EarlyAmericanCeramics.com: The Port Potters Pottery in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Sunday, September 2, 2018

The Port Potters Pottery in Newburyport, Massachusetts

I noticed a great sign while watching a documentary yesterday by Lawrence Rosenblum from 1975 entitled, "Newburyport: A Measure of Change," which is about the city's twentieth century historic preservation. According to the Newburyport Preservation Trust, "This documentary is an eye-opener for every new arrival to Newburyport, and for those who may have forgotten the 1960s and 1970s. In just 29 minutes, the documentary examines the landmark decision to use historic preservation principles for the first time in Federal HUD urban renewal."

As I watched this documentary, I saw a great old photograph from the 1950s that displayed an old forgotten potter's business in Newburyport. The early-nineteenth century building still stands on Newburyport's waterfront today, but the business is long gone. However, the simple sign on the exterior of the building is what really stood out, which read, "PORT POTTERS."

I stopped at this building this morning with my niece Alexis on our way home from Todd's Farm Flea Market in Rowley, Massachusetts. The building seems to be in disrepair, and it may currently be owned by a boatyard. But the history of this building still remains.

According to the City of Newburyport, "This wooden building appears to date to the early-nineteenth century and was probably built by a member of the Cushing family. It was located on what was known as Cushing's Wharf. The Cushings were a prominent family of merchants and imported salt, hemp and other merchandise as well as engaging in the East India Trade. Their mansion on High Street is now home of the Historical Society of Old Newbury. The Cushing family continued to own the wharf and buildings on it until at least 1924.

The 1888 Sanborn Insurance map indicates that the building, which included a wooden wing to the south, was being used as a molasses warehouse. The importation of sugar and molasses from the West Indies was a major source of revenue to the port at Newburyport.

The 1894, 1900 and 1906 maps indicate that the building was a storehouse. By 1914 the building was being used to store coal and wood as part of J.H. Balch's Coal Yard. The wooden wing was removed between 1946 and 1961.

Beginning about 1950, the building was used by the Port Potters Pottery, which resulted in the construction of the concrete block addition to the south."

Nevertheless, it would be great to learn the whereabouts of this pottery sign today. I really hope it still exists. Does anyone reading this recognize this sign? I also remember as a kid in the 1980s and early-1990s, visiting this building and another building next door with my parents, since they had been converted into antique shops.

Port Potters Pottery in Newburyport, Mass.