Recommended for Listing on the National Register of Historic Places
By the end of the 17th century, approximately 300 people lived in the present-day West Newbury area.
Each Sunday, residents were required to travel to Newburyport for worship services. The distance became too great for some and in 1693, a group petitioned for permission to hire their own minister. By 1711, approximately 50 families lived within one-half mile of the First Parish meeting house and 96 families lived “above the Artichoke River.” By 1729, 181 houses containing 183 families were in the area.
In 1759, land was purchased at 806 Main Street and a new meeting house was constructed. In 1840, a new building was constructed on the same site. Residents of the Way to the River Area were predominately farmers, with the exception of Moses Ridgway’s carriage shop at 801 Main Street. Click here for a description of the area, its history, and the properties.
Way To The River Historic Area Properties
MHC # | Name | Street Address | Construction Date | Style | Acreage | WNB.10 | Samuel Rogers House – First Parish Parsonage | 1 Chase St. | 1823 | Federal/Greek Revival | .55 | WNB.109 WNB.248 | Rev. John Tufts House Barn | 750 Main St. | Ca. 1714 Ca. 1920 | First Period No style | 1.84 | WNB.110 | Nathaniel Hale House | 760 Main St. | Ca. 1792 | Colonial | 7.0 | WNB.111 | | 772 Main St. | Ca. 1775 | Colonial | .47 | WNB.112 | | 774 Main St. | Ca. 1775 | Colonial | 1.1 | WNB.113 | Capt. John Greenleaf House | 796 Main St. | Pre-1729 | Colonial | 11.0 | WNB.114 | Tristram Greenleaf House | 800 Main St. | Pre-1729? | Colonial | .55 | WNB.115 | Caleb Moody Carriage Shop | 801 Main St. | Ca. 1850 | No style | 3.78 | WNB.116 | Caleb Moody House | 803 Main St. | Ca. 1659 | First Period / Colonial | 1.5 | WNB.117 | First Parish Meeting House | 806 Main St. | 1840 | Greek Revival | .20 | WNB.118 | Thomas Huse House | 810 Main St. | Ca. 1700 | Colonial | .68 | WNB.119 | Abraham and Harriet Dow House | 820 Main St. | Pre-1830 | Greek Revival | 1.81 | WNB.120 | Charles and Julia Ordway House | 832 Main St. | Ca. 1843 | Greek Revival | 1.0 | WNB.121 | Rufus and Susan Ordway House | 836 Main St. | Ca. 1844 | Greek Revival | .82 |
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