tales of olde Ipswich
When the opening ceremonies were being held and the staging was taken down for the opening of the Choate Bridge back in 1764, Col. John Choate, the builder and designer for whom the sturdy stone structure was named, observed the events from the saddle of a fast horse.
The story goes that if the bridge collapsed, as the local harbingers of gloom predicted, Colonel Choate was prepared to get out of town quickly. But the bridge, with its two ancient arches with one solid pier in the bed of the river, is still standing today in the heart of the town.
I wonder what he would have thought had he seen the Whipple House going over the bridge in December of 1927.
The historic house finally arrived at its new location on South Village Green and since that time there have been a few changes. The old Canney house which stood next to it was sold to the Telephone Co. some years later. The telephone system in Ipswich was to be transferred to the dial system, and a new building was needed to house the equipment. So the Telephone Co. purchased the land and buildings owned by the Canney family next to the Whipple House.
This was one of the beauty spots of the town. In fact, it was one of the few places which for years had remained unchanged. Construction of a new brick building on the location would have destroyed the historic setting of the green.
The Ipswich Historical Society saw what would happen if the Telephone Co. proceeded and after much dealing with it, and also at great expense to the Society, the property was purchased by the Historical Society.
The Society wanted to preserve the old house, but it was found to be so badly damaged by termites that it had to be taken down. In so doing, the entire area was improved. One of the great assets today is the old-fashioned garden that flourishes in the courtyard. It was designed by Mrs. A. W. Smith who also lovingly cares for it.
Thanks to the Historical Society, the entire South Side area will remain unchanged for years to come. It
provides a beautiful historical setting for the entryway to an historic town.
As we see it today, construction of the Memorial Building on South Main Street would have been out of place. After all, sometimes things work out for the best.—HAROLD D. BOWEN