"History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and Nahant"
by Alonzo Lewis, James R. Newhall

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by Shaun Cook

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Chapter V

Conclusion

     IN closing our Record of Events in the history of Lynn, a congratulatory word or two may, not improperly, be indulged in. Twenty years have been added to the annals of Mr. Lewis, and perhaps no score of years in our whole history have been marked by greater changes. We have adopted the city form of government; and not only that, but after a sort have in appearance likewise matured from village to city. Our population has rapidly increased - improvements, useful, durable, and ornamental, have been made on every hand - larger and more costly buildings have been erected - hissing steam and rumbling machinery have been introduced in the manufacture of shoes, our staple article - our taxable property has greatly increased; and so, for that matter, have our taxes - the Common has been enclosed, studded with trees, and traversed by gravel walks - brick side-walks have been laid and numerous ornamental trees planted along their borders - the road over the Beach has been constructed - the Police Court has been established - Pine Grove Cemetery has been laid out - the horse rail-road has been built - gas has been introduced for the lighting of our streets, stores, and dwellings - telegraphic communication with the most distant quarters has been established - the schools have much improved, and greatly increased in number - religious societies have sprung up till every true worshiper if not every whim-driven soul, may find a congenial shrine - and two of the thrifty children, Nahant and Swampscot have been invested with the blessings and responsibilities of municipal freedom.
     About twenty years ago, quite an improvement in the architectural aspect of Lynn began to manifest itself. Before that time the common, unembellished dwelling of one, one and a half, or two stories in height, prevailed. Buildings of more than two stories, or of any material but wood were almost unknown. They were usually very plain, with pitch roofs, painted white, and often furnished with green blinds. They had an air of neatness and comfort, though indicating limited means. But those of a very different character have, within these few years, appeared in every quarter. Among the illustrations of this volume may be found representations of some of our later structures. And we are gratified in being able to introduce a very perfect picture of the old TOWN HOUSE, subsequently dignified by the name of CITY HALL. It is not, however, presented for its architectural elegance, but for the interest that attaches to it as being the only building ever yet reared in Lynn, specially for municipal purposes. It was burned at about daylight on the morning of October 6, 1864, as stated on page 478. In 1863, however, a site for a new City Hall was purchased, near the eastern end of the Common, at the corner of Essex street; and indeed Lynn would long ago have had an edifice better becoming her dignity could talk have built it. The picture was taken a few weeks before the fire, being actually photographed upon the block. A portion of the walls escaped, and there is no knowing to what base uses they may yet arrive.
     The Town House was built in 1814, and stood on the centre of the Common, nearly opposite the head of Hanover street. It originally had a hipped roof, and was square in form. The interior remained unfinished for many years. Elections were of course held in it; and military companies sometimes exercised there; and it was used for assemblages of various kinds. In 1832 it was removed to the spot on which it was burned - a few rods west of Church street, on South Common - and the hall finished. For a long time this was the largest and almost the only hall in town, and was occupied for all sorts of meetings, lectures, and exhibitions. On the formation of the City Government, in 1850, the building was thoroughly repaired and the interior remodeled. And from that time till its destruction its walls continued to resound with the eloquence of the City Fathers as erst they did with that of the patriotic old Town Orators.
     But the glory of Lynn does not lie in the stateliness of her edifices or the elegance of her thoroughfares. She has not yet attained to any thing very great in respect to these - though if all the finer buildings were concentrated in one quarter they would present quite an imposing array - and would rather point to the thrift and good condition of her people; to their industry and temperance; to her ample provision for moral and intellectual culture; to her generous guardianship of the few dependent ones within her borders; and especially to the charms which nature has so lavishly bestowed upon her - charms which continue to attract, during every watering season, so many strangers of wealth and refinement.

     It now remains, in closing, to express most grateful acknowledgments for the ready help that we have in numberless instances received. To name every one to whom we are indebted would be impossible. But acknowledgments are especially due to JOSEPH MOULTON, who is one of the most intelligent and reliable antiquarians among us. He has a small but choice library, containing a number of the best historical and genealogical works, and is always ready to lend his valuable aid to those engaged in research among the things of the past. He resides in the old Mansfield house, so called, which stands on the north side of Boston street, opposite the eastern end of Marion, which house is supposed to have weathered the storms of about two hundred years, having been built, according to well-sustained tradition, during the year of the great fire in London - 1666. And it is a noteworthy fact that it has remained in the occupancy of the direct descendants of Andrew Mansfield, the individual who erected it, and who was Town Clerk in 1666, ever since its construction, Mr. Moulton, on the maternal side, being in the direct line. It has, of course, undergone repairs and alterations necessaly to meet the exigencies of changing time, but remains essentially the same. Acknowledgments are also due to BENJAMIN MUDGE, to WILLIAM B. OLIVER, to WALDO THOMPSON, to JOHN DANFORTH, Jr., of Lynufield, to ELIJAH P. ROBINSON, of Saugus, and to JOHN Q. HAMMOND and DR. PIPER, of Nahant. Nor should the expression of obligations to RICHARD S. FAY and E. REDINGTON MUDGE, be omitted.