“Codfish aristocracy.” As much as I would like to take the credit for coming up with this intriguing phrase, I must attribute it to historian Robert Booth Jr. What it refers to is the booming fishing industry that burst in the mid-1700s in Marblehead, furnishing those involved — and the town at large — with wealth. One family that benefited from the boom was the Pedrick … [Read more...] about Historic Building of the Week: Pedrick Store House
historic building of the week
Historic Building of the Week: The Sparhawk House
I am not always able to find historical photographs of the houses I write about. Sometimes, all I can ask for is a square on a map or a portrait of one of the residents. And then there are the buildings that have little to no recorded history, but a plethora of photos. Either way, what happens is that I get really, really excited about having so much information or having … [Read more...] about Historic Building of the Week: The Sparhawk House
Historic Building of the Week: Marblehead Shoe Hospital
There was a hospital in Marblehead, except the focus was less on treating souls than it was fixing soles. Of course, I am talking about the Marblehead Shoe Hospital, which operated at 7 Atlantic Ave. According to documents from the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS), the building was constructed by 1926. At that time, Wilfred Lemieux moved his … [Read more...] about Historic Building of the Week: Marblehead Shoe Hospital
Historic Building of the Week: Thomas McCool Tobacco & Variety Store
61 Atlantic Ave. was on the tiny-house trend before it was cool. In the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS), the building is also referred to as the Thomas McCool Tobacco & Variety Store. While that is not what the building is now, if we turn back the pages, it leads us somewhere. In the Marblehead 1881 atlas from the Southern Essex District … [Read more...] about Historic Building of the Week: Thomas McCool Tobacco & Variety Store
Historic Building of the Week: The Alfred Irvin House
As you all likely know, February is Black History Month. You probably have also noticed that much of the history in these Historic Buildings of the Week fails to include that of Black people in Marblehead. But this is not because Black people did not exist in Marblehead, nor does it mean that Black people did not participate in the same history-making as any other … [Read more...] about Historic Building of the Week: The Alfred Irvin House