About this property
The Topsfield Town Common District encompasses the historic town common and surrounding buildings in Topsfield, Massachusetts. The common, established by 1650, is the traditional civic and religious center of the town, and is surrounded by houses dating from the 17th to 20th centuries, the town hall, library, and Congregational church. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Colonial settlement of the area that is now Topsfield began in the 1630s, as colonists moved up the Ipswich River. By 1650, the year of the town's incorporation, a training ground for the local militia had been established. The town's first meeting house was built in 1703, where the present Greek Revival First Congregational Church (built 1842) now stands. Standing northeast of the common is the district's oldest building, the Parson Capen House; a National Historic Landmark built in 1683, it is one of the best-preserved houses of the period in the United States, and is now a historic house museum. The common is now an irregularly shaped collection of triangular greens, divided by and bounded by the five roadways radiating in all directions. The northern side of the common, bounded by Washington Street and North Common, is lined by houses dating mainly from the early 19th century. The congregational church occupies a triangular section at the western side of the common, while the town hall (Chateau style, 1873) and public library (Classical Revival, 1935) dominate the southwest and southern edges. Facing the eastern side of the common is a large Federal mansion, built 1815 for a member of the locally prominent Emerson family; it is now part of a local preschool. National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
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Everything a full report reveals about Topsfield Town Common District
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Questions about this property
When was Topsfield Town Common District listed on the National Register?
Topsfield Town Common District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 6, 1976.
What type of historic resource is Topsfield Town Common District?
Topsfield Town Common District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Topsfield Town Common District?
The period of significance for Topsfield Town Common District is recorded as the colonial era, specifically around 1650.
Can I research the history near Topsfield Town Common 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 Topsfield Town Common District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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