USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 87
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Ou these five ways, as a framework, are built the very extensive nettings of the streets of Lynn. In 1844, Lewis reckoned the aggre- gate at rather over forty-two miles. Later, it was stated at sixty, and by 1876 was almost exactly one hundred miles. It will probably appear that this is iu a greater proportion to the population than in most other cities.
Near High Rock, and almost directly west, lics Park Square, the most remarkable of all the public openings of the eity. It is formed by the junction of North and South Common, Franklin, Market, and Essex streets.
Around it have always been the historic waymarks of the town, in peculiar number and signifieance. The ancient Johnson House, lately demolished, stood here, built doubtless long before 1700. The Methodist church of Jesse Lee was here, at first just at the east end of the square. When his people set up a new house of worship, they placed it on the south side, just over against the old location, where it stands to-day. At the east end, corner of Market and Essex streets, is yet standing the " War Office " of 1812, then called " Paul and Ellis's Hall," from the two brothers Newhall, who owned it. This has been spoken of as the place where the town consented to the separa- tion of Lynnfield. It was also the scene of more and noisier Demo- eratie junketings, in those old days, than most now can remember, or wish to. On the south side, between the Methodist church and the house of Ellis Newhall, above named, was built in 1814 the first brick building in Lynn, so far as is now known. This was the banking- house of the Lyun Mechanics' Bank, set in operation that year. Orig-
inally, it only comprised the western half of the present structure, as the different bricklaying shows. The vault was laid most ponderously, of blocks of granite, with cannon-shot bedded in the joints. The bank remained in operation here till 1834, when it was removed to the new house on Broad Street, opposite Exchange. It was the only bank in town till 1836. The house, much enlarged, was afterward the resi- dence of William Prescott, M.D., the fine student of natural history, later of Concord, N. H .; and since then, of the Hon. Roland G. Usher, present United States marshal of Massachusetts District. Ou the east of the church, yet stands, with no great alteration, the brick residence formerly of the Rev. Enoch Mudge, au eminent and faithful preacher of Methodist truth, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1820, and father of the Hon. E. Redington Mudge, of Swampscott. Somewhat further west than the house of Ellis Newhall, stands that which was long the residence of Goold Brown, the eminent gramma- rian, a genial Quaker, full of kindness for everything but false syntax. Nearly opposite, on the north side, is seen the house of the Hou. Jo- siah Newhall, a prosperous manufacturer, and senator in 1832 and '33. Between the houses of Goold Brown and Ellis Newhall, appears the St. Mary's Catholic Church, a fine Gothic structure, standing some dis- tance from the street. It was built in 1861 (the old church of Jesse Lee, sold by the city to the Catholies in 1855, or thereabont, having been burned May 28, 1859), was the first brick church in Lynn, and long considered the finest public edifice here. The city hall, the next structure in order of time, situated exactly opposite the Methodist church, occupies the site of the old residence of John Legree Johnson, who was the best remembered of all our town treasurers. A narrow lot adjoining was also added in the purchase. It had on it a house of great age, belonging to a family of the same name, and known as the "Long Johnson House." The city hall was begun in the laying of the corner-stone by the Hon. Peter M. Ncal, mayor, Nov. 28, 1865, and finished in its dedieation, Nov. 30, 1867, in presence of all the peo- ple its walls could hold, being probably not less than three thousand. Seventy of the oldest men in the city sat round the main gallery, and listened to an address by Mayor R. G. Usher, a poem by C. M. Tra- ey, Esq., and an historical sketch by James R. Newhall, Esq. The building is of brick and freestone, built by Edwin Adams, from plans by Bryant & Gilman, of Boston, and has always been much admired. It accommodates all departments of government, with the Free Pub- lie Library, and cost about $312,000. The great alarm-bell is in the tower. weighing five thousand pounds. Park Square is further rendered notable by the beautiful and classical bronze monument erected by the city to the memory of her fallen heroes. It stands in the widest part of the area, and attracts instant attention as we ap- proach from any side. A massive granite pedestal of several mem- bers supports, on the southern side, a sitting figure of Minerva, and on the northern, a similar one of Nemesis. The latter appears as Jus- tice, but with open eyes ; the former is armed, according to the elassic model, but holds, beside, a victor's wreath. A central figure, raised several feet higher, and erect, personifies the City of Lynn, in a Greek drapery, wearing the civie coronet, and leaning the left elbow on a shield emblazoned with the municipal arms. The right arm, extended, reaches forth a wreath of laurel ; the head correspondingly inclines, and the expression of the face, though strikingly beautiful, is very serious and tender. The inscription is simple : -
"LYNN, TO THE MEMORY OF HER SONS, SLAIN IN DEFENCE OF THE NATION."
The figures are above life-size, and the central one may be called eolossal. The work is that of John A. Jackson, an American artist, of Florence, Italy, the bronzes having been cast at Munich. It was unveiled Sept. 17, 1873, in presence of the greatest eoncourse, be- yond doubt, that ever filled the streets of Lynn. Thirty thousand was the common estimate; and it was a thing of pleasant remem- brance, that neither aeeident nor misdemeanor was anywhere seen, and the police made no arrest for the whole day. The expense was borne by the city, the artist's eoutraet being $30.000.
We should not do full justice to the objects about Park Square, did we not, at the risk of confusing our time a little, make brief mention of the most magnificent of all, begun in the autumn of 1877. and not vet finished. This is the new house of the First Methodist Church, who, finding themselves straitened in the old edifice, and assisted by several encouraging bequests. decided in 1876 to provide fresh accom- modations. The house stands on the north side of the square. just at the entrance of Franklin Street, and, beside being very large, is remarked for its lofty spire, rising about 210 feet from the ground.
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
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The whole is of faeed brick, and intended for a first-class building, as it will no doubt appear to be when completed. It is proposed to place a chime of bells in the tower, which will be the first of the kind here.
The transition from Park Square to the park and the common is so natural as to be inevitable. Few places boast of an open publie ground of larger dimensions, or superior in simple attractiveness. What is termed " the park " is only the narrow eastern end of the com- mon, separately and differently feneed, and with a larger proportion of trees. The whole is an elongated oval ; being 230 rods in length from Lynn Hotel to the head of Market Street, according to Lewis, and its greatest width, on the Park and Vine Street walk, only 244 feet.
Beyond the brook was a homestead, last owned and occupied by the Atwill family. The house stood in the middle of the common, facing the north, with tall Lombardy poplars about it, a small orchard to the east, and one or two subordinate buildings, one of which, espe- cially, was said to have been a " garrison-house " in the days of Indian wars. It yet remains, and appears to have been immensely strong in its frame, with loop-hole windows round the upper story. Its age must be great, but is not known; and it may perhaps be rightly called the oldest building we have. Still eastward were some other buildings of a public sort, among them a " gun-house" for cannon, a school-house, &c., and especially the town-house, built in 1814, and standing nearly opposite the head of Church Street. Some slight attempt at improvement had sometime been made, by planting a few trees east of the town-house, but without much design or suecess.
An effort was really made in 1835 to have. the common fenced, and an Act obtained for the purpose ; but no result followed till Aug. 2, 1847, when an appropriation was gained, provided the citizens would double it, for the purpose desired. It was slow work, however, till next year, when determined exertions were made. The ladies opened a " Grand Fair " on the three last days of September, 1848, in aid of the object, which netted some $1,400. The fence was immediately contracted for, the stone posts were set in December, there being no frost at all, and the rails were put in early next spring. Since then, the only further improvements have been, first, the setting of a large sun-dial in the centre, just opposite Blossom Street, where it stood for the regulation of time till 1878, when, the dial having been destroyed by gradual mischief, the granite pillar was also removed ; second, the making of cross-walks, and of malls round the margin, which has been gradually done ; third, the planting of many trees, and erection of music-stands. A large locust is to be mentioned, standing near the pond, and being the last of a half dozen or so, planted by the venerable Thomas Bowler, for many years the honored town clerk, and nonince for the first mayorship. Much effort had been made, at sundry times, to bring water from some source, enough to supply a fountain in the pond. Nothing could be effected, however, till the introduction of water in 1870.
Some few objects around the common merit description. Begin- ning on the south side, at Park Square, and going west, we pass seven incoming streets before reaching Market Square. Returning on the north, we find an equal number there entering. On the way we note, first, the church of the Second Congregational Society, on the corner of Church Street. It is a plain, nnpretending structure, with no tower. Its origin has been mentioned, it being the first Unitarian church gathered here. No other public building, or private one of importance, appears till we reach the widely dissimilar successor of the " Old Tunnel," the new house of the First Church, on the corner of Vine Street. This also succeeds the wooden one built in 1837, which accidentally took fire during service, on Dee. 25, 1870, and was totally destroycd. It is an elegant structure, of brick, large, airy, and commodions, and considered one of the finest in the region. A very excellent bell is here, of more than two thousand pounds weight, which is larger than any other in the city, save that on the City Hall.
As we go on, we soon find, on the corner of Commercial Street, the church of the Second Universalist Society, which has been so often spoken of. Some of the great timbers of the " Old Tunel " may be seen by exploring under its roof inside ; the " sound-board," that was over the heads of Shepard, Henchman, and Treadwell, is built into the ceiling, right over the organ ; and the pulpit, at least that in the old house when demolished, stands unaltered in the ves- try. A few steps further stands the Masonic Building, in which Mount Carmel Lodge had all its early experiences. Then, turning round the western end of the common, one faces the building erected for the Nahant Bank in 1832. That institution came to a very un- happy end in 1836, involving a great many people in its failure. It
is said that on the day of its erash, J. C. Stickney, Esq., whose office was elose by, made forty-two court writs against parties affected, before night. After the removal of the bank, though their rooms were left undisturbed, the building was variously occupied as a dwelling, until September, 1854, when the City Bank began business, and selected this for its location. Another room was soon taken for the Lynn Five Cents Savings Bank; and both institutions remained there until the building, by the latter one, of the present elegant banking-house in Market Street. Then the building was occupied by different parties, till Jan. 1, 1877, when the premises were purchased and opened as a Ilome for Aged Women, for which purpose they seem remarkably well adapted.
Passing eastward, the next spot of interest is that now occupied by the residence formerly of Hon. Andrews Breed, but now of the Love- joy family. It is believed to be the location of Joseph Armitage, the first tailor in Lynn, in 1630, and the place where he first opcucd his house as the " Blue Anchor Tavern," before he concluded to establish it west of Saugus River. It is certainly the place where the Rev. Mr. Henehman erected his mansion, about 1721, a fine house for that day, in which he lived and died. The house yet exists, having been rc- moved to Park Street, No. 27. Next comes a point of peculiar interest, identified by a common-looking dwelling, which is the trans- formed store of Henry B. Newhall, who, from about 1840 to 1850, carried on the grocery business there very heavily, and almost exclu- sively on the "order system" of that day, acecpting, for his goods, orders drawn by almost all the shoe manufacturers of West Lynn. This plan was in use all over town for a long period, nearly every grocer doing something at it, and the workmen having no alternative but to buy where the employer chose to draw. Mr. Newhall accu- mulated a fine property in this business, but lost mueh of it after- ward.
On the eastern corner of Park Street is the First Baptist Church, a spacious structure of wood, ereeted in 1869, to replace the old one of 1833, which was removed to Washington Street, between Munroe and Oxford, and made into a shoe manufactory. The new house was intended to be the pride of the city, but nict with a severe misfortune in the great gale of Sept. 8, 1869, which toppled the tall, heavy spire from its position, and cast it lengthwise on the west wing, crushing all to a ruinous heap. The bell was cracked, though slightly at first, and the expense of a new spire beside fell heavily on the society. In the days of its staunch Dea. Jonathan Bacheller, it had been reputed richer than any other in town; but his loss. with that of some other large patrons, did not affect it favorably.
Only two other objects of interest claim notice; one being St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, just east of Hanover Street, a building hardly larger than a chapel, built of wood, and having a colonnade front, but no tower. The other is the house, two doors to the east, where resided Henry Hallowell, for many years town clerk, and a man of plain, good common-sense, every way worthy and honorable, but not highly educated. He was the man more experienced in the War of the Revolution than any other from Lynn ; he was in service in and about New York all through the earlier campaign, and wit- nessed many of the scenes that now live only in history.
This much will pass for an outline description of the common. It is a pleasant spot, green and flourishing, with hundreds of trees, mostly set about 1850, and now affording delightful shade. The side- walks of the bordering strcets were formerly rieh in old and magnifi- cent elms, and some indeed remain, as before the Episcopal church, and elsewhere. But others, as the two great ones before Goold Brown's residence, have been killed by gas leakage; others still, as before the house of S. S. Ireson, have gone down at the command of business ; but the greatest number fell in the gale of 1869. Then along North Common Street, there lay next morning, four of the largest elms (with a heavy balm-of-Gilead poplar, nincty-five feet high, at the house of Philip Chase, Esq., and a great silver poplar at that of George D. Whittle, Esq. ), thrown over on the houses and fences, with abundant breakage, but no harm to life or limb. No such thing ap- peared on the south side, the roots being strongest toward the wind ; but twigs and leaves, with branches large as the wrist, littered the common from end to end.
Lynn is a place remarkable for the scantiness of its waters natur- ally, and for the abundance to which they have been raised by arti- ficial means. Originally there could have been only two ponds in the town of any size, saving what there may have been of Flax Pond, which, no doubt, was something. Cedar ( better called Spruce ) Pond is wholly natural, and so is Floating-Bridge Pond ; but by accounts, Flax Pond ean be more than half drawn off, showing that so much is
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
formed by the dam ; and Sluice Pond is known, by record and other- wise, to have been in the beginning only a narrow channel through a deep valley. Both are now beautiful sheets of water.
By further extending this principle of artificial raising, Lyun has been able to supply herself with at least four other sheets of water, two of which are of large size and remarkable excellence, though raised upon the site of most forbidding and unpromising swamps. About September, 1851, Elijah Holmes built a mill on Stony Brook, at Walnut Street, for the manufacture of light hardwares. He first placed a dam some twenty-five rods up the stream, raising a pond of about half an acre. A few years after, desiring a better storage of the water above, he made such arrangements with Nathaniel Holder, owner of the land, for building a second dam above Linwood Street, and flowing a reserve pond on the swamp known as "Rail-lfill Poud- hole," which is really the source of the brook, being full of enduring springs. This was done, resulting in what is now called Holder's Pond, a pretty expanse, attractive to skaters in winter, and a real ornament to the rude woodlands around it.
A half mile or so to the west lies Breed's Pond, the most remark- able example in the world of unexpected celebrity. It was, as has been stated, raised in 1842, a year earlier than Lewis says, and was afterward enlarged by varions parties till it reached its present size of 58,448 acres. Its bottom was an almost impassable swamp, with few springs, but gathering waters from about a square mile of terri- tory. The utmost skepticism prevailed in Lynn as to the possibility of making this pond, yet it succeeded fairly at first and completely afterward. A pretty island lies in the middle, on which are two of the pits anciently dug for the trapping of wolves. They are quite. deep, and stoned up with much skill ; being yet perfectly preserved. The remains of a third were formerly to be seen.
As early as 1867 publie attention began to be drawn to the larger provision of water, particularly for use at fires. Among possible sources, Suntaug Lake in Lynnfield and Flax Pond in Lynn were most largely discussed, the latter getting general preference.
Before dismissing the subject of water, a single word may be said for the water-privilege of the township. Several such places exist, but none of great magnitude and not all in present use. The oldest and most enduring of these is that of Berry's Mill, Waterhill Street. The vexed question of its antiquity has already been mentioned; it depends on the water of Strawberry Brook, of which in dry scasons it monopolizes the whole, and which is employed for various uses, chiefly the grinding of grain, spiees, eoffee, &e.
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The pond above the mill lies on the most porous gravel that can be found, yet is tight, as is the eanal. The whole must be one of the very oldest pieces of water-work in the country. In 1836 and later, efforts were made to enlarge the pond, but no skill eould prevent disastrous leakage. How it was originally done is a riddle.
The second privilege is supposed to be that at the old "Dye House," at Wyoma Village. This was a dyeing and printing com- pany, going on as sueh for many years, but the old buildings were burned, and those built in their place were devoted to wool cleaning, and later to the manufacture of certain hardware. The water-supply is ample, drawn from Sluice Pond ; and the privilege is peculiar in having no visible overflow or waste, the whole passing through the flume, driving a breast-wheel.
The third privilege is one now disused, first utilized by James Hill and Oliver B. Coolidge on Staey's Brook, where it crosses Essex Street. A large building stood here for many years, known as the " Sash and Blind Factory," but latterly devoted to the making of bed- steads. The whole available fall of the stream is here, and was em- ployed by two small wheels, onc above the other. The whole eoneern has disappeared, the factory having been burned Feb. 12, 1863.
The fourth, being that at Breed's Mills, has been deseribed. It gives twenty-eight feet fall, and was enjoyed by an overshot wheel of very satisfactory power. The manufactures have been mentioned ; the buildings remain.
The fifth is on Stony Brook, and has been mentioned as that of Elijah Holmes. The fall here is remarkable, having been at first em- ployed upon two successive wheels of twelve and eighteen feet re- spectively, one baekshot and the other overshot, and later upon one overshot of thirty feet, the largest wheel ever seen near here. But the water-supply is small, and steam is now chiefly used.
The list eloses with a privilege of which little or nothing is now known, lying between Cedar and Sluice ponds, at what is called Wood's Pond. A dam is there, and remains of an ancient flume, but no trace of a canal, or of foundations to any building. A very good chanee exists here, but tradition and reeord are both silent about it.
The topography in our sketch must end with some little further notice of the chief eminences about the city.
High Rock always challenges first attention, on account of its prom- inence, though it is not the highest. It is very conspicuous, rising in the midst of the city, with a elear, bald summit, 180 feet above high water, or 190 from the city base. It has been the object of poetry and romanee for years, bearing them both with very successful endur- ance. Indecd, this is one of the two " charmed heights" round which hang almost all the legends of the place. The first of these is the story of " Moll Pitcher." It is a circumstanee alike to be eon- fessed and regretted, that the history of Lynn has always been treated as much in the light of imagination as in that of simple and honest fact. This rather sadly appears in the ease of this too-celebrated fortune-teller.
The second romanee of High Rock relates to the celebrated Hutch- inson family. This, as a company of singers, has for years been widely known on both sides of the ocean, and the story has had extensive circulation that they were all natives of Lynn, and that their homestead was near "Old High Roek." This, however, is wholly an error, as the family belong in Milford, N. H., and were none of them in Lynn till probably about 1835.
The third romance of High Rock is equally modern, and much more misty, but as baseless as the others. At one time the Stone Cottage was a ehosen resort of Spiritualists of all grades, who in this elevated spot found retirement enough for their most exalted develop- ings. Here, at a date not far from 1852, but which will hardly pay for great exactness, an attempt was made by these people to build a machine and endow it with a real life and pure human intelligence ! John M. Spear, in his work entitled "The Edueator," gives a minute description of its parts and workings. It was called the "Electric Motor." The basis of its plan was electrical, in which sense it was made with the extremest delieacy ; afterward, it received its vital endowment by being peculiarly connected, electrically and otherwise, with a pure and vigorous man, and subsequently with an unblamable, healthy woman. What remarkable individuals were found to play these miraenlous parts is not now known ; but such models must be rare.
The proper eminence bearing this name is flanked east and west by two others of lesser height, all looking squarely down on the line of Essex Street below. A fourth, still lower, lies in the same line, more westerly, at the corner of High Roek Avenue, and is called " Maga- zine Hill," from having for years had the town's powder-house on its summit. These are all tall cliff's, of solid, purple porphyry, smoothed and covered on the north, but southward very abrupt and precipitous. High Roek itself drops thus : first, about sixty feet sheer; then, eross- ing the little plateau by the Stone Cottage, you stand upon the lower ledge, and look down some thirty feet more to the street.
The statement has been published, that a remarkable well exists near the summit of High Rock. This is not well stated at all. The well is a natural spring, issuing from a eliff about 1,000 feet west of the eminence, and wholly distinct from it. It has a probable altitude of 100 feet, and, being a constant spring, is somewhat remarkable at that elevation. It is ineluded in land late of Phineas W. Butler, but now of Lyman B. Frazier, and is made to play a pretty fountain near the house. From this spring logs were laid for an aqueduct as far as Park Square, by some of the residents there and on Market Street, to gain a supply for their houses. But as it sometimes broke loose and flooded them, -onee in the middle of the night,-and as no very good mode of piping was then known, it was finally abandoned.
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