PPA
Port Parks Alliance

MISSION

To collaborate with the City of Newburyport and its stakeholders to support the care, preservation, and enhancement of Newburyport parks.

PLAN

To bolster the missions of the Newburyport Parks division and the Parks Commission through independent fundraising for capital improvements, organizing of volunteers, education, and advocacy.

HISTORY

Formed as a grass roots movement in early 2023 by local citizens. We are a tax deductible 501(c)3.

EIN 92-1663647

PARKS INFORMATION

map
Location

This park, often referred to as “Pioneer Field”, is located on Merrimac Street, between Plummer Avenue and Moulton Street and on the backside of Upper Atkinson Common.

Features

This park consists of three baseball diamonds, a small clubhouse that serves as a snack shack and storage shed, a playground, and a basketball court.

History

The Pioneer Baseball League was founded in about 1959 to supplement the Newburyport Little League so that “no children would be turned away from playing baseball”.
Location

Atkinson Common is located on High Street near the intersection of High Street, Mosley Avenue, and Ferry Road, sometimes locally referred to as “Three Roads”.

Features

• This is a Victorian-era park with woods, gardens, monuments to war veterans, a lily pond with bridge, a gazebo, a stone tower, and paths.
• It also contains three public tennis courts.
• A unisex restroom is available from April to September.
• Portions of this park may be reserved for private gatherings. RESERVE HERE

History

• In 1867, the land for Upper and Lower Atkinson Common was given to Newburyport by Mrs. Eunice Currier in memory of her father, Matthew Atkinson.
• The “Upper” park was planned and improved between 1892-1929 with the help of the Belleville Improvement Society, a local neighborhood group.
• The Society worked to honor the Newburyport soldiers of the Civil War at this park. • A statue of a soldier returning from the war, designed by Ms. Theo Alice Kitson, was presented to the City on July 4th,1902. “The Volunteer” statue at Atkinson Common is the original work, with copies now in three other locations in the U.S.
• On July 17, 1913, cannons, commemorative monuments honoring all 1,431 Newburyport soldiers and sailors who served, and a panel with thetext of Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” were erected and dedicated.
• Originally, a wooden observation tower was built in the park where visitors could climb up to see views of the surrounding City and the Merrimack River. This tower was rebuilt in stone in 1931 by the Works Progress Administration. The stone structure has deteriorated, and there are efforts underway to repair and restore it.
Location

Atwood Park is located between Atwood and School Streets, between Federal and Lime Streets.

Parking

Street parking is available on both Atwood and School Streets.

Features

This 3/4-acre park has a lighted path connecting Atwood and School Streets, benches, and a half basketball court. The Garrison Gardens portion of the park is a landscaped courtyard with benches and two interpretive panels on abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and his birthplace, which is located directly across the street.

History

• Atwood Street and Park are named after Margaret Atwood. She lived at 54-56 Lime Street. She was a businesswoman, and she also taught young, orphaned girls how to read and write and prepared them for local workplaces. LEARN MORE.
• The park was established in 1976 on the former site of the Jackman School.
• In 2015, a portion of the park was made into “Garrison Gardens” after William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was the editor of the abolitionist newspaper, “The Liberator”, and one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He promoted “immediate emancipation” of slaves in the United States. His birthplace is located directly across from Garrison Gardens.
Location

Ayers Playground is located on Congress Street at Buck Street and adjacent to Cushing Park.

Parking/Access

There is both street parking and a parking lot within Cushing Park entered from Washington Street.

Features

There are multiple play structures in a playground for two- to five-year-old children and ample benches for supervision

History

• Ayers Playground, the south end portion of Cushing Park, was established in 1941 with the dedication of a flagpole to the “men who gave their lives to World War II”.
• In 1972, the playground was dedicated to Pauline Ayer for “her love of the children”.
Location

151 High Street, Newburyport

Parking/Access

Two blocks from downtown Newburyport. Parking available on the surrounding streets.

Features

Bartlet Mall includes over seven acres, with a promenade surrounding a centrally located pond, used for skating in the winter. Other features include a series of paths, walkways, benches and shade trees.

There is a playground on the corner of Auburn and High Street was newly renovated in 2023-24 and includes all-inclusive, accessible playground features as well as a basketball court. History

• The park centers on a deep gully, a kettle hole, shaped thousand years ago by ice that broke off of a retreating glacier.
• The pond formed by the kettle hole was named the Frog Pond by settlers in 1645 and used to water their sheep.
• The Mall was professionally landscaped in the 1880’s by well-known American landscape architect Charles Eliot. Eliot was known for pioneering principles of regional planning, naturalistic systems approach to landscape architecture, and laying the groundwork for conservancies across the world.
• The Swan Fountain in the center of the Frog Pond originally functioned to aerate and improve the water quality. The original fountain was gifted to the city by Ed Moseley in 1891. The fountain is not currently operational while the City explores funding sources for a major renovation of the pond and fountain.
• The Mall is also the site of a Superior Courthouse that dates to 1805. It was designed by architect Charles Bulfinch, who also designed the Massachusetts State House in Boston. It is one of the oldest active courthouses in the United States. Both the courthouse and the Mall were listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1976 and included in the Newburyport Historic District in 1984.
Location

The Bradley Fuller Athletic Field/Park is located at 40 Low Street near the Molin and Nock Schools.

Parking/Access

This park includes a passenger drop-off area and a lighted off-street parking lot for approximately 50 vehicles, including handicapped parking.

Features

• This 10.39-acre park includes facilities for track and field, soccer, field hockey, and softball.
• It includes a multilevel viewing stand with handicap ramp, four bike parking racks, and two port-a-potties.
• Note that when the middle or high school teams are using this facility for organized meets or games, they do have priority over residents using the site for recreation.

History

It was named after Bradley C. Fuller, who served on the Newburyport School Committee for 46 years of continuous service, the longest elected official in Newburyport to date.
Location

42 Milk Street, Newburyport

Parking/Access

Four blocks from downtown. Parking available on the surrounding streets. No restrooms.

Features

There is a playground and picnic table for public use, and is frequently enjoyed by the local neighborhood.

History

• The Brown School was built in 1922, completed in 1924. The City took four adjoining properties by eminent domain to create the site of the new Brown School and it's playground.
• The school was named for George W. Brown, principal of multiple local schools for decades, retiring from the Jackman School in 1926.
• The Brown School operated from 1924 until it's closure in 2014.
• In 2013 a petition signed by 500 neighborhood residents resulted in replacement of old wooden equipment with new playground equipment, installed by community members.
• The building served as a home for Newburyport Youth Services until 2021.
• The building remains closed while the City explores options for future use of the Brown School.
• Further information about the history of the Brown School can be found here.
Location

Located on Pleasant Street between Green and Titcomb Streets, Brown Square covers about .60 of an acre.

Parking/Access

On street parking is available surrounding the Park, and the municipal parking garage is a short walk.

History and Features

• Around 1800 Moses Brown erected a house on the property that is now the Garrison Inn. Brown donated the park land as it was laid out in 1801.
• Moses Brown was born 1742 and died in 1827.
• Originally a chaise maker, Moses Brown, a wealthy merchant, owned rum distilleries, and imported sugar and molasses for his rum products.
• Moses Brown was one of nine area men who furnished money to build the ship Merrimac
• A statue in the park of the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) was unveiled on July 4, 1893. The sculptor was Daniel Murray French of Newburyport. The statue was donated to the city by William H. Swasey.
• In 1979, granite monuments for service branches and to veterans of past wars were dedicated. They are located at the east end of the park.
• Each year Brown Square is the site of Veterans and Memorial Day ceremonies.
• Sitting in the park is said to provide many with peace.
Location

Located along the Merrimack River off of Merrimac Street behind the Towle Silver/PMA building

Parking/Access

Parking lots on Sally Snyder Way and Pop Crowley Way. Seasonal restrooms at the Pop Crowley Way parking lot.

Features

Cashman Park includes a playground, tennis courts, softball, baseball, and soccer fields, a basketball court, and a public boat ramp/launch that at one time was the busiest in the state. At one time the city flooded a 75x120 foot ice skating rink in the park. The park includes a paved walking and bike path, benches and a dog park.

History

• This 12.5+ acre park was originally called Central Park.
• The land was taken by eminent domain in the early 1920’s when Mayor Michael Cashman (1922-1926) was in office. The park was renamed and dedicated to Mayor Cashman in August, 1944.
• The Park is the site of the launch of the first Coast Guard vessel, the USS Massachusetts, in 1790.
• NHS baseball teams played here from mid-1920’s until early 1950’s, and the NHS football team played here in 1937 and 1938 while the high school stadium was under construction.
• Carnivals, circuses, and scout jamborees were annual events at the park, as well as a regular 4th of July bonfire.
• Today, the park is a favorite of families, pick-up basketball players, tennis enthusiasts and dog walkers among others. It is also regularly used for local soccer and softball leagues, road races and other events.
• More on the history of Cashman Park can be found here.
Location

These playing fields are located on Daniel Lucy Way and can be accessed from Curzon Mill Road and Storey Avenue

Parking/Access

There is off street parking and limited on-street parking. There are no lights.

Features

• Porta potties available
• Soccer fields maintained by Newburyport Youth Soccer Association (NYSA). Please note these fields are not available to the public – all use should go through NYSA.
• There are 2 main fields that can be converted to 8 fields depending on the age level of teams.

History

• This 9.5 acre lot was accepted by the City on August 4th, 1999 as part of a development agreement on the entire 58 acre site of a former nursery.
• The site had been under consideration for a new elementary school but those plans were abandoned when alternative options were developed
• Enter NYSA and their efforts to consolidate and centralize their growing soccer program.
Location

The Rail Trail extends for 3.9 paved miles and connects the MBTA commuter rail station at 25 Boston Way, to the Harborwalk (1.5 miles) along the waterfront, and follows the Merrimack River from Market Landing Park in downtown Newburyport to the Seawall/Water Street, continuing through the South End, under High Street along March’s Hill to Parker Street. There is a paved walkway along Parker Street back to the rail station to complete the loop. The Rail Trail also connects to the southern end of Salisbury’s Eastern Marsh Trail via Route 1/Gillis Bridge which provides panoramic views of the harbor, marinas, and Newburyport riverfront.

Parking/Access

• There are trailheads to enter the Rail Trail at the MBTA commuter rail station, Low Street, Washington Street, High Street, Cushing Park, Water Street, and Parker Street.
• The Rail Trail connects to Cashman Park via a paved boardwalk.
• Free parking is available at Cashman Park. Paid parking is available downtown and at the MBTA station.

Features

• The entire trail is paved and accessible for biking, walking, jogging, dog walking, and strollers. There are also numerous benches.
• More than a dozen sculptures have been installed ranging from figurative to abstract to interactive art for children and families. There are also murals, custom planters, and garden installations to enhance this unique public space.
• There are many points of interest along the Rail Trail including a Wildlife Habitat, an Edible Avenue of edible plants, and an Immigrant & Migrant statue.
• Restrooms are limited to the commuter rail station, Waterfront Park and seasonally at Cashman Park.

History

• Phase 1 of the Rail Trail was completed between 2008-2010.
• The Clipper City Rail Trail is part of the Coastal Trails Network, which is developing in the four towns of Newburyport, Newbury, Salisbury, and Amesbury along the Merrimack River.
• It is also part of the Border to Boston Trail, a developing trail network that will stretch 70 miles between the MA/NH border and Boston.
Location

1+ acre bricked pedestrian mall runs from Pleasant Street to Market Sq/Bull Nose

Parking/Access

Green Street paid parking lot and free on street parking surround the area.

Features

• The Inn Street Fountain sculpted by Stuart Dawson, was also dedicated in 1975 as a Historic Asset of the Commonwealth. It is a favorite cooling off attraction for children and adults alike in the summer-time. Granite blocks from the riverfront were installed in the brick plaza as part of the fountain.
• The Inn Street Playground attracts toddlers and pre-school children year-round. • Commercial shops with clothing, sweet treats, hair styling, etc., and private residences line the Mall.
• The Elephant’s Trunk and Rose Medallion were two of the first shops to open on the refurbished Mall.
• Lighting, a fountain, a wide brick walkway, flower and tree plantings, and stairways to State Street make Inn Street a vibrant, fun atmosphere for people of all ages.

History

• At one time this was an active street with wood framed buildings on both sides.
• The Great Fire of 1811 destroyed most of the wood structures and were replaced by the brick buildings that line Inn Street today.
• Inn Street was closed to traffic in 1975.
Location

This 5+ acre Park is located on High Street at the top of Bromfield Street.

Parking/Access

Free street parking along High Street, and access via the Rail Trail.

Features

• The March’s Hill area is a recreational area providing biking, hiking, pet exercise, walking, and winter sledding. The winter sledding scene is often referred to as a setting for a Gramma Moses painting.
• There are concrete steps to navigate the steepest areas of the Hill.
• There is limited, on-street parking but the park is also accessible via the Clipper City Rail Trail.
• The Rail Trail system, with a wide paved walkway and numerous benches, stretches through March’s Hill from High Street to Parker Street.
• Along the March’s Hill portion of the Rail Trail, there is a placard paying tribute to the people who built the railroad over March’s Hill in 1871.
• There are no restroom facilities or evening lighting.

History

• In the early 19th century, the Hill was used to spot enemy British ships nearing the harbor.
• The Hill was the scene of the town’s 4Th of July fireworks in the late 1800s.
• In 1939 the WPA completed a 500,000 gallon water tower on the Hill.
• March’s Hill was established in 1954 and named for the March family, early settlers of Newbury before 1650.
• Clara de Windt deeded the land to the city for a playground. She strongly opposed a supermarket that had been proposed for the site.
marchshill
Location

The Park is located off Merrimac Street between Green and State Streets, and runs from the Firehouse to the Merrimack River.

Parking/Access

Parking is available in area ground lots, on street parking, and the municipal parking garage is nearby.

Features

• There are numerous benches for relaxing, large lawns and walkways.
• The Park is the scene of many concerts, cultural events, picnics, and walks on the central waterfront boardwalk.
• Public charter boats for whale watching and harbor cruises leave on a regular schedule from the Park’s docks.
• Each Christmas season Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a Coast Guard boat at the park’s docks to the delight of all children and are escorted to Market Square for the lighting of the City’s Christmas Tree.
• Bathrooms available in The Firehouse

History

• This 4.10 acre Park was approved for funding in 1982 and developed in 1984.
• The Park is public property but overseen by the Waterfront Trust.
• A $6 million construction and expansion project began in August, 2023, and provided additional green space to the east and west sides and expand the Park to 4.6 acres.
• The 65-foot flagpole near the Firehouse is actually the boom removed from the fishing schooner, Gertrude L. Thebaud, that had traveled to the Arctic Circle in 1937.
marketlanding
Location

Market Square is a .30 acre triangle at the intersection of Merrimac, Water, and State Streets.

Parking/Access

On street parking and Green Street lot.

Features

The bullnose is a rounded corner made of granite steps. Market Square is ringed by benches and shade trees. Located in the heart of downtown Newburyport, it is surrounded by shops, restaurants, and steps from Waterfront Park.

History and Features

• Market Square was originally the center of town for selling goods off clipper ships from all over the world. Today it hosts the city’s Christmas tree and other public events and celebrations.
• In 1773 there was a Revolutionary act of tea burning by citizens in the Square.
• The Square is the original location of the Newburyport Hotel, later known as the Dexter Hotel.
• In 1975 a granite marker was placed in the Bullnose with an inscription by Newburyport resident Philip Stern:

Pause O passers by
Hear ye the lively star of trade
Whilst echoes of freedom’s fury
Rise above the reek of burning tea
Mingling with the brisk breezes off the sea

• The American Institute of Architecture chose the design of Market Square as its 1980 Honor Award.
bullnose
Location

Moseley Woods is adjacent to the rotary near the Chain Bridge (entrance to the rotary from Spofford and Merrimac Streets and Moseley Avenue).

Parking/Access

Ample free parking is available in an unpaved area along the driveway adjacent to the large lawn. Paved parking is adjacent to the playground and gazebo/pavilion. One handicapped parking spot is avaialble next to the gazebo. One porta potty is available. ours are restricted from sunrise to sunset.

Features

• This 13 acre wooded park offers views of the Merrimack River and some limited access to the shoreline.
• Covered pavilion with picnic benches and a BBQ grill. Reservations are available on the city's Registration and Reservation Hub.
• Playground with climbing structures, numerous benches
• Large open field just in front of the wooded area and playground
• Walking trail along the riverfront and through the woods but note this is also an off leash dog area.
• Designated off leash dog park area begins at the edge of the woods. Please note dogs should remain on leash in the parking area and are not allowed in the playground area (on or off leash). Rules for the off leash area are posted by the trailhead.

History

• This 13-acre park was established in 1920 when it was given to the City by Charles Mosley.
• The site was formerly called Jackman Pines, presumably after the Jackman Family, which was a very prominent shipbuilding family in Newburyport history.
woods
Location

Small area at intersection of Ferry Rd and Spofford St

Features

The small area is dissected by a short cutoff road between Spofford St and Ferry Rd. Neither section is suitable for any recreation, the larger portion being uncleared.

History

• We believe Moulton Square was designated during the brief period of Moultonville community existence. This was around 1886 when Mr. Henry Moulton built a factory, ran a silversmith business and created a community with real estate available for the workers
• In 1900, upon Mr. Moulton’s death, the last of his property, including the Moulton Castle, was sold to the Mosley estate.
• It is unclear how and when the property came to be owned by the city of Newburyport.
woods
Location

Patrick Tracy Square is located at 27-29 Pleasant Street in downtown Newburyport.

Parking/Access

There is adjacent on-street parking on Pleasant Street and the square is near the Hales Court surface parking lot.

Features

• This is a small brick plaza that provides shaded seating areas and a chess table with chairs.
• It also contains two steel sculptures created by artist Dale Rogers.
• Restrooms are available in the nearby City Hall at 60 Pleasant Street.

History

• This square was dedicated in 1983 to local Patrick Tracy (1711-1789), who was a successful businessman and shipmaster.
• Tracy was a strong supporter of the provincial government during the revolution. He built a mansion on State Street, which is now the Newburyport Public Library.
tracy
Location

Located on Beacon Street, the park covers 10+ acres.

Parking/Access

Street parking is available.

Features

• The park includes tennis and pickle ball courts, basketball courts, a baseball/softball field, and a children’s playground.
• Children’s playground includes slides, swings, sandbox, a wooden ship and fire engine, and toys.
• There are numerous benches for resting.

History

• In 1945 the Park was established and named for Edward G. Perkins, who was a city council president for 18 terms and 43 years of service.
• Formerly, the property was the site of a gas plant where coal was processed into gas. The gas was piped into city homes to be used for lighting before electricity.
• In 1999 three feet of soil was removed from the park to address contamination from the manufactured gas.
• Clean up and re-installation of the playground equipment was completed in 2004. There was a grand reopening of the Park in June, 2005.
tracy
Location

The Skate Park is located on Low Street at the rear of Nock Middle School.

Parking/Access

Free parking is available at the Nock Middle School parking lot.

History/Features

• Friends of Newburyport Skate Park raised $80,000 (with an additional pledge of $10,000) with a goal of $100,000 for the Park. • Newburyport Skate Park is a .30 acre park (8400 sq ft) that opened August 3, 2001. • The Park was designed to accommodate different levels of ability and features a “beginners bowl”, and an “advanced bowl”, and a “street area” for free form skating with a concrete deck wrapping around the perimeter.
skl8
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The Parks Division within DPS

Screenshot 2025-10-18 at 09.14.19
RESERVE A PARKS SPACE

You may think of the Newburyport Parks Division as the people you see mowing at our larger parks. However, their responsibilities go far beyond that.

  • As part of the Department of Public Services (DPS), the Parks Division is responsible for both maintenance and improvements at over 100 acres of parks and playgrounds, greenspace and hardscape alike.
  • There are formal gardens at Atkinson Common, a skatepark at the Nock-Molin school, the entire length of the Clipper City Rail Trail, and athletic fields used by our public schools and private groups alike, ranging from Bradley Fuller Track, to the baseball / softball fields at Cashman Park, to the Cherry Hill soccer fields.
  • Hardscapes they maintain include Inn Street and its playground, the bullnose at Market Square, Patrick Tracy Square, and vegetation at our Green Street public parking lot.

The Parks Division does all this work with just 3.7 full-time-equivalent (FTE) staff members: one Parks Manager, two other full-time employees, and seasonal summer staff.

  • Excluding the School Department, the City of Newburyport has 243 FTE employees; the 3.7 assigned to Parks make up less than 2% of all non-school city staff.
  • For comparison's sake, DPS’s Highway Division has 39 FTE workers, and Newburyport’s Recreation & Youth Services Department has 10.8 FTE employees.

Specific, year-round tasks for these very few, hardworking Parks employees include:

  • All landscaping and snow-ice management
  • Winterizing, reopening, and maintaining the Inn Street fountain and the lily ponds and fountain at Atkinson Common
  • Regular, Certified Playground Safety maintenance at nine city playgrounds
  • Several tasks are citywide beyond park properties, including arborist duties (Parks Manager acts as Tree Warden), pesticide application, on-call graffiti removal, and installation and maintenance of benches and memorial plaques
  • Animal control to augment Animal Control Officer shared with West Newbury
  • Regular training per OSHA and Pesticide and International Society of Arboriculture
  • Issuing permits for hourly, daily, and seasonal use of park facilities

Also, the Parks Division works with the mayor’s office, Manager of Special Projects, to oversee all capital improvements to our parks and playgrounds, as directed by the Parks Commission and funded by the City Council. Some projects that the Parks Department completed in-house in 2024:

  • Completing Fuller Field Renovation Project by creating two new, ADA-compliant bathrooms where none existed before
  • At Upper Atkinson Common (High Street), oversight of the installation of steel doors at historic rock tower
  • At Bartlet Mall, reconstructed historic walkway from Auburn Street down to the Frog Pond
  • At Woodman Park, installation of a fully accessible path to the playground
  • At the Clipper City Rail Trail, expanded edible and butterfly gardens, continued to remove invasive tree species from Washington Street to the Merrimac River, with Friends of Newburyport Trees (FONT) installed and maintained new trees, installed COVID-19 pandemic memorial, supervised replacement of failed wooden fence sections, and assisted with the installation of Black History interpretive panels.

Where possible, Parks staff does construction and maintenance work in-house, to minimize cost. The annual funding from the City’s General Fund is relatively low:

All operating expenses must be covered by the City’s “General Fund,” approved each fiscal year by the City Council.

  • Unlike for the Water Department, Sewer Department, and Harbormaster, there is no separate "Enterprise Fund" for our parks.
  • Unlike Newburyport’s Recreation & Youth Services Department, the Parks Division does not charge significant user fees to defray its costs.

For Fiscal Year 2025, total operating expenditure for the Parks Division will be $600,000; happily, this is a 41% increase from four years ago.

  • However, $600,000 is still less than 1% of the $87 million in overall General Fund expenditures approved for fiscal year 2025.
  • Volunteer gardeners, contractors, and designers are welcome, and the Port Parks Alliance acts to connect volunteers to specific parks and playgrounds.

For capital improvements, our parks can benefit from municipal bonding, as well as government and private grants. The Port Parks Alliance can help lobby and apply for some grants.

RESERVE A PARKS SPACE
Parks history references

Newburyport Daily News, July 24, 2013 New Equipment for Brown School by D. Henrickson, Historical Newburyport Mass, Currier Vol 1 and Vol 2, Newburyport Daily News by Bill Coltin Nov 10, 1983, History of Newburyport by Mary Baker Eaton, Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, FL, Mar 27, 2018, Newburyport Daily News, E. edition, Feb 2, 2024, About the Newburyport Swan Fountain by Jeff Briggs/Happy in Newburyport Nov 11, 2018