As I See It: Newburyport, city or town?

For the first 87 years of its existence, from 1764 to 1851, Newburyport was a fast-growing town – home to merchants and traders of all kinds.

Originally part of Newbury, by the early days of the 19th century, Newburyport had outgrown its Newbury affiliation and became an independent city in 1851.