Stevens - Salisbury Beach

Many cottages were built on the south end of the beach in the late 19th century. All the cottages were later razed or moved to the north end when the south end became a state-owned refuge in the 1930s. Although some cottages were occupied by their owners, most of the early ones were built to be leased. Most had two rooms, one upstairs and one down. The upstairs was often divided by a sheet to separate the men and women. (Courtesy Scott Nason.)

People arrived at Salisbury Beach for the Great Gathering on September 17, 1861, by 48 modes of transportation. The steamship Clipper delivered guests from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Invitations had been sent by the Committee on Arrangements to every native son and daughter. Salisbury natives from Illinois and New York City were in attendance. (Courtesy Scott Nason.)

Many people arrived the night before the Great Gathering, or Salisbury Festival Day, and camped out on the beach. Five thousand people had gathered on the beach by 6 p.m. There was spirited music by a well-trained choir and speeches by local orators, including Caleb Cushing, a native son of Salisbury, a diplomat, and attorney general under Franklin Pierce. Clam chowder was served from the Relay House, even though the crowd had brought enough food to feed the inhabitants of Boston. (Courtesy Scott Nason.)

This stagecoach is leaving Bradford College in 1903 to deliver the girls to the dock to catch the ship that will take them to Salisbury Beach for their annual outing.

Gertrude Sawyer Morse and a friend, from the Bradford College class of 1903, pose for the camera in full dress near the landing at Black Rocks. They are both wearing fashionable hats, probably Gibson Girl blouses (a lot of tucks and lace), completed with a walking skirt covered by a full-length coat.

The porch of the Roller Skating Rink accommodates many people possibly waiting for the next boat to arrive at the Black Rocks dock. A sign attached to the rink simply states, Open Morning, Afternoon and Evening. (Courtesy Scott Nason.)

A group poses at the Pavilion at Black Rocks, c. 1880. The atmosphere of true refinement is depicted in this Victorian-era portrait of the beach. The lookout tower must have furnished a wonderful vista of the Atlantic Ocean. (Courtesy Joseph Callahan.)

The steamer landing at Black Rocks allowed passengers to catch a transfer ferry. The familiar simmer of the awaited steam engine could be heard by the crowd on the dock. (Courtesy Arnold Marookian.)

The City of Haverhill is docked at Black Rocks landing in 1880s. This 175-ton steamer, a sternwheeler, was a double-decker capable of carrying a large load of passengers. The Black Rocks were a real marine hazard. The famous Capt. John Smith was said to have spent a stormy night anchored off Black Rocks. Several shipwrecks occurred at this location.

This photograph shows all the buildings and the pier at Black Rocks in 1888. The Pavilion appears at the far right, with the hotel in the center of the picture.