| Amesbury is a suburban community
with an unusual industrial and manufacturing history. First settled by
Europeans in 1645, the town's earliest industries included mills,
shipyards and a heavily used ferry operation across the Merrimac River to
Newburyport. There were always scattered farms in the community, but
unlike most Colonial settlements, agriculture was secondary to an
aggressive maritime and industrial economy. By the 19th century, the
shipbuilding, shipping and fishing which had employed most of the
population was giving way to textiles, ironworks, saw and grist mills that
had been established on a 90' drop of the Powow River, which provided
crucial water power. Among the most interesting of Amesbury's products
were the carriages which achieved some renown in the area. The same
company made the transition into the 20th century by converting its
production into making automobile bodies, and until the Great Depression
of 1929, auto body making was a major industry in the town. The same
handsome stone industrial buildings that once made nails and cloth are now
filled with a diversity of manufactured products and the situation of
Amesbury at a transportation crossroads of Interstate 95 and 495 gives the
town a good competitive edge for both residential and commercial
development. Along with the sturdy 19th century commercial buildings,
Amesbury is also rich in Federal-period residences, which the community
carefully preserves as its link with the past. Narrative based on
information provided by the Massachusetts Historical Commission. |
