Essex Heritage & Featured Partner Events

Grand Prize Photo by Marion Bayly, Early Morning Marsh

Photographers searched out the best and most beautiful locations for their award-winning submissions to the Essex Heritage Photo Contest. Presented by Essex Heritage and sponsored by Hunt's Photo and Video, the 2011 contest showcases the natural, cultural and historic treasures that define Essex County. Of the 140 images submitted, 13 winning images were selected by a panel of judges including representatives from Essex Heritage, the National Park Service, Hunt's Photo & Video, and photographer Robert Ring of New England Photo Workshops. The Grand Prize Winner was Marion J. Bayly of Speculator, NY for her photograph, "Early Morning Marsh." See the 2011 Photo Contest winners, click here! 

Join us on December 13, 5:15 PM, when contest winners will be presented with awards at the National Park Service Visitor Center in Salem where winning images will be exhibited for one year. The award presentation will be followed by a reception welcoming the new Superintendent of Salem Maritime & Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites, Michael Quijano-West. See details below. 

Essex National Heritage Commission in partnership with the Salem Chamber of Commerce and Destination Salem are hosting a reception to welcome the new Superintendent of Salem Maritime & Saugus Iron Works National Historic Sites, Michael Quijano-West. The reception will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 5:30 PM at the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, Mass.

Essex Heritage has a strong partnership with the National Park Service. "We are lucky that we have had several Superintendents who understand the benefit of partnerships and have welcomed our relationship to extend the educational reach of the park service beyond the park boundaries," said Essex Heritage Executive Director, Annie Harris. "Our collaboration has allowed all of Essex County to benefit from their educational and interpretive resources. Our partnership is strong and growing and we look forward to working with Mr. Quijano-West to expand our efforts even further." RSVP here. 

Essex Heritage would like to extend special thanks to our corporate members! Beverly Cooperative Bank, Geller MicroAnalytical Laboratory, Inc., Granite Savings Bank, Haverhill Bank, and Pentucket Bank for renewing their commitments as Sustainer Circle Members. In addition, Essex Heritage would like to thank Endicott College who has renewed its Supporter Circle Membership! 

Become a member at any level! Discover special places and experiences throughout the county. Your tax-deductible Essex Heritage Membership makes a great holiday gift and helps to support programs that enhance, preserve and promote the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Essex National Heritage Area. Join today! 

Partnership Grant Spotlight

Salem Athenaeum Bicentennial Book With support from an Essex Heritage Partnership grant the Salem Athenaeum has published a book commemorating its two hundred years in formal existence. Among its contents, The Salem Athenaeum in 2010: A Bicentennial Celebration presents a history of the library since its centennial in 1910 and features photographs and graphics highlighting the library's collections and decorative holdings.

As one of the few remaining membership libraries in the country, the Athenaeum is a Salem institution and houses over 50,000 volumes in its handsome historic brick building. In keeping with its mission to enrich the lives of its members and its North Shore community the library offers a wide range of learning resources, programs, and events. From more information, click here.