Our Parks - Upper Atkinson Common

Address: 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”.

Parking/Access

•  Parking is provided primarily on Mosley Avenue, but parking is also available in a small, designated parking lot off Plummer Avenue. 

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. Go through the City’s Registration and Reservation Hub to do this (https://newburyportma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx). 

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 the text 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.