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1894 Map of Newburyport

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Newburyport
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1898
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1898

About this map

The Merrimac River carves a deep tidal estuary through this coastal borderland, serving as the commercial and industrial anchor for Newburyport and Amesbury in the late 19th century. This survey documents a landscape defined by its maritime economy, from the Newburyport Light and Range Light guarding the harbor entrance to the U.S. Life Saving Station on the northern coast. The complexity of the marshland is evident in the intricate winding of the Parker River and Plum Island River, which surround Newbury Old Town.

Transportation networks of the Boston and Maine Railroad connect the Massachusetts textile hubs to New Hampshire settlements like Exeter and Hampton. The terrain is punctuated by significant landmarks used by mariners and locals alike, such as Great Boar Head and Rye Ledge. Researchers can trace the early 19th-century settlement patterns across Salisbury Point and Merrimacport, where the river's influence dictated the growth of neighborhoods and industrial sites.