Newburyport, city (1990 pop. 16,317), a seat of Essex co., NE Mass., at the mouth of the Merrimack River; settled 1635, set off from Newbury and inc. 1764. Its silverware industry dates from colonial times; textiles, scientific instruments, and electronic equipment are also made there, and tourism is important to the economy. An early shipbuilding, whaling, and shipping center, it declined after Jefferson's embargo of 1808 and the War of 1812. Its notable old houses include the Coffin House (c.1651), the Swett-Isley House (c.1671), and the Short House (c.1732). William Lloyd Garrison and Francis Cabot Lowell were born in Newburyport.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography
