Newbury MA Area Info

The town of Newbury, first known as the First Parish of Newbury, is one of Massachusetts’ most important settlements. The original town limits included Newburyport and West Newbury, before those became separate towns in 1764 and 1819, respectively. The fertile, seaside land made this the perfect area for agriculture, and the setting where the great Merrimack River meets the Atlantic gave rise to shipbuilding, foreign and domestic commerce, and other maritime industry. As the town grew, people spread the settlement further west down the river, until the eventual incorporation of Newbury as we know it today.

 

The Town of Newbury has three distinct sections: Old Town, Byfield, and both residential and federally owned sections of Plum Island. Byfield developed as a mill village, thanks to the falls where Central Street crosses the Parker River. The Governor’s Academy (originally Governor Dummer’s Academy), established here in 1763 as America’s first college-preparatory school, remains one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the country.

 

The majority of the residential part of Plum Island’s barrier beach falls within Newbury’s town limits (the smaller, northernmost section is part of Newburyport). Although most of the island is uninhabited, as it makes up the Parker River Federal Wildlife Refuge, the residential section is a wonderful place for year-round or seasonal living. The island’s center even has a few small businesses, including restaurants. Besides the beautiful ocean beaches and salt marshes that have long inspired artists, the island offers exceptional birding and boating opportunities.

 

Historic Old Town Newbury boasts gorgeous period architecture and not one but two village greens, the Lower Green and the Upper Green. Regular events honoring the area’s rich past are held at the greens and also at the Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm. Recreational opportunities in Newbury cover everything from boating, birding, beachcombing, clamming and fishing to hiking conservation land and shopping for antiques.

 

Newbury, MA is located in the heart of the North Shore in Essex County, about 32 miles north of Boston. The Atlantic Ocean forms its easterly border, with Newburyport to the north, Rowley to the south, and West Newbury, Groveland and Georgetown to the west.