West Newbury, Rural town in Essex County, Massachusetts
West Newbury lies along the Merrimack River at an elevation of 28 meters and includes protected areas such as Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area and Mill Pond Recreation Area. The municipality spreads across gentle hills with forested sections, open fields, and several smaller ponds along the river valleys.
The community was founded in 1635 as part of Newbury and gained independence in 1820. Over the following decades it developed into a center for comb manufacturing, which remained active until the early 1900s.
The West Newbury Historical Society maintains the Hills House Museum from 1780, displaying collections of local artifacts and items from the comb manufacturing period. Visitors can walk through the rooms on selected days and view tools and everyday objects from the earliest decades of settlement.
The local government holds regular meetings and offers payment options for municipal bills through a website. Visitors find public paths in the recreation areas and can check community pages for current events.
Julian D. Steele became the first African-American town moderator elected in Massachusetts in 1952. This election took place several years before the broad civil rights movements of the 1960s and marked an early step in local integration.
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