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Marblehead, Massachusetts |
The Birthplace of the US Navy
The Yachting Capital of the World |
| Marblehead offers the best in small town, seacoast living. Its charm is sure to
captivate you. You may have caught glimpses of the town last summer (1997) when the USS Constitution
sailed into Marblehead Harbor to commemorate its safe harbor visit 200 years earlier. |
USS Constitution in
Marblehead Harbor |
Birthplace of the American
Navy |
First inhabited by the Naumkeags, it was later settled by adventuresome,
freedom-loving sailors and entrepreneurs. The town’s tradition of independence and
individuality figured prominently in early American history. Marblehead boasts the title, "Birthplace of the
American Navy" because her fishing and trade fleet provided the core of the country’s first navy.
The 'Hannah' built and manned in Marblehead was commissioned by George Washington as the first US naval Vessel.
George Washington crossed the Delaware in a boat manned by Marbleheaders. |
| Today the picturesque harbor and the ocean are still a significant part of the
character of the town known as one of the premiere "Yachting Capitals of the World." |
Marblehead Harbor |
Abbot Hall |
It’s been said that Marblehead maintained its historic colonial houses and
winding streets because, just as the town was enjoying prosperity and on the verge of building larger homes, the
townspeople were called to war, dedicating their resources to the causes of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and to
the Civil War. That commitment to liberty has been forever documented in one of
the most familiar paintings in the United States, "The Spirit of ’76." The original painting
hangs proudly in The Selectmen’s Room in Abbot Hall, our town hall.
Today, Marblehead is primarily a residential community with some light manufacturing,
businesses and delightful retail shops and restaurants.
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The ultimate governing body in Marblehead is its
citizens. Every May, we gather in the High School auditorium and experience the pure democracy of Town Meeting. The
day-to-day affairs of our town (population approximately 20,000) are administered by the Board of Selectmen and a Town
Manager. |
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