Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Marblehead (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Marblehead Light, Fort Sewall, and Old Burial Hill. Also, be sure to include Old Town House in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Marblehead (Massachusetts).
Table of Contents
Marblehead Light
Lighthouse in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Marblehead Light is situated on Marblehead Neck in Essex County, Massachusetts. The current tower is a skeletal structure that replaced the original 1835 brick and wood tower in 1895. It is the only tower of its type in New England, the next similar tower is to be found at Coney Island, New York. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, on June 15, 1987 as number #87001479 under Lighthouses of Massachusetts Thematic Group.
The United States Coast Guard Light List description is "Square skeleton tower; brown to gallery; black above". The actual light is 130 feet (40 m) above Mean High Water. Its fixed green light is visible for 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi).[1]
Fort Sewall
Park in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Fort Sewall is a historic coastal fortification in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is located at Gale's Head, the northeastern point of the main Marblehead peninsula, on a promontory that overlooks the entrance to Marblehead Harbor. Until 1814 it was called Gale's Head Fort.[2]
Address: Front Street, 01945 Marblehead
Old Burial Hill
Old Burial Hill is a historic cemetery in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is located on the high ground between Marblehead's colonial-era residential and retail district, called "Downtown" by longtime residents and "Old Town" by others, and the Barnegat neighborhood that stretches from Little Harbor to Doliber's Cove, and is accessible via a walkway at Redd's Pond and a stairway at the intersection of Orne and Pond streets. It was the location of Marblehead's First Meeting House built around 1638. Old Burial Hill features scenic vistas of Marblehead Harbor and Salem Sound.
The burying ground was founded in 1638 and contains many historic Puritan gravestones featuring diverse stone carving artwork from the seventeenth century. The burial ground also contains the remains of a victim of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. It is referenced briefly in the horror author H.P Lovecraft's short-story, The Festival.
It was the setting of the daytime cemetery scenes in Disney's 1993 Halloween comedy-drama film Hocus Pocus. The nighttime cemetery scenes, including Billy Butcherson's resurrection, were filmed on a sound stage at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Select scenes for the film The Good Son (1993) were also filmed here.[3]
Old Town House
Building in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The Old Town House is in the heart of the Marblehead Historic District at One Market Square in Marblehead, Massachusetts, at the intersection of Washington, State, and Mugford Streets.
The town house was constructed in 1727 and was a replacement for the Old Meeting House on Franklin Street. The upper level of the building served as a town hall, while the lower level was originally used as a market. The upstairs is still used as a town hall, but the lower level is the location of the Marblehead Police Museum. During the American Revolution notable proponents of liberty such as Elbridge Gerry and General John Glover debated independence in the building. The building would eventually be replaced as the town hall when the new Abbot Hall was built in 1876.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and included in the Marblehead Historic District in 1984.[4]
Address: 99 Front St, Marblehead
Abbot Hall
Museum in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Abbot Hall is a town hall and historical museum located at 188 Washington Street, Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is open year-round, though with restricted hours in the colder months. Constructed in 1876 and designed in the Romanesque style by Lord & Fuller architects, the Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the historic district. It is the fourth "town hall" built in Marblehead, having been preceded by the First Meeting House, the Old Meeting House, and the Old Town House.
In addition to serving as the seat of Marblehead's town government, Abbot Hall has holdings as a museum. It contains the original c. 1875 painting The Spirit of '76 by American Archibald MacNeal Willard, which was widely reproduced; the 1684 deed to Marblehead signed by descendants of Wenepoykin, youngest son of Nanepashemet, chief or sachem of the regional Pawtucket confederation of Abenaki peoples prior to Pilgrim settlement; a bust of native son and U.S. Vice-President Elbridge Gerry; a painting of Marbleheaders rowing Washington across the Delaware River during the American Revolution; a painting by primitivist J.O.J. Frost, and a number of other historical artifacts. A plaque on display in the Selectmen's room, discovered in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, proclaims Marblehead as the "Birthplace of the American Navy."[5]
Address: 188 Washington St, 01945-3341 Marblehead
Jeremiah Lee Mansion
Museum in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The Jeremiah Lee Mansion is a historic house located in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It is operated as a house museum by the local historical society. Built in 1768, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 as one of the finest Late Georgian houses in the United States. It features original wallpaper and finely-crafted woodwork.[6]
Address: 161 Washington St, 01945-3303 Marblehead
Herreshoff Castle
Building. Herreshoff Castle, formerly known as Castle Brattahlid, is an unusual residence located at 2 Crocker Park, Marblehead, Massachusetts. As of 2006, the owners have offered the carriage house as a bed-and-breakfast. The great room has not been part of the rental, but guests are typically offered a tour of it – and the rest of the castle.[7]
Marblehead Little Theatre
Theatre in Marblehead, Massachusetts. The Marblehead Little Theatre is a community theatre in Marblehead, Massachusetts, founded in 1956.
It is one of the oldest continually operating community theatres in the United States.[8]
Address: 12 School St, 01945-3327 Marblehead
St. Michael's Church
Episcopal church in Marblehead, Massachusetts. St. Michael's Church is an historic Episcopal church in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Built in 1714, it is New England's oldest Episcopal church building on its original site. It is currently part of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[9]
Address: 26 Pleasant St, 01945-3432 Marblehead
Seaside Park
Park in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seaside Park is a coastal park located in Marblehead, Massachusetts. At a little over 14 acres, it is the largest of Marblehead's four public parks, and includes an early 20th century grandstand overlooking the baseball field. At its eastern edge, it provides fine views of Marblehead Harbor and Marblehead Neck. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 8, 2011.[10]
Address: 85 Atlantic Ave, 01945 Marblehead
Marblehead Harbor
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.[11]