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The Sewall-Scripture House at 40 King Street was built in 1832 by Levi Sewall with granite from his own quarry. It was lived in by his descendants until purchased by the Historical Society in 1957. A 1996 addition expands exhibition space and a new library provides the public with access to extensive holdings of local history and genealogical information.
Permanent exhibits at the Sewall-Scripture House include a Victorian Parlor, Marine Room, Keeping Room, Children’s Room, Military Room, and the Hatchet Gang Exhibit. An excellent collection of the works of deceased Cape Ann artists includes Fitz Hugh Lane, Aldro Hibbard, Alfred Wiggin and Charles Gruppe.
The exact year when the “Old Castle” was built is unknown at this time. It is however, believed to have been built in 1712. Its first owner was Jethro Wheeler, a cordwainer (shoemaker) from Rowley, who came here with his wife and nine children in 1713, and whose family lived in the house for six generations. Since the oldest of his sons, Benjamin, had ten children and Benjamin Jr. had eleven, while most of their siblings were equally prolific, it seems safe to say that several hundred present day Rockporters can trace their ancestry back to the Old Castle.
Jethro Wheeler bought the property from Joshua Norwood in December 1712, but whether the beginning of the present structure were built by Joshua, or earlier by the illegal woodcutters who erected several crude cabins along the coast, or by Wheeler himself, is uncertain. The belief that a structure of some sort existed on the land before 1714 had led the Sandy Bay Historical Society, present owners of the Old Castle, to hire a dendrochronologist from Oxford University in England to take boring from oak timbers to compare with a large database of results from similar boring in order to determine the exact age of the building. This new science may finally solve the mystery of the Old Castle’s origin. The results showed that the building was probably constructed in 1712.
Take Route 128 North to Rockport/Gloucester, through two rotaries or traffic circles. Following signs to Rockport, continue through the second rotary to the first traffic light, which is 127 North (Eastern Avenue). Turn left onto 127, and continue for 3 miles. At the five-way intersection (Five Corners), take a hard left onto Railroad Ave. (127) towards Pigeon Cove. Continue one block on Railroad Ave., to the first street on your right, which is King Street. The Sewall-Scripture house is the granite building on the corner (40 King St.) Entrance is around the corner where Railroad Ave. turns into Granite Street.
Follow directions to Rockport as above. At Five Corners, take a hard left onto Railroad Ave. (127) towards Pigeon Cove. Continue for 1.6 miles (Railroad Ave. becomes Granite Avenue). Turn left onto Curtis Street. The driveway to the Old Castle (Castle Lane) will be an immediate right. Please park along Curtis Street and walk up the hill to the Old Castle. Vehicles are only allowed on Castle Lane for handicap access.
Archival collections include early family Bibles; records of Sandy Bay social, religious and business organizations; letters, journals, commonplace books, deeds, financial records and other personal papers of Sandy Bay residents; glass plate negatives and photographic prints documenting Rockport history from the mid-1800s to present day; maps; and numerous pieces of artwork on paper.
Of significant research value are documents pertaining to the local fishing, shipbuilding and granite industries, Civil War letters and diaries, and records that document the history of the town, such as the Ebenezer Pool papers.
The Research Library is open to the public every Monday from 9AM to 1PM, except for major holidays. Members are admitted free; cost for nonmembers is $5.00. The library may also be open by chance. Research assistance available for $15 per hour. Contact us at (978) 546-9533 or library@SandyBayHistorical.org for more information.
40 King Street
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