NORTH SHORE LIFE | HOLIDAY 2012 [ 19 ]

Our Towns

[ 18 ] NORTH SHORE LIFE | HOLIDAY 2012

Marblehead ForeverAnthem of 1887

Original lyrics by Marcia MartinSelman, music by J.R. Murray

The men of old were heroes,who fought by land and sea,

to preserve their homes fromtyranny and shame,

And enrolled among the bravestwrit high in history,

Stands Old Marblehead,beloved and honored name.

CHORUS

Then Marblehead forever!God bless the good old town.

May she never shame hernoble ancestry.

She was first in Revolution,was first in ‘61.

And from whiskey bondagewe will keep her free

The men of old were heroesbut they are in their graves,

and ‘tis ours, their sons,the battle now to fight.

For our homes and altars tremble,before the greed of knaves,

who assail the cause of Godand home and right.

CHORUS

Then up and do your duty!Too long ingloriously,

did we sleep while Rum heldundisputed sway.

Now, rally with your ballots,and let his hirelings see

that when first we drove him outhe went to stay.

CHORUS

There is a mind-boggling list of historical and natural, artisticand delicious attractions in the mere 4.5 square miles ofMarblehead. Its crooked, winding, hilly lanes peppered withinspiring water views spring from the quaint downtownhistoric district that retains a British village feel.

In the interest of statistical accuracy, Marbleheadlays claim to 19.6 square miles within its recog-nized borders, but 15.1 of those square miles is sit-uated in the Atlantic Ocean. Since it wasincorporated in 1629, residents of the sailing andfishing town have distinguished themselves as pa-triots, artists and entrepreneurs.

Today residents and visitors alike can stroll thetown’s narrow streets year-round, enjoying a richoffering of the arts, dining and shopping, as wellas a lively string of community events.Winter promises to be a bustling season, begin-

ning with the 41st annual Christmas Walk and theannual appearance of the Clauses on the first De-cember weekend. For a town situated along thewater, Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving by lobsterboat at the State Street Landing is a logical tradi-tion. Visitors can look forward to a parade, streetentertainment, horse-drawn carriage rides, craftfairs, shopping sales and more.On stops along the Christmas Walk, the Jere-

miah Lee Mansion will showcase the MarbleheadFamily Fund annual Gingerbread Festival, withThe Noteworthies a Capella group strolling andsinging holiday favorites.Holiday-themed festivities are scheduled for

every weekend through Christmas. Out-of-town

Marblehead

History onland and sea

creates arock-solid

legacyBY CHARLENE PETERS

Left, the Jeremiah Lee Mansion in the heart ofthe historic district; Photo by Mike Porter.Below, right: Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive byboat to officially launch the holiday season.

Marblehead harborwith the light tower visible

in the distance.Photo by Mike Porter

Below, the Old Town Housein Market Square.

Photo by Mike Porter

Cou

rtes

yph

oto

[ 22 ] NORTH SHORE LIFE | HOLIDAY 2012 NORTH SHORE LIFE | HOLIDAY 2012 [ 23 ]

Our Towns

visitors can choose from some 30 Bed-and-Breakfast options for overnight accommo-dations. marbleheadchristmaswalk.com

TOWN SPIRIT

Abbot Hall on Washington Street iswhere you’ll find the original Spirit of ‘76painting by Archibald MacNeal Willard(1836-1918), who created the lightheartedillustration of the Civil War he titled, “Yan-kee Doodle.” The image of the elderlydrummer symbolizes heroism during theRevolutionary War, while the young boyrepresents a patriotic future.In March of 1876, crowds came to see

“Yankee Doodle” on public display inOhio. That interest led to the painting re-maining on exhibit, but with a new name,“The Spirit of ‘76,” to avoid any connec-tion to the ditty that popularized the ec-centric Yankee Doodle patriot.The painting found its way to Abbot Hall

in 1880 through a donation by Gen. JohnH. Devereux of Cleveland, Ohio. The Mar-blehead native had a special connection to“The Spirit of ’76” through the drummerboy, fashioned in the likeness of his sonwho had posed for the painter.The 1727 Old Town House often is re-

ferred to as “Marblehead’s Cradle of Lib-erty” for the many pre-Revolutionary War

meetings held there. The venerable struc-ture is among the oldest, continuously usedtown halls in America.Marblehead.orgThe Jeremiah Lee Mansion, a colonial

Georgian home at 161 Washington St., wasbuilt by American craftsmen in 1768 whenLee was the wealthiest merchant and shipowner in Massachusetts. Preserved in itsnearly original state, the house stands as atribute to both colonial America’s strongties to England and its independent com-mercial success.Many of the Mansion’s original decora-

tive elements have been preserved, includ-ing rare 18th-century English hand-paintedwallpapers – the only such wall treatmentssurviving in place. The house is furnishedwith an outstanding collection of earlyAmerican furniture, including examples byBoston, Salem and Marblehead cabinet-makers. Decorative arts from the 18th- and19th-centuries include ceramics, silver,mirrors, clocks and textiles.Guided tours of 18 furnished rooms on

three floors give visitors an overview of thedaily life, surroundings and occupations ofMarblehead residents.

marbleheadmuseum.orgRising above Chandler Hovey Park on

Marblehead Neck, the town’s lighthouse,Marblehead Light Tower, is a unique spot

in town where the view possesses its owncharm.Marblehead.org

GASTRONOMIC EXCURSIONS

Breakfast at The Driftwood, 63 Front St.,is a staple for locals who gather beforestarting their day.The Landing Restaurant on historic Mar-

blehead Harbor, 81 Front St., is accessibleby land or sea and features spectacularviews of Marblehead harbor and the Neckfrom every table in its dining room.

landingrestaurant.comThree Cod Tavern, 141 Pleasant St., re-

tains elements of its former life as Dill’srestaurant including Glover “Dill”Broughton’s signage on the bar’s wall. Thecod, a staple New England marine fish, isan icon often seen in gold that symbolizesa welcome to guests, representing safetyand wealth. Threecodtavern.comLocals head to The Barnacle, 141 Front St.,

for fried clams, beers and storm watching.Marblehead Lobster Company onMarble-

head Harbor, gives you direct access to thefreshest lobsters and fish for overnight ship-ping. Each shipment of lobster comes withbibs, cooking directions, a how-to for eatinglobster, and a container of drawn butter for

each pair of lobsters.marblehead-lobster.comEstablished in 1929, Stowaway Sweets,

154 Atlantic Ave., boasts a White Houseconnection. Weekly shipments of choco-lates and candies fed the presidential sweettooth during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s nearly11-year administration. Among other no-table loyal customers are President CalvinCoolidge, and England’s Queen Mary andLady Astor. Katharine Hepburn is knownto have enjoyed her personal Stowawayselection. Stowawaysweets.comShubie’s, 16 Atlantic Ave., is widely pop-

ular for its wine tastings and preparedfoods. Shubies.com

For the best raspberry oatmeal muffin,head to The Muffin Shop at 126 Washing-ton St. before 9 a.m., when they’ll be soldout. Officialmuffinshop.com

ARTFUL EXPRESSION

Marblehead Arts Association makes itshome at a most impressive address, 8Hooper St., in theHooperMansion. Built in1728 by candle maker Greenfield Hooper,the structure was updated by his son, Robert“King” Hooper, in 1745, with an elegantGeorgian façade for the new front section.The MAA exhibited Frank Benson’s

etchings in the 1930s. Today, visitors pe-

ruse ongoing exhibits in five galleries rep-resenting 35 communities of artist mem-bers in five states. The artisan shop iswhere you can find blown glass by DanRead and more crafts from local artisans.

Marbleheadarts.orgMarblehead Little Theatre, 12 School St.,

was founded in 1956 and is one of the old-est continually operating community the-atres in the country. Its annual gala thisyear Saturday, Jan. 21, partners with Mar-blehead restaurants for a dinner and thenback to the Firehouse for entertainment.Directed by Thom Smoker, the evening in-cludes a silent auction, wine, beer, dessertand coffee.MLTlive.org �

COZY FIRESIDE SPOTS

Visitors ducking in from the cold atthe Harbor Light Inn, 58 WashingtonSt., can enjoy a drink and cozy up inone of two fireplaced parlors.Harborlightinn.com

The deep historic roots of Marbleheadare obvious along State Street, whereMaddie’s Sail Loft, 15 State St., is found.You can head upstairs to enjoy dinnerfireside.

You’ll need to find a member to bringyou along as a guest to the BostonYacht Club and Tedesco Country Club.Both are open year round and offercozy fireside seating.Bostonyachtclub.net; Tedescocc.org

Familyholiday eventsTheOld North Festival Chorus performs

Dec. 4 & 5 at the Old North Church, fea-turing holiday favorites with the YouthChorus and Bell Choir. festivalchorus.com

One of the most splendid holidaytraditions on the North Shore, this year’sHoliday Pops will be held Saturday, Dec.10 at Abbot Hall. Maestro Dirk Hillyerand the Hillyer Festival Orchestra pairwell with a holiday sing-along and a bril-liantly talented guest soloist.rcomh.org or vnacarenetwork.org

Winter family funSnow-covered Gatchell Playground of-

fers a perfect sledding hill at West ShoreDrive and Pleasant Street.Skate on Redd’s Pond … if you dare.

Named for Wilmont “Mammy” Redd, the

Marblehead woman accused and convictedof witchcraft in the Salem witch trials of1692. Everyone loves a good legend, likethe one that claims this former town reser-voir is so deep, the bottom has never beenfound. The pond depth actually rangesfrom 3 to 11 feet.Oldburialhill.org/redds

The original ‘The Spirit of ‘76’ painting ison the wall of the Selectmen’s Room atAbbot Hall. Painted by Archibald Willardof Ohio, it was purchased by Marbleheadnative General John H. Devereux andpresented to the town in 1880.Courtesy photo

Abbot Hall, an historical museum as well as the town hall, is prominent in Marble-head’s skyline. Maintenance workers ascend the tower weekly to wind its 1877 clock.Photo by Mike Porter. Above right, a roaring fire in the parlors at the Harbor LightInn help visitors to forget the cold outdoors. Photo by Brian O’Rourke.