Ipswich: Stories from the River's Mouth

by Sam Sherman

Century by century, story by true story, Sam Sherman chronicles the remarkable history of one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts and the United States. She details Puritan regulations pertaining to clothing, dogs, and romance. She writes of two clammers who survived a ferocious snowstorm in 1786 by clinging to a floating stack of salt marsh hay. She explains why late nineteenth-century residents looked askance at native artist Arthur Dow, whose work is now prized, and why "Puritans" were seen riding golf carts on Hog Island in 1995. In this Massachusetts Town Memoir, more than 350 years of Ipswich history unfold to delight residents and visitors alike. These are the stories that make Ipswich unique, stories every Ipswich child should know and every adult share. This Massachusetts Town Memoirs includes stories from early Essex and Hamilton (once parts of Ipswich).

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[Edith Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. The short vignettes about real people and real events read like short stories. I lived in Ipswich for five years and this book brought the town and its history to life for me. My favorite was about Colonel Choate who financed the first stone arch bridge in the country. When it was to have its first traffic cross over, he was perched on his horse on the north side ready to escape to New Hamphsire in case the arch failed! Highly recommend for anyone who loves history, Ipswich, or just a bunch of well-told stories.

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am from this town and, consequently, loved the book.