Throughout the month of September, a number of Swampscott’s historical locations and outdoor landscapes will be explored through the Essex National Heritage Area’s Trails and Sails program, which is entering its 25th year.
Trails and Sails is a “ticket to adventure,” with the purpose of helping educate residents and visitors about cultural history and natural beauty of the area.
As part of the programming, the Swampscott Historical Society opened the doors of John Humphrey’s colonial era home for a series of tours on Sunday morning. The house, currently located at 99 Paradise Road after being relocated from its original Swampscott location, is believed to have once been the home of Massachusetts’ first governor. The residence is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house is maintained by the Historical Society, and its rooms are full of art, tools and artifacts made and used throughout the history of the town.
“We are thrilled to be part of Trails and Sails,” said Swampscott Historical Society President Mary Conner. “It’s such a great network of our local history and an opportunity to get so many more people into the Humphrey House that might not see it otherwise. We’re not open that often.”
Tour attendees learned about Swampscott’s history, from early colonial times through the 1900s. Highlights included the New Ocean House Hotel, which burned down in 1969. A large music player used in the hotel is placed on the first floor of the Humphrey House.
Conner and Historical Society Board Members Douglas and Duncan Maitland also showed attendees markings on walls that have been found in other colonial-era homes in the area, but historians are still not sure what they mean or why they were made.
Other markings that Conner pointed out are known to have been superstitious ways to keep spirits and witches out of homes.
“This house is an example of a first colonial-era home,” said Conner. “It’s full of Swampscott history and has an eclectic mix of items from aviation, to hotel history and fishing history of the town. It has a great mix of things, and it’s a special place.”
After walking through the entirety of the house, attendees were taken to a shed in the backyard. Inside sits a 14-foot Swampscott Dory, a lightweight fishing boat invented in town and still used around the world today.
Trails and Sails will continue in town with an open house at the Swampscott Church of Spiritualism on Saturday, September 26 and two events on September 27 – guided tours of the Elihu Thomson House and Olmsted Historic District walking tours.
There will also be a walk around the Harold King Conservation area on Tuesday, September 15 at 11 a.m. Next Tuesday, September 22, there will be a nature walk from Swampscott to Salem’s Eagle Hill at 11 a.m.
