Other influential names in Salisbury's early history include Andrew Greeley, the first official resident. Greeley resided in the section of Salisbury, which is in the present day town of Seabrook, NH. Robert Ring, another prominent Salisbury resident came to the new land in 1638 as a servant to John Sanders, one of the original land grantees. He was skilled in cooper and ran a cooper facility on Rings Island. Rings Island on the Merrimack River is named after him. Rings Island is considered to be one of the most prosperous sections of Salisbury in its history, due largely in part to the fishing industry. Ring's son Jarus, was Salisbury's first known lawyer. George Carr also influential in Salisbury history, was keeper of the ferry at Carr's Island, named after him. He was the first shipbuilder on the Merrimack River, built America's first floating bridge in 1654/55 from Carr's Island to Salisbury, and was the wealthiest land grantee.

Long before the first settlers began arriving in what is the present day state of Massachusetts from Europe in the early 1600's, this land was populated by thousands of native peoples. Some may have lived here for as long as 12,000 years. Legend has it that early Viking explorers may have setup encampments on the banks of the Merrimack River as early as 1000 A.D. The first recorded history of the settlement of what is now the present day Salisbury can be traced back to September 6, 1638. On that day Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony signed an agreement for the Secretary of the Bay Colony, Simon Bradstreet and eleven other men to start a plantation North of the Merrimack River. The plantation of Merrimac encompassed the present day Massachusetts towns of Salisbury, Amesbury, Merrimac and the New Hampshire towns of Seabrook, South Hampton, Newton, Hampstead, Plaistow and Kingston.

Originally named Colchester on September 4, 1639, the new settlement was incorporated by the General Court of the Bay Colony as Salisbury on October 7, 1640. The name of the new settlement is derived from the hometown of Christopher Batt, Henry Bylie and Edmund Batter, Salisbury (Old Sarum), England. Salisbury, England is the home to the world known Stonehenge structure on Salisbury Plains. Along with Simon Bradstreet, Christopher Batt was another influential founder and principally instrumental in the settlements name change from Colchester to Salisbury.

Governor Simon Bradstreet

Simon Bradstreet and his wife came to the new land along with the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop in 1630.  Although Bradstreet was never a resident, his interest in Salisbury continued throughout his life. Bradstreet eventually became governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Later in 1684 he was voted "an enemy of his country," by the Massachusetts General Court due to his favorable views towards England's demands. He was removed as governor, but was later reinstated in 1689 and served until 1692. He died in 1697.

Establishment of the new settlement of Salisbury was not an easy task. The early settlers had to overcome many adversities. Extremely cold & snowy winters, lack of food & supplies, wild animals, insects, and hostile Indians were only a few of the obstacles for the settlers to overcome. Buoyed by prospect of an enhanced life and freedom from religious persecution in the new land helped to strengthen the resolve of the people who emigrated from England. At first the early settlers lived in what were referred to as "English Wigwams." These were usually holes dug into hillsides five or six feet deep and covered with bark. They included a fireplace and a stone chimney. These provided shelter for the settlers until proper housing was built. Early Salisbury architecture is most typified by the saltbox cape style house, of which many homes in present day Salisbury still replicate.

Struggling for many years to survive in the new land, the settlers hunted and fished to sustain them while forests were being cleared for farming. Sturgeon and cod were the primary fish caught along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Merrimack River. Hunters trapped deer, wild pig, wolves, foxes, squirrels, beaver, quail, ducks, rabbits, raccoons, wild geese and wild turkey. Small-scale farming then became the fundamental way of earning a living for many of the early settlers. Compact settlements with outlying fields grew up around the central green, very characteristic of many old New England towns of the time.

Map of Circular Road 1639

Of the twelve original land grantees, only five received land and settled in Salisbury. These were Samuel Dudley, Christopher Batt, Samuel Winsley, Henry Biley, and John Sanders. Of the five, only Samuel Winsley resided in Salisbury for an extended period of time. By 1639 lots of land had been laid around what was called "The Circular Road" which is now Mudnock Road, establishing the first organized settlement in Salisbury. Approximately 37 lots were established with up to 69 lots by 1643.

Major Robert Pike

One of lots was granted to Robert Pike, considered to be the first settler of Salisbury. Pike emigrated from Landford, England and resided in Salisbury for rest of his life (1616-1706.) Known as "The Great Commoner," he was a soldier, civil servant, and member of Massachusetts Bay Colony General Court, a judge, and the Commander General of the Massachusetts forces east of the Merrimack River. A man of honor and conviction, who fought against religious intolerance, defended witches and Quakers against persecution. A monument in his honor stands today in Salisbury Square.

Map of Old Norfolk County 1643

In 1643 the Massachusetts Bay Colony assumed control over the plantations of Hampton, Exeter, Dover, and Portsmouth uniting with Salisbury and Haverhill to form Norfolk County. When the colony of New Hampshire was established in 1679, control of the plantations of Hampton, Exeter, Dover, and Portsmouth was given over to New Hampshire. The plantations of Salisbury and Haverhill were turned over to Essex County, and Norfolk County was dissolved. The present day Norfolk County is located entirely in Massachusetts, south of Boston and is made up of 28 communities including Brookline and Dedham.

By 1649 many of the original settlers had expanded the settlement to the Powow River (present day Amesbury.) During the period from the mid-1600s through the mid-1700s Salisbury continued to grow and prosper. Early industries and commercial ventures were primarily cottage industries. Trade of cattle and provisions had also emerged as a significant economic force. The primary source of income for many of the early settlers was hay harvested from the salt marshes. Considered social events for the young people of Salisbury, contests were held to bestow the hay harvester (scythe) champion. Early shipbuilding thrived along the banks of the Powow River at Salisbury Point. Caleb Porter built the first ship on the Powow River in 1639. Iron works, along the Powow River had become a substantial industry by 1710. The fishing and shipbuilding industries also flourished on Rings Island during the 1700's.

1872 Map of Salisbury

M.D.F. (Marquis DeLafayette) Steere built the first real home of substance on Salisbury Beach in 1864. Steere along with others helped build the Plank Road in 1866 across the marshes, northwest of the present day Beach Road, to the Beach Center, also known as Steerville or Cushing. Activity at Salisbury Beach increased with the building of the Plank Road. The present day "Lafayette Road" is named after Mr. Steere. The late-1900s into the early twentieth-century saw hundreds of houses and cottages built at Salisbury Beach on rented land. From 1638 to 1896 all Salisbury land was the property of the Commoners of Salisbury. Salisbury was the last town in the state to exist as a "proprietorship in common." The general court of Bay Colony, established towns by granting to groups of proprietors blocks of land. The proprietors were then obligated to divide the land among the settlers in town based on family size, wealth, or both. A section of the land was held by the town proprietors for the common good.

Black Rocks Pier

The pier at Black Rocks on the Merrimack River provided a landing spot for steamers carrying passengers to Salisbury Beach from Haverhill in the late 1800s. A typical steamer could carry over 1000 passengers..

The Ocean Echo

The Ocean Echo symbolized the opulence and elegance that was Salisbury Beach in the early Twentieth Century. Built in 1916, the pavilion encompassed more than a acre and jutted out into the surf of the Atlantic Ocean. A fire completely destroyed the Ocean Echo on January 5, 1920. It was later rebuilt, but lacked the elegance of the original. The New Ocean Echo remained open until 1937.

Salisbury Beach 1991

This photo is an aerial view of the center of Salisbury Beach taken around 1991 with its waterfront amusement and entertainment district.

Salisbury
in
1877

An excerpt from Gazetteer of Massachusetts by the Rev. Elias Nason, M.. and published in Boston in 1877.