Prides Crossing, Beverly, Massachusetts

This article is about the neighborhood. For other uses, see Prides Crossing.
Prides Crossing station in 2013

Location

Prides Crossing is a historic section located in the City of Beverly, Massachusetts. It is bordered to the north by Beverly Farms, and to the south by the Beverly Cove areas of Beverly. Although no formal boundaries have been determined, most locals consider it to exist between numbers 407 and 600 Hale Street.

History

The name is associated with John Pride who was granted land in the area in 1636. In the late 1800s and early 1900s grand mansions were built as summer "cottages' for wealthy business magnates. Henry Clay Frick,[1] who made his fortune in steel (Carnegie Steel) was among the best known of these summer residents. He built "Eagle Rock",[2] located between Hale Street and the Atlantic ocean. Edward Carelton Swift,[3] at one time the owner of the largest meat packing operation in the U.S. built a mansion, "Swiftmoor"[4] on Paine Avenue in Prides Crossing. Eleonora "Eleo" Sears a flamboyant female socialite and world class tennis player owned a residence that still exists where Paine Avenue and West Beach meet. These wealthy residents were known to travel to Prides Crossing in their own rail cars, disembarking at the Prides Crossing Railway Station, located on Hale Street across from the entrance gates to Paine Avenue.

Entrance to Paine Avenue

The train station still exists and has been the location of a general store, hardware store and now houses a candy manufacture. The current MBTA Commuter Rail station consists of a single low platform adjacent to the old building.

Notable former residents

Local points of interest

See also

References

  1. Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919). Frick Art & Historical Center. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  2. Residence of H.C. Frick, Prides Crossing near Beverly, Mass. Primaryresearch.org. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  3. "Funeral of Edwin C. Swift". New York Times. 9 April 1906. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  4. Swiftmoor, estate of Edwin C. Swift, Prides Crossing, Beverly, Mass.. Primaryresearch.org. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  5. Richard Sears. International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  6. "Frederick Ayer dies in Georgia at 95". New York Times. 15 March 1918. Retrieved 15 May 2011.

External links

Coordinates: 42°33′33.68″N 70°49′31.72″W / 42.5593556°N 70.8254778°W / 42.5593556; -70.8254778

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