Tour South Berwick Village section intro: Central Square

For generations, the heart of South Berwick Village has been Central Square at Main and Portland Streets, a place often just called “the Corner,” where three ancient roads converged from north, south, and east. A survey and map of 1805, when the “highway” was straightened and widened, show a commercial center, with some shops and farms dating much earlier. At first, simple wagons must have carried products ranging from pine trees to West Indies goods to and from the river. Stagecoaches followed, carrying passengers and mail. Railroads arrived in the mid-1800s and trolleys at the end of the century, with automobiles next, of course.

 Though much has changed, residents of those times, including author Sarah Orne Jewett, who wrote about them, would still recognize many Main and Portland Street buildings today.

This area includes the South Berwick Historic District and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.