Newbury’s Lower Green has been the site of human habitation for thousands of years. Crowned by the strategic glacial drumlin of Old Town Hill, and flanked by the Parker River, this land was known as Quascacuquen/Kwaskwaikikwen by the indigenous Algonquin people, specifically the Pawtucket-Pennacook, who lived here before European colonists arrived in 1635. The land was fertile, the river bountiful, and the wildlife abundant. The Lower Green was the initial focal point of the area that eventually became the town of Newbury.
The historic homes and properties that still surround the Lower Green were built over the last 300-plus years. Several intact 18th century properties, which retained their agrarian heritage origins, have recently been lost due to development pressure. Currently unprotected from future development, the Lower Green neighborhood was listed as one of the state’s most endangered historical areas by Preservation Massachusetts in 2010 due to its unique colonial character and cultural significance to our town, state and country.
Several years ago, a local neighborhood groups began discussions to see if a layer of protection could be added to preserve the historic heritage landscape and architectural integrity of this distinctive district in perpetuity.
After submitting a petition signed by over 140 citizens of the three Newbury neighborhoods of Old Town, Byfield and Plum Island, the Select Board created the Lower Green Local Historic District Study Committee to look into the possibility of creating a local historic district inclusive of the Lower Green, as well as the views and approaches therein.
The goal of this endeavor is to preserve the Green, its iconic one-room schoolhouse, and their surroundings as one of the few remaining visible examples of historic American colonial landscapes with cohesive 17th, 18th and 19th century architecture styles.
The Lower Green Local Historic District Study Committee was formed in the fall of 2022. It followed the comprehensive state guidelines for establishing a local historic district. The study committee held regular televised meetings, meticulously studied the boundary area in person and on maps, interviewed neighbors, held public meetings, updated local boards on its progress and worked with non-profit groups who own tracts of land and buildings adjacent to the Green. Along the way, it carefully considered public feedback in the report submitted to Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) in early 2026.
(A copy of the study committee’s preliminary report can be found here: https://www.newburyma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3251/Preliminary-Lower-Green-Local-Historic-District-Study-Report .)
The resulting preliminary report’s feedback from the Massachusetts Historical Commission was overwhelmingly supportive of the study committee’s efforts to make the Lower Green and its natural and built environment a local historic district.
The committee also received a hearty endorsement from the Trustees of Reservations, which manages the Old Town Hill public property, donated to them by local philanthropist Florence Bushee in the mid-20th century, whose antique homestead is no longer standing. The Essex County Greenbelt Association and the Sons and Daughters of the First Settlers have also expressed support for the Committee’s work and have included their properties in the plan for the local historic district.
The next step in this process is to have the citizens of the town of Newbury vote to approve the Lower Green Local Historic District at this year’s Newbury Town Meeting. This designation will place no financial costs to Newbury taxpayers. Once the preliminary report has been approved by Newbury voters, the final report will be submitted to Massachusetts Historical Commission for ultimate approval.
As a citizen of Newbury, please plan on attending the Newbury Town Meeting on Tuesday, at 7 p.m. at Triton Regional High School and voting in favor of this important step toward preserving and protecting a valuable regional cultural asset for the future of our town, in this 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation.
Joy Michaud is the Lower Green Local Historic District Study Committee’s vice chair. She lives in Newbury.