The 1830 map – “Map of the original town of Newbury, now divided into Newbury, Newburyport and West Newbury.”
Turkey Hill - Hale Street and Plummer Spring Road to Longfellow Drive, Crow Lane and Interstate 95 - Land that goes back to George Little (1618 - 1692) and to the Little/Newman family going back to the 1600s, that was developed in the 1960s, and is now part of the Turkey Hill neighborhood in the "West End" of Newburyport.
There are a number of anecdotes that talk about how George Little (1618 – 1692), a tailor from London (please see Unicorn Street on this website and the Interactive Newburyport History Map, use the search function), being the first settler at Turkey Hill, he came to Newbury around 1640.* Although he arrived as a young man, it appears that he had a considerable amount of money and made extensive purchases of land, including land at Turkey Hill.** “He was a tailor by trade, but like most of his countrymen, devoted most of his time to agriculture. He was renowned for his physical strength: there is a tradition that he could carry a plough on his shoulder from his home to his farm on Turkey Hill, three miles away.”***
The 1872 Map, Historic Map Works
On the 1830 map ^* it shows Colonel Joshua Little (1747 – 1836), (“A commissioned Colonel in the militia, he was a farmer by occupation and lived near the family farm on Turkey Hill in Newbury, MA.,”^^^) living at what is probably now 66 Turkey Hill Road, in the developed part of that area. On the 1830 map the area is farm land and open space. Colonel Joshua Little was the great, great grandson of George Little. It is possible that that part Turkey Hill was part of the farm originally purchased by George Little after 1640. That part of Turkey Hill was part of Newbury in 1830, and probably became part of Newburyport when it expanded its borders and became a city in 1851.
The 1884 Map, Historic Map Works
Colonel Joshua Little had one surviving daughter, Judith, who married Asa T. Newhall, and one of their sons, and Colonel Joshua Little’s grandson, Joshua L. Newhall (1808 – 1874), a farmer,^^ is on the 1872 map (on the 1872 map it looks like Joshua Newhall owns a lot of the Turkey Hill area). Joshua Newhall’s son Asa T. Newhall (1846–1937), a well known farmer,^*^ is on the 1884 map. Asa’s obituary in 1937, says, “He was born in the house which had been his home ever since, and in which he died.”^^ The house, 66 Turkey Hill Road, was most probably built before 1846.
1961 Plan for “Freedom Acres”
Asa’s son John A. Newhall (1882–1955) married Marguerite Newhall (1893–1959) and inherited the property. John A. Newhall’s estate, which consisted of 160 acres, 104 acres on the east side of Turkey Hill Road along Turkey Hill Road and Hale Street, and 56 Acres along Plummer Spring Road and Turkey Hill Road, on the west side of Turkey Hill Road, was sold in 1960.
66 Turkey Hill Road, Newburyport Historic Surveys, 1980, the Little/Newhall house.
Frances Kelleher first developed the 56 acre property along Plummer Spring and Turkey Hill Roads, that includes Longfellow Drive, in 1961. It was called “Freedom Acres,”*^* and was a suburban area compared to the rest of Newburyport. By 1960 the historic district and the Central Waterfront (please see “Ferry Wharf” and “Coal” on the Interactive History Map, use the search function) had fallen on hard times, to the point where the demolition of downtown Newburyport to build a shopping mall was a serious consideration (please see Urban Renewal on this website and the Interactive History Map, use the search function). The town most likely thought that the suburban area on the outskirts of town would attract new people to Newburyport. It is why that area has such a different feel than the historic district. The other side of the road from Hale Street to Crow Lane, was partially developed in 1966 as a “Subdivision of Turkey Hill.” Francis Kelleher went on to develop the rest of the 104 acres in 1979*^* and it is called “Kelleher Pines.”
Land that belonged to the Little/Newman family that is now developed.
Turkey Hill, Newburyport Interactive History Map
~ History compiled by Mary Baker Eaton
Footnotes and References:
* The Ron Irving Papers, the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center.
** Reminiscences Of A Newburyport Nonagenarian, by Sarah Smith Emery, 1879
*** “The Descendants of George Little, Who Came to Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1640,” by George Thomas Little, 1882
^* “Map of the original town of Newbury, now divided into Newbury, Newburyport and West Newbury” 1830.
^^ Obituary of Asa T. Newhall, Newburyport Daily News and Newburyport Herald, February 2, 1937
^^^ “Essex Institute Historical Collections [Historical Collections of the Essex Institute]”
VOL. LXII — 1926
^*^ Obituary of Mr. Annie (widow of Asa T. Newhall), Newburyport Daily News and Newburyport Herald, July 26, 1937
*^* Salem Deeds
1960 – 104.7 acres, Estate of John A. Newhall, Book 96, Plan 4
1960 – 56 acres, Estate of John A. Newhall, Book 96, Plan 5
1961 – “Freedom Acres,” Book 97, Plan 47
1966 – “Subdivision of Turkey Hill,” Book 106 Plan 95
1979 – “Kelleher Pines,” Book 157, Plan 73
City Directories, the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center
Historic Newspapers, the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center
FamilySearch.org
The 1830 map – “Map of the original town of Newbury, now divided into Newbury, Newburyport and West Newbury.”
The 1872 Map, Historic Map Works
The 1884 Map, Historic Map Works
Newburyport Historic Surveys
