Newbury Real Estate
Newbury is a small town located along the Atlantic Ocean, 33 miles north of Boston. Spanning 26.3 square miles with a population of approximately 7,000 residents, the North Shore town encompasses the villages of Old Town (Newbury Center); Plum Island; and Byfield. Plum Island, the barrier Island named for the wild beach plum shrubs that grow on its dunes, is perhaps the best known village for its waterfront stretch. The island spans three other municipalities in addition to Newbury, including Newburyport, Rowley and Ipswich. Much of Newbury’s land comprises marshes, woodlands and protected sites including the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and Old Town Hill. In addition to 800 oceanfront homes on Plum Island, Newbury Center is lined with antique homes and well-preserved colonials. Read more about Newbury.
Newbury Homes & Condos For Sale
More About Newbury
Newbury Location
Newbury is bordered by Newburyport to the north; Georgetown to the southwest; Rowley to the south; West Newbury to the northwest; and a small portion of Groveland to the west. I-95 passes through the western part of Newbury and the Newburyport/Rockport Line of the MBTA Commuter Rail terminates at a stop just over the Newburyport line. Newbury also is home to the Plum Island Airport, a private general aviation airport.
Newbury Recreation
With Newbury’s abundance of marshland and conservation lands, residents enjoy scenic hikes and unobstructed views of water and natural wildlife. The area is considered a birder’s dream with snowy egrets and warblers making their home in the many refuges. Plum Island is a popular summer destination as well as a year-round community with its gently sloping beach serving as an easy landing and launchpad for boats.
Newbury History
Pioneers from England settled Newbury, incorporating the town in 1635. As early as 1636, settlers built the first water-powered mill at the falls in Byfield. Newbury had the honor of serving as the site of the first textile mill in Massachusetts, powering the manufacture of woolens and even snuff through the 1800s. Byfield became the site of the first boarding preparatory school, known as Dummer Academy and now The Governor’s Academy. Byfield also housed the first female seminary founded in 1807. The discovery of silver drove a brief flurry of mining activity before the Chipman Silver Mine closed in 1920. Today the Newbury economy focuses largely on farming, including dairy, and tourism.
Notable residents past and present include Joshua Coffin, a famed abolitionist; Andre Dubus III, writer; and John Cena, actor and professional wrestler.
