be able to say you did some sightseeing. The town offices and historical com-
mission share Abbot Hall with Archibald M. Willard's famous painting
The Spirit
of '76
, on display in the Selectmen's Meeting Room. The thrill of recognizing the
ubiquitous drummer, drummer boy, and fife player is the main reason to stop here.
Cases in the halls contain objects and artifacts from the collections of the Marblehead
Historical Society and other organizations.
Washington Sq.
&
781/631-0528.
www.marblehead.org. Free admission. Year-round Mon-Tues and Thurs 8am-
5pm, Wed 7:30am-7:30pm, Fri 8am-1pm; May-Oct Fri 1-5pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-6pm. From the historic
district, follow Washington St. up the hill.
Jeremiah Lee Mansion
Built in 1768 for one of the wealthiest merchants in
the colonies, the Lee Mansion is internationally recognized as an extraordinary exam-
ple of pre-Revolutionary Georgian architecture. The attraction for aficionados is the
excitement of seeing original hand-painted wallpaper in an 18th-century home, but
the friendly, knowledgeable guides make visitors of all interest levels feel welcome,
fielding questions about the history of the home and the town. Rococo woodcarving
and other details complement historically accurate room arrangements, and ongoing
restoration and interpretation by the Marblehead Museum & Historical Society place
the 18th- and 19th-century furnishings and artifacts in context. The peaceful gardens
are open to the public.
Across the street is a visitor center (free admission) that houses two galleries. One
displays paintings by the noted early-20th-century folk artist J. O. J. Frost, a Marble-
head native; the other mounts changing exhibits, which will include a display of
wooden decoys in late 2008. Call ahead for the schedule of
summer walking tours
of Marblehead.
Architectural Details
On the hill between the Jeremiah Lee Mansion and Abbot Hall, notice the pri-
vate homes at 185, 181, and 175 Washington St. Like the Lee mansion—and
hundreds of other residences in the tiny downtown area—these are good origi-
nal examples of the architecture of the colonial period.
Fun Fact
