Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum Purchases Historic Downtown Essex Site

Essex, MA — 31 MARCH 2026 — Today, the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum (EHSSM) announces it is purchasing one of Essex’s most recognizable historic downtown properties in order to protect it from private development and preserve it for the public benefit.  Located at 44 Main Street—long home to Main Street Antiques—the property occupies a uniquely strategic position, physically linking Essex’s historic town center to EHSSM’s working shipyard and waterfront campus. Its acquisition represents