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Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA

Essex County

Is located in northern Massachusetts on the New Hampshire State Border. It is 30 miles north of Boston, the State Capital. The Merrimack River flows through Haverhill separating it from a section that is called Bradford, that was a separate community up until 1897 at which time the two were joined. The population was 51,418 in the 1990 census.

The settlement was founded in 1640 by Nathaniel Ward of Ipswich, MA and a number of men from Newbury, MA. The original name of Haverhill was Pentucket.

Haverhill’s population grew from 10,000 in 1860 to 37,000 in 1900. Most of this increase lived in one relatively small section which was close to the bridge that crossed over to Bradford. Residence was determined by two factors: access to the trolleys and access to work. However, not everyone could afford a daily trolley ride, so development could only spread within walking distance to work.

The 1890 U.S. Census of Manufactures placed Haverhill third nationwide behind Lynn and Brockton, Massachusetts, in total value of products, wages paid and capital invested in shoes. There were an average of 11,000 workers employed in 236 establishments in Haverhill.

This is the town that Antonio and Rocco Albanese selected to settle in and raise their families, arriving at a time when the shoe industry was booming. Antonio worked in this industry until his death in 1914. R. George Albanese, Antonio’s youngest son with his first wife Elisabeth, followed his father’s foot steps and worked in the shoe industry up until the early 1940’s. At this time the factories were moving first north into New Hampshire then eventually off shore.

Haverhill today has a wide diversity of businesses from leather and shoe-related firms to chemical, technological and research companies.