Colonial law required towns not only to have a militia but also to be prepared to defend themselves in the event of an attack. Powder houses were built to safely store gunpowder, flints, musket balls and even the kettles used for cooking for the militia. Because of the explosives stored within the powder houses they were usually built away from residences and town centers.
This is not the first powder house built in Newburyport. The location of the very first has not yet been uncovered and the second was most likely built in 1754 near the Frog Pond on the Bartlett Mall off High Street. Newburyport citizens also stored another precious commodity in their powder house during the American Revolution - the "taxation without representation" tea used during the rebellion against the British in 1775. Following the War of 1812 a renewed desire to store ammunition prompted the citizens to rethink the location of the powder house that was no longer safe because of buildings encrouching on the Bartlett Mall. A new location was recommended and Godfrey's Hill was selected. The walls of this powder house are 5 bricks thick and the domed ceiling is only one brick thick so that any explosion would blow up not out so as to decrease any damage to the surroundings. The floors were wooden pegged and you had to remove your shoes to prevent sparks that could cause a fire, shoe soles had nails. When gunpowder was shipped to Newburyport the ships that carried it had to anchor 200 yards off shore for safety. The gunpowder was shipped in 25 pound kegs and it was a very dangerous job to move the explosives to the powder house by horse drawn wagon. Part of the original wagon path has been uncovered. The cost of construction for this powder house in 1822 totaled $494.65.
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| Domed Ceiling |
The Powder House |
Gun Powder Labels |
The on-going restoration of this building by the NPT has surpassed $250,000.00 already!! When efforts began in 2003 the structure was in serious disrepair with trees growing through the roof and bricks scattered everywhere.
The coordinates bring you to a location where you must answer the following questions to figure the new coordinates to locate the cache.
- There are two state names on this sign
- How many letters are in the first state named? Subtract this number to the last three of the north coordinates provided on the cache page. N42*48._____
- How many letters are in the second state named? Subtract this number to the last three of the west coordinates provided on the cache page. W070* 53._____