Homes For Sale In Ipswich Massachusetts

Living in Ipswich, Massachusetts

Ipswich, Massachusetts Approximately 28 miles from Boston, Ipswich, MA is known for her Great Marsh clams, Crane Beach, four stone arch bridges over the Ipswich River, and its quaint streets lined with “First Period” houses. John the Younger and 12 men aboard a “shallop” (small exploring boat) sailed into Ipswich harbor and took up residence. Two men continued up the river (now River Road) to a large meadow, which they called New Meadows, now Topsfield. Agawam was incorporated on August 5, 1634, as Ipswich. These pioneers would become farmers, fishermen, shipbuilders or traders. The tidal Ipswich River provided water power for mills, and salt marshes supplied hay for livestock. A cottage industry in lace-making stockings, around 1822, developed as a home industry from a stocking machine, which had been smuggled out of England violating a British ban on exporting such technology, and the community developed as a mill town. In 1868, Amos A. Lawrence established the Ipswich Hosiery Mills in the old stone mill on the Ipswich River. By the turn of the century, the enterprise had become the largest stocking manufacture in the country.

Ipswich did not develop as a great port as the industry of the “Great clipper ships” by-passed the area for the deep-water seaports of Salem, Newburyport, Quincy, and Boston.

Depending on your housing needs the Ipswich real estate market offers many home options. Ipswich real estate offers rentals of apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes. If your housing needs are long-term, the Ipswich real estate market also offers condominiums and single-family homes for sale. Anyone considering Ipswich real estate needs to ask: Is the neighborhood the right fit?

Town of Ipswich, Ma 
Today Ipswich is a destination with a walkable town center of neighborhood retail, gift shops, restaurants, sandwich and other eateries surrounded by rural landscape and residential neighborhoods. The Town’s landscape ranges from forest to marsh, to beach. Ipswich is approximately 33 square miles of rolling topography, forests, fields, farmland marshes, dunes, and beaches. The rural setting is home to the Parker River Wildlife Refuge, Sandy Point State Reservation and most noted Crane Beach as “one of the most beautifully scenic beaches in all New England.” Ipswich is well known for its early 17th century homes; fifty-eight houses in town were built prior to 1725 – the largest number still standing and occupied of any community in the country. While Ipswich’s population remained relatively stable until the 1970s, like most Massachusetts communities. Since that population boom, most of the additional population increase has been to attributed to the birth rate.

Commuting from Ipswich, Ma 

Ipswich is accessible via car, bike and Commuter Rail Service. There isn’t an Interstate Highway however, I-95 passes through adjacent Boxford and Topsfield.

U.S. Route 1, known as the Newburyport Turnpike, passes through the western end of town.

Route 133 pass through the town allowing leading to Essex and Gloucester.

Route 1A heads towards Hamilton and Beverly.  Ipswich has a station of the MBTA Commuter Rail, providing service between Newburyport and Boston’s North Station.   The

MBTA Commuter Rail train stops in Ipswich along the Newburyport/Rockport Line terminating in Boston at North Station (60 minute ride). Access to the south side of Boston can be accessed via the T and/or local buses.

Population of Ipswich, MA   According to the Census 2010 the population was 13,175 in the town.

Government of Ipswich, Ma 
Ipswich utilizes the town meeting form of government, and is led by a Board of Selectmen.

 

Water Supply and Sewage Treatment of Ipswich, MA 
The Ipswich Water Department was created in 1894. The original water system was limited to the downtown area and was established primarily for fire protection. The system has expanded significantly since its inception. It consists of two divisions, Treatment and Distribution, which provides drinking water and fire protection to approximately 98% of the population.

 

The Public Works Department asks that re-cycling and trash be out at the curb by 6:30 a.m. the day of collection.

 

 

Education of Ipswich, Ma 
The Ipswich Public School District consists of:

Two elementary schools: Paul F. Doyon Elementary and Winthrop Elementary ending in 5th grade.

Ipswich Middle School – the middle and high schools are housed in the same building and share the library, the cafeteria, performing arts facilities and athletic resources (tennis courts, a baseball diamond, a football field, and a running track).

• • Every year the State of Massachusetts requires public school districts to participate in Standardized Testing called the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). The test scores are published in the  Boston Globe  ans the State of Massachusetts Elementary and Secondary Education
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  Ipswich High School (IHS) has been considered one of the best public high schools in the Boston area as noted in 2005, the high school was named a “Blue Ribbon” school. The Blue Ribbon is an award for national excellence in education under the No Child Left Behind legislation. The school also received a Vanguard award for similar academic prowess. IHS offers college-prep, honors, and AP-level classes. IHS has one of the highest graduation rates in Massachusetts.
  Massachusetts offers a program entitled “School Choice” which allows students from neighboring towns to attend the local public school if there are spaces available and if the local School Committee decides this is in the best interest of the district. If there are spaces available, a notice is published in the local paper. There has been some discussion as to parents of children exercising this option to provide some compensation to the schools district. Each district is different so, please check with administration officials for the current policy.
  Ipswich Middle/High School is considered to have one of the best music programs in the state. It contains choruses, bands (including jazz, pep and concert bands), orchestra and symphony orchestra. There are also plans to integrate dance into the program in the near future.

Library System in Ipswich, Ma 
The Ipswich Public Library hosts many programs conducted that are worth exploring.

Terrain of Ipswich, Ma 
Ipswich is 32 square miles of land and is drained by the Ipswich River and Plum Island Sound, which join at their mouths and empty through a narrow but navigable channel at the foot of Castle Hill around Sandy Point into Ipswich Bay adjoining the Atlantic Ocean. A beautiful location sitting along river banks and the Atlantic Ocean encircled with open land and protected marsh lands make this a unique area.

Points of Interest located in Ipswich, Ma