Timothy Dexter’s William Pitt Statue in Newburyport, Massachusetts

Newburyport is one of the most well-known and vibrant coastal communities in Massachusetts. Located near the mouth of the Merrimack River and Plum Island, it has a long history of shipping, fishing, tourism, and is officially recognized as the founding location of the US Coast Guard. The Museum of Old Newbury is dedicated to the history of Newburyport, its surrounding communities, and is housed inside a grand Federal style mansion built in the early 1800s. There are many historic and unique artifacts on display, but perhaps the most striking that immediately grabs the attention of visitors, is the large wooden painted statue of a man in military uniform standing on the stairs and seemingly following you with its eyes. The peculiarity of this relic was most likely done intentionally, as it was once owned by one of the most peculiar and eccentric wealthy businessmen in early American history. Timothy Dexter was born in colonial Massachusetts in 1747 to a poor family of English and Irish ancestry. He dropped out of school at around age 8 to become a farmhand and at age 16 he became a tanner's apprentice. In 1769 at age 21, he moved to Newburyport and married 32-year-old Elizabeth Fro…

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