Explore the Early Settlement Trail
17th Century - The Settlers
The natural environment of Essex National Heritage Area helped shape the lives of all who settled here from the earliest times. The rocky soil, the rugged coastline with its natural harbors, and the abundance of fish and forests determined how people lived and worked for centuries. Before the Europeans settled in this New World, the native peoples migrated between the coast and inland forests, fishing and gathering in cycle with the changing seasons.
By contrast, the Puritans settled in tightly knit communities based on the strict practice of religion and tried to cultivate the rocky soil. Timber-framed houses took place on the land, while new shallops (small ship) collected the codfish that was a staple food. The self-reliance and spirit of these early New Englanders created many of the institutions that are still regard as distinctively American today.