While I was looking around while waiting for the light to turn at High and State streets, it came to mind that a lot of local history was made here over the years.

This busy intersection was considered the "Gateway to Newburyport" when all north- and south-bound Route One traffic passed through before the bypass was built in 1935. The city's first four-way traffic signals were put in service here in August of 1931. Three houses have been moved from the intersection. Two mayors lived in one of these houses, only at different locations. Today the corner is the location of the largest display of political signs every fall.

The house at 114 High St. was built in 1861 by John Buntin, a downtown merchant. To make way for this house, Mr. Buntin moved a house located there to what today is 141 State St. and is used as a bed and breakfast. The American Legion purchased the house in 1933 and held their first meeting there on Jan. 12, 1934. They occupied the building until 1976. For many years a World War 1 machine gun mounted out front faced across the intersection. I was told once that it was stolen.

Moving across State Street the large multi-family dwelling at 110-112 High St. was probably built about the time of the Civil War. In 1894, it was a two-family home. One side was occupied by Rev. Louis Pope and his family. He was the minister at the Baptist Church. The other side was occupied by Mrs. Julia Moseley, the widow of Rev. William O. Moseley, a retired Baptist minister. On the bitter cold night of Feb. 24, 1894, a devastating fire erupted from a faulty fireplace in the Pope home and spread through the entire house, leaving it uninhabitable. The Popes lost most of their possessions. Most of Mrs. Moseley's valuable antiques were carried out of the house to safety. They were taken to the Burley Stevens Shoe Company on Merrimac Street for storage until the house was rebuilt. However, the furniture was lost on Oct. 31 of that year when Burley Stevens Company and several other waterfront properties were destroyed in a major fire.

Crossing High Street to the Mobil Station, there once stood a stately house built by Enoch Northend, a builder and also the operator of the Amesbury-Newburyport Horsecar Railroad. After Mr. Northend's death, the property was acquired by Thomas C. Simpson, a native, judge of the District Court and mayor of Newburyport in 1885. Following his passing, the property was acquired by the Knights of Columbus in April of 1923. However, after a short time, the Knights were not happy in their new surrounds and in July of 1923, they swapped the property for the house across State Street owned by Chauncey Dodge. The Knights liked this location and stayed there until 2005, when they sold it and it was converted to condominiums.

In December of 1924, Mr. Dodge sold the former Simpson house to Mrs. Hannah Gillis, the mother of Andrew J. "Bossy" Gillis. The events following the Gillis acquisition of the property and Bossy's efforts to establish a gas station there are among the most controversial in Newburyport's history and are well-documented elsewhere. A legally operated gas station has been at this location since March of 1929 (Bossy operated without proper permits for a while). Mr. Gillis moved the Simpson house to 9 Dalton St. in August of 1927. He and his wife lived there for many years and the house still stands there today.

Moving back across State Street once again to the property so long occupied by the Knights of Columbus. This house was built in 1885 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wills. A smaller house was moved off the site to make room for the Wills house. The exact location of this house is not known. Chauncey Dodge bought the house sometime around 1900.

Two serious fires caused extensive damage during the Knights' years there, the first in February of 1930 and the second in August of 1971. Although located at High and State, the official address of this building was always 1 Pond St., that may be changed now that the condominiums are there.

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Joe Callahan is a former fire chief of Salisbury who is interested in historical accounts of the area.