National Register of Historic Places

Bradford Common Historic District

Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts
Listed
September 13, 1977
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
77000179

About this property

The Bradford Common Historic District is a historic district encompassing the former town center of Bradford, now a village of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Centered on the former town common at South Main and Salem Streets, the area served as Bradford's civic and commercial center from about 1750 until its annexation by Haverhill in 1897, and retains architecture from the 18th to early 20th centuries. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The town of Bradford was settled in 1649, with its original town center east of the present common. In 1749 this area, located south of the ferry connecting the town to Haverhill (then limited to the north side of the Merrimack River), was given to the town by the Kimball family as a new town center. The oldest building in the district is a former tavern owned by the Kimballs, built about 1690. The village is predominantly residential in character, with the White Church (1848) a prominent fixture in the center. Former civic buildings of Bradford, including its town hall and fire house, have been repurposed; the town hall is now a public school. The largest non-residential portion of the district is the academic campus now occupied by Northpoint Bible College; this campus was originally that of Bradford College, one of the first coeducational academies to be founded. The historic district is centered on the triangular common formed by South Main Street, Salem Street, and Church Street. South Main and Salem Streets are both early colonial routes connecting Haverhill to Boston and Rowley. The district extends north along South Main to Carleton Avenue, and south past the college campus to Kingsbury Avenue. It extends a shorter distance along Salem Street. Most of the district's buildings are wood-frame houses, 1-1/2 to 2+1⁄2 stories in height. They are in a diversity of styles, principally those that were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts

Location

Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts
42.76696, -71.07843

Categories

INDUSTRYEDUCATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Peabody School
Industrial
0.5 mi
Washington Street Shoe District
Listed
0.5 mi
Hayes, Charles H., Building
Industrial
0.6 mi
Merrimack Associates Building
Industrial
0.6 mi
School Street School
Industrial
0.7 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Haverhill 1708
1708Colonial
0.6 mi
Queen Anne's War – Raid on Haverhill MA 1708
1708Colonial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Bradford Common Historic District listed on the National Register?

Bradford Common Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Bradford Common Historic District?

Bradford Common Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Bradford Common Historic District?

The period of significance for Bradford Common Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Bradford Common Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Bradford Common Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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