Rocks Village Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rocks Village Historic District
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Rocks Village Fire Station
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Haverhill and West Newbury, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1740 |
| Architect | Boston Bridge Works |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001967 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Rocks Village Historic District is a special old neighborhood in eastern Haverhill, Massachusetts. It has about 25 homes, mostly houses, clustered together near the Rocks Village Bridge. This bridge was an important crossing point over the Merrimack River long ago. Many of these buildings are very old, with 15 of them built in the 1700s! This area is famous because the poet John Greenleaf Whittier was born nearby. Also, one house has cool artwork by Rufus Porter. Rocks Village became a local historic district in 1975. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Contents
Discovering Rocks Village's Past
Rocks Village is located in the far eastern part of Haverhill. It started way back in 1640 as a place where people could cross the river by ferry. It was also a meeting spot for local farmers.
The Rocks Village Bridge
The first bridge here was built in 1795. The bridge you see today, called Rock's Bridge, is made of steel and was built in 1905. It's a key part of the village's history.
Old Homes and Buildings
The oldest house still standing in the district was built in 1740. A total of 15 buildings were built before the year 1800. Only two homes were built in the 1900s. Most of the buildings are made of wood. They are usually one or two stories tall. There is also one brick house in the district.
One special building is the Hand Tub House. It used to be a fire station. Now, it has been turned into a local museum.
Where the Village Is Located
The district is centered around a four-way intersection. This is where River Road, Wharf Lane, East Main Street, and the Rock's Bridge approach meet. Most of the buildings are found on Wharf Lane and River Road. A few are on East Main Street. The bridge is the only part of the district that goes into West Newbury, Massachusetts.
The Famous Countess House
The Ingalls House was built around 1750. It is a very important house in Rocks Village. It is famous for two main reasons.
First, it has amazing murals painted on its walls by a traveling artist named Rufus Porter. Second, it was the birthplace of Mary Ingalls. She was the first countess to be born in all of New England!
A Poet's Inspiration
The Ingalls House is also known as the "Countess House." The life of Mary Ingalls inspired the poet John Greenleaf Whittier. He wrote a poem called "The Countess" about her. Whittier was born very close to Rocks Village. He dedicated his poem to Dr. Elias Weld, who also lived in the Countess House.
Amazing Wall Murals
The Countess House has been carefully restored over many years. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most of the original murals on the walls are still there.
Here are some of the cool murals you can see:
- Front stairway: There's a picture of a stag hunt going up the stairs. You can also see a steamboat drawn on the wall under the stairway.
- Upstairs front bedroom: This room has four pictures on the walls. They are all in one color and show scenes from New England. They look a bit like the mountains and trees were drawn from memories of a trip to Hawaii!
- Upstairs back bedroom: This room has a low ceiling and a small fireplace. It has murals on all four of its walls.
