For 363 days a year, the Rocky Hill Meeting House in Amesbury, built in 1785, is closed to the public, its soaring interior space and striking marbleized pulpit preserved for the ages.
“It looks like the congregation just walked out in the 1840s and locked the door – because they did,” says Bethany Groff, North Shore regional site manager for Historic New England, which owns the property, one of the best-preserved meetinghouses in the country.
On June 7th, visitors get a rare opportunity to peek inside – for free— during Historic New England’s annual Open House. Groff says it is the only day each year when all of Historic New England’s 36 properties, including 10 on the North Shore, are open to the public at the same time. History comes alive at the organization’s homes, including Spencer Peirce Little Farm, a working farm continuously occupied for more than 300 years. From the original structure built in 1690 to the last residents who vacated in the ‘80s, it is a fascinating peek into the way life has changed over the centuries. Phillips House in Salem offers a completely different experience – the only grand historic home on tony Chestnut Street that is open to the public, the Phillips family collected art, antiques and cars – all of which are available for public viewing. Phillips House will also be hosting an ice cream social and ukulele performance on Open House Day, as well as historic lawn games.
“We, as a preservation organization, tell the story of a house as completely as we can,” Groff says. Discover those stories at these properties June 7th. For hours and directions, visit www.HistoricNewEngland.org.
· Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House, Gloucester, 1907
· Boardman House, Saugus, 1692
· Coffin House, Newbury, 1678 · Cogswell’s Grant, Essex, 1728
· Dole-Little House, Newbury, c. 1715
· Gedney House, Salem, 1665
· Phillips House, Salem, 1821
· Rocky Hill Meeting House, Amesbury, 1785
· Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm, Newbury, 1690
· Swett-Ilsley House, Newbury, c. 1670