Nomination for Fort Sewall

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form No. 10-300 (Rev. 10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE P140100654 DATA SHFET FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDMAR 14 1975 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED AP# 6 74000375 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS 4 1975 1 NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMON Fort Sewall (preferred) uethi 2 LOCATION STREET & NUMBER Promontory called Fort Sewall CITY.

TOWN Marblehead - NOT FOR PUBLICATION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT sixth STATE VICINITY OF CODE 025 3 Massachusetts CLASSIFICATION COUNTY Essex CATEGORY DISTRICT XSTRUCNGRS -SITE -OBJECT OWNERSHIP XPUBLIC PRIVATE _BOTH PUBLIC ACQUISITION -IN PROCESS _BEING CONSIDERED STATUS _OCCUPIED X UNOCCUPIED WORK IN PROGRESS ACCESSIBLE _YES: RESTRICTED XYES: UNRESTRICTED _NO PRESENT USE AGRICULTURE _COMMERCIAL XMUSEUM _PARK EDUCATIONAL _PRIVATE RESIDENCE _ENTERTAINMENT -RELIGIOUS -GOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC _INDUSTRIAL -TRANSPORTATION -MILITARY _OTHER: OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME Town of Marblehead STREET & NUMBER Abbot Hall CITY, TOWN Marblehead - VICINITY OF 5 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC. : Town Offices STREET & NUMBER Massachusetts 01945 Abbot Hall CITY.

TOWN Marblehead REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE Inventory of the Historic Assets of the Commonwealth Massachuset SSATE DATE 1970 DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS Massachusetts Historical Commission CITY. TOWN _FEDERAL XSTATE _COUNTY _LOCAL Boston STATE Massachusetts 7 DESCRIPTION CONDITION _EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR DETERIORATED _RUINS _UNEXPOSED CHECK ONE UNALTERED X ALTERED CHECK ONE LORIGINAL SITE _MOVED DATE. DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

There is no detailed description of the original Fort Sewall. A 1744 description states that "the town battery ... is built upon a rock, naturally well fortified, and mounts twelve large guns." The fort's location was indeed a natural one. Its guns stood on an elevated position, providing an effective field of fire over the entrance to Marblehead Harbor. In 1811 Fort Sewall was described as "an enclosed work of masonry and sods, mounting eight heavy cannons, covered by a block house, a brick magazine and barracks for forty men and officers." At present, the Fort Sewall site is a public park. Located on the western side of the harbor, the site is roughly rectangular, with private dwellings fenced off from the park at its eastern end. Access to the park is provided by Fort Sewall Road which reaches a dead end at the park's entrance.

A path with numerous benches overlooking the harbor has been constructed around the perimeter of the site. fort's military function remain. A mound 15 feet high rises sharply at the northwest end of the fort. Probably a magazine, it is covered with earth and sod and has an entrance on its eastern side. Immediately to the south of this magazine is a long rectangular structure of brick, 60 feet by 20 feet, roofed with earth and sods. This structure was probably a prison and storage area and may have been the site of gun emplacements. Mat 8

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

SIGNIFICANCE PERIOD _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 - 1500-1599 X 1600-1699 X 1700-1799 X 1800-1899 - 1900- _ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC _ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE ARCHITECTURE ART .COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW _COMMUNITY PLANNING -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _CONSERVATION LAW -ECONOMICS _LITERATURE _EDUCATION X MILITARY _ENGINEERING _MUSIC _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT _PHILOSOPHY _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _INVENTION _RELIGION -SCIENCE _SCULPTURE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _THEATER -TRANSPORTATION _OTHER (SPECIFY) SPECIFIC DATES 1644 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE BUILDER

Statement of significance

/ARCHITECT Fort Sewall (originally named Fort Head) is significant as an early coastal fort which served as an important military defense for over 300 hundred years. From the time of the establishment of its first fishing station (1629), Marblehead worried about attacks from the sea, especially from the French and the The town's fishing and trade was so successful that in 1660 the King's Agent reported in London that "Marblehead was the greatest town for fishing in New England." Its obvious prosperity brought pirates offshore and the upkeep of the 1644 breastwork became a constant necessity. In the three Canadian wars, Marblehead, an outstanding seaport, was expected to provide large numbers of ships and men. The Fort had to be on constant alert against French attack. It also served to house French prisoners.

As the tumult for independence grew, Marblehead patriots were among the most active and outspoken. Rumors spread that the Birtish might burn the rebellious seaport; to combat this possibility, the townspeople in 1775 and 1776 rebuilt the Fort and had their cannon in clear view (though often they had no powder). Marblehead ceded their old Fort to the new nation in 1794 and watched the entire headland become an important base. During the War of 1812, the Fort became prominent in coastal defense. It was during this war in 1814 that the Marblehead fort was renamed Fort Sewall in honor of Samuel Sewall, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court who died in 1814 and who had been a resident of Marblehead. On April 3, 1814 the Fort's guns protected the U.S.S.

Constitution and permitted her to escape capture by the British frigates; thus the ship was saved to continue the fight and later to become a National Historic Landmark. Fort Sewall was rebuilt during the Civil War and used for coastal defense and military training. Plans were to activate it for the Spanish-American War, but the war concluded before this was necessary. The Fort remained in government ownership until 1922 when it was ceded back to the town for use as a park. Fort Sewall is in its fourth century and has played an integral part in the history of the town, the state and the nation.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES Marblehead town records of Town meetings and Selectmen's meetings Massachusetts State ARchives Essex Institute records Lord & Gamage, Marblehead - The Spirit of '76 lives Here, 1972 10 GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 2.5 acres UTM REFERENCES 710 AL,9 13149700 4.71077501 EASTING NORTHING cLLLIL VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Lil, Lu UIM CK CO *ZÓNE EASTIN NORTHING- NORTHING -LeJ LLI LN LilI LuL LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES STATE CODE COUNTY CODE STATE CODE COUNTY CODE 11 FORM PREPARED BY NAME / TITLE Patricia I. Weslowski, Survey Director, and Virginia C.

Gamage ORGANIZATION DATE Massachusetts Historical Commission February 1975 STREET & NUMBER 40 Beacon Street 6172H8770 CITY OR TOWN STATE Boston Massachusetts 02108 12 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS: NATIONAL STATE_ LOCAL_ As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service. SHPO REDERAL REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE Ols jabeeti P.Amadon TITLE Mass.

State_Historic Greservation orricer DATE FOR NPS USE ONLY DATE DATE 3/10/75 4(19/y5 APR 8 1975 Fort Scwael Property Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head stateMassachusetts Working Number 3./4.75, 38/ TECHNICAL Photos _3 Netthing appeaes iicrsseat cll Maps 1 /sketch Essex CONTROL pl 3,14.75 HISTORIAN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN ACCEPT LEBOVICH 3-14-75 ARCHEOLOGIST Accapt M.Baruet 14 MAR75 OTHER HAER Fost Sewall Inventory . Review REVIEW UNIT CHIEF Accrpi Cols 4-1-75 BRANCH CHIEF Hunyo 4.4.75 KEEPER Wn APR 8 Entered APR 14 1975 INT:2106-74 Natona1 Register Write-uP-3-15 Federal Register Entry 6-3-15 Send-back - Re-submit United States Department of the Interior National Park Service WASO No. 7 PARK PAIHS OVET BARTAWORK (1 Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONALPARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDMAR 14 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 14 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMON Fort Sewall (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Marblehead _VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIGregory Smith NEGATIVE FILED AT Marblehead Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET 1ooking north at park paths over earthwork #103 COUNTY Essex STAT DATE OF PHOTO 1974 PHOTO PROPERTY OF THE NATTONAL REGISTER #/33 LEFT-EARTHWORK MAGAZIME RIGNI-REAR STRI Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 14 1975 DATE ENTERED APP 1.4.197 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMPOrt Sewall (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Marblehead VICINITY OF PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDITGregory Smith NEGATIVE FILED AT Marblehead Historical Commission COUNTY Essex DATE OF PHOTO 1974 STATE IDENTIFICATION PHOTO N DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET looking south at staircase to rooms (right); earthwork magazine (left) #23 PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL REGIS #233 EARTAWORK, PARADE GRDUMD, ENTRANCES TOINTERD Form No. 10-301a (Pev.

10-7+) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDMAR 14 1975 APR 1 4 19 DATE ENTERED SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES ENCLOSE WITH PHOTOGRAPH 1 2 NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMON Fort Sewall (preferred) LOCATION CITY, TOWN _VICINITY OF Marblehead COUNTY Essex PHOTO REFERENCE PHOTO CREDIT Gregory Smith DATE OF PHOTO 1974 NEGATIVE FILED AT Marblehead Historical Commission IDENTIFICATION DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. IF DISTRICT, GIVE BUILDING NAME & STREET looking north east at the parade ground, entrances to interior #383 STATE PHOTO N PROPERTY OF THE NATIONAL RI #3 3 Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) ÜNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVED MAR 14 1975 DATE ENTERED APR 14 1375 SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 2 3 4 NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMON Fort Sewall (preferred) LOCATION CITY. TOWN Marblehead MAP REFERENCE SOURCE sketch map SCALE not to scale REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES - VICINITY OF DATE 1974 COUNTY Essex STATE MA INT: 2986-75 ENTRANCE P PATAS LAVATORY EARTHWORK FORT PARADE GROUND DOORS TO iNTERIOR CASEMATES ENTRANCE TO UNDERGROUD M MAGAZiNE H WALL WEATBER STATION ROCKS SEA HOUSE Form No. 10-301 (Rev.

10-74) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY RECEIVEDMAR 14 1975 DATE ENTERED 4PR_1.1102C SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- ENCLOSE WITH MAP 1 2 3 NAME HISTORIC Marblehead Fort or Fort on Gale's Head AND/OR COMMON Fort Sewall (preferred) LOCATION CITY,TOWN Marblehead _VICINITY OF COUNTY Essex STATE MA MAP REFERENCE SOURCE United States Geological Survey, Marblehead North, Mass., quadrangle SCALE 1:24,000 DATE 1970 REQUIREMENTS TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. PROPERTY BOUNDARIES 2. NORTH ARROW 3. UTM REFERENCES INT: 2986-75 Regional Director, North Atlantic Region - ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER STATE HASSACHUSEITS Date Entered TPe 1 4 19* 4/15/75 Name Old Ship Street Hictorlo District Fort Sewall First Baptist Church, Carbridge St.

Stephen's Church T'owlo-Reod Wynan Iouse Salem Croas Inn Location Medford Hiddlesex County Marblehead Essex County Cambridge Miadlesex County Boston Suffolls county Arlington Miâdlesex County West Brookfleld vicinity Vorcesiar County - Also Notified Hon. Idward M . Kennedy Zon, Edward w.Srooka fon. Torzort il. l'acDonald lon. Michaol J. larrington lion, Thomas P. O'tell1, Jz. Hon, John J. Moakley lon. Ldward P. Boland State Itstorio Preservation Officex Mrs. Ilizabati R. Anadon Executivo Director Nassachusatts Historical Comission 40 Deacon Street Boston, llassaciusetts 07108 1 NR Data Sheet DATE: Reviewer NR cfox NAMEAS IT, APPEARS IN FEDERAL REGISTER: Fort Sewall OTHER NANES: Fort on Gale's Head; Marblehead Fort ; Fart Head LOCATION: - list separately STRET&NUMBER Promontory called Fort Sewall promontory CITY.

TOWN /Marblehead CONGRESSIUNAL DISTRICT 6th VICINITY OF STATE Massachusetts COUNY Essex code 009. C OWNER OF PROPERTY: (Circle) PRIVATE STATE (LOCAL GOV'T) MUNICIPAL COUNTY OTHER FEDERAL (AGENCY NAME) : ADMINISTRATOR (underline) NPS REGION: (CIRCLE) (N.ATLANTIO SOUTHWEST ROCKY MOUNTAIN MID ATLANTIC SOUTHEAST MIDWEST WEST PACIFIC NORTHWEST : - FEATURES: EXTERIOR ENVIRONS _ Substantially intact-1 L unknown - 4 -Substantially intact-2 - Substantially intact-3 -unknown.-5 - unknown -6 - not applicable - 7 - not applicable - 8 - Nct applicable-9 -Interioi, exterioi, cnvirons not intact-o CONDITION - _EXCELLENT 26000 _FAIR _DETERIORATED _UNALTERED _RUINS LALTERED _UNEXPOSED -Reconstructed EORIGINAL SITE _MOVED _Unknewn _Unexcavated -Excavated ACCESS - Yes-restricted Yes-unrestricted No access Unknown historie distriet? YES NO WITHIN NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT?

YES NO IF YES, NAME: WITHIN NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK? YES IF YES, NAME: . YES ADAPTIVE USE: FUNCTION (S): (use vocabulary words) then- fort now-pard NO Saved ? YES NO - SIGNIFICANCE: _ARCHEOLUGY-PREHISTORIC _ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC _AGRICULTURE _ARCHITECTURE LART _COMMERCE _COMMUNICATIONS Claims _CONSERVATION _ECONOMICS _EDUCATION LENGINEERING _EXPLORATION UNDUSTRY _INVENTION -LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE _LAW/Gov't/politics _LITERATURE EMILTARY- _MUSIC _PHILOSOPHY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _RELIGION _SCIENCE _SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN _TRANSPORTATION -OTHER (SPECIFY) --entertainment _health _recreation _settlement _socio/cultura _urban & commu planning "first' YES NO "e oldest'2 YES NO "'only" YES NO 4-5-77 INITIALS: DNX - DOE April 14, 1975 ..

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: N.A architect/m.builder: landscape/garden designer: interior decorator: engineer: artist/artisan: builder/contractor: ETHNIC GROUP: NAMES: personal (label role & appropriate date) events institutional DATES: ce (epote ae or 1 e canumm, int half of ucent. DATE(S) OF "NANOR'" ALTERANIONS (644, (775-76 HISTORICAEIY STONTETCANT DAFE(S3: XUREK, (812-1844 81841-65 (izbuill düving variohes SOURCE: (OF NOMINATION) PRIVATE STATE LOCAL GOV"T MUNICIPAL COUNTY wars) OTHER FEDERAL 'AGENCY: ACREAGE" (to nearest tenth of an acro) 2.5 COMMENTS: (include architectural information here) Sit of ernthenüch fanficaton induding i5 mound cuulli.. masoniy, entrance aud interioz Aarr (probabig magarini), e aud 6o 'X20' laith-covered store ptructur wih round- wihqun emplacements.

Areted opeuings (proburta Prisca ontect te imanc Nempdteruer sepnrt of of layer fort built in 1a44 For dytata to protect the impor. Nlarbletead vanta SIGNIFICANCE:(maximum two sentences) foni dutch aud Fuuch tack rebiteir or sewice dunng Revolutinay War and was of Metrajta get uan. fitt.