Marblehead, Massachusetts

Marblehead, Massachusetts
Town
Marblehead harbor viewed from the lighthouse
Seal
Nickname:  MHD
Motto:  "Where History Comes Alive"[1]
Location in Essex County and Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°30′00″N 70°51′30″W / 42.50000°N 70.85833°W / 42.50000; -70.85833
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Essex
Settled	1629
Incorporated	1649
Government
• Type	Open town meeting
Area
• Total	19.58 sq mi (50.71 km2)
• Land	4.39 sq mi (11.37 km2)
• Water	15.19 sq mi (39.34 km2)
Elevation	65 ft (20 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,441
• Density	4,656.26/sq mi (1,797.79/km2)
Demonym	Header
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP Code	01945
Area code	339/781
FIPS code	25-38400
GNIS feature ID	0618300
Website	www.marblehead.org

Marblehead is a coastal New England town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, along the North Shore. Its population was 20,441 at the 2020 census.^[2] The town lies on a small peninsula that extends into the northern part of Massachusetts Bay. Attached to the town is a near island, known as Marblehead Neck, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. Marblehead Harbor, protected by shallow shoals and rocks from the open sea, lies between the mainland and the Neck. Beside the Marblehead town center, two other villages lie within the town: the Old Town, which was the original town center, and Clifton, which lies along the border with the neighboring town of Swampscott.

A town with roots in commercial fishing and yachting, Marblehead was a major shipyard and is often referred to as the birthplace of the American Navy, a title sometimes disputed with nearby Beverly. Marblehead was once the fishing capital of Massachusetts. It is also the origin of Marine Corps Aviation. Three US Navy ships have been named USS Marblehead. A center of recreational boating, Marblehead has long been a popular sailing, kayaking and fishing destination, with several yacht clubs established in the late 19th century.

It is home to the Marblehead Light, Fort Sewall, Little Harbor, Mass Audubon's Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary,^[3] Crocker Park, and Devereux Beach. Archibald Willard's famous painting The Spirit of '76 currently resides in Abbot Hall. Much of the Old Town is protected by the Marblehead Historic District.

Marblehead is also home of the Marblehead Men's Softball League, which was established in 1939 and is the oldest and longest standing adult softball league in the world.