Editing Peabody, Massachusetts (section)

==History==

The area was long inhabited by [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] people known as the [[Naumkeag people|Naumkeag]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Naumkeag|url=https://www.pioneervillagesalem.org/new-page-1|access-date=2020-12-28|website=PIONEER VILLAGE|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Writer|first=Dustin Luca Staff|title=President Jackson's portrait to make way for Naumkeag leader|url=https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/president-jacksons-portrait-to-make-way-for-naumkeag-leader/article_e1e382ee-d91f-5cf5-9373-f81c43ed9b13.html|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Salem News|date=24 October 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MASSACHUSETTS INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY RESOURCES|url=http://www.salemhistorical.org/massachusetts-indigenous-community-resources|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Salem Historical Society|language=en-US}}</ref>

The area was settled as part of [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] in 1626 by a small group of [[British people|English]] colonists from [[Cape Ann]] led by [[Roger Conant (colonist)|Roger Conant]]. It was subsequently referred to as the Northfields, Salem Farms, and Brooksby.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History {{!}} Peabody Historical Society|url=https://peabodyhistorical.org/history/|access-date=2020-12-28|language=en-US}}</ref> Several area residents were accused of witchcraft during the [[Salem witch trials]] of the late 17th century, three of whom were executed ([[John Proctor (Salem witch trials)|John Proctor]], [[Giles Corey]], and [[Martha Corey]]).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome to Peabody|url=https://salemwitchmuseum.com/locations/welcome-to-peabody/|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Salem Witch Museum|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1752, the area was set off from [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], and incorporated as a district of [[Danvers, Massachusetts|Danvers]]. It was referred to as "the South Parish", associated with a church located in present-day Peabody Square. In 1855, the community broke away from [[Danvers, Massachusetts|Danvers]], and was incorporated as the independent town of South Danvers. The name was changed to Peabody on April 30, 1868, in honor of [[George Peabody]], noted [[philanthropist]] born in present-day Peabody, widely regarded as the "father of modern philanthropy". It was granted [[city]] status in 1916. The western, less densely populated area of town is often separately, yet unofficially, referred to as West Peabody.

Peabody started off as a [[farming]] community, but its rivers and streams attracted mills which operated by [[water power]]. During the 18th-century, Peabody's Central Street corridor was a hub of pottery manufacturing, especially [[redware]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://peabodyhistorical.org/history/ |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Peabody Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref> In particular, Peabody was a major center of [[New England]]'s [[leather]] industry, which attracted immigrants from all around the world.

By 1915, one-third of the population had been born outside the United States.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title = "Ottoman Street" in America: Turkish Leatherworkers in Peabody, Massachusetts|last = Acehan|first = Işıl|date = December 2009|journal = International Review of Social History|volume = 54|pages = 19–44|doi = 10.1017/S0020859009990228|doi-access = free|hdl = 11693/22521|hdl-access = free}}</ref> In addition to becoming home to large [[Irish people|Irish]] and [[Russian people|Russian]] populations, Peabody developed a large community of laborers hailing from the [[Ottoman Empire]], mostly Turkish and Kurdish speakers from the region of [[Elazığ|Harput]], now known as Elazığ.<ref name=":0" /> The population was situated primarily on Walnut Street, where they filled [[boarding house]]s and coffee houses to such an extent that it became known as "Ottoman Street," and, more [[pejorative]]ly and less accurately, "Peabody's Barbary Coast", as the United States was at war with the Ottoman Empire during [[World War I]].<ref name=":0" /> One visitor even noted that signs in town were written in both English and [[Ottoman Turkish language|Ottoman Turkish]].<ref name=":0" />

On the morning of October 28, 1915, twenty-one young children were killed in the [[St. Johns School fire]] in the downtown area on Chestnut Street.  Their bodies were found after the fire subsided, huddled together and burnt beyond recognition, near the entrance just steps away from survival. As a result, Peabody became the first city in the United States to establish a law that all entrances or exits in [[public building]]s be push-open,
rather than by handle or knob.<ref>[http://www.gendisasters.com/data1/ma/fires/peabody-schoolfire-oct1915.htm Gendisasters.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205063707/http://gendisasters.com/data1/ma/fires/peabody-schoolfire-oct1915.htm |date=2007-12-05 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/Key%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie_test=1 NFPA.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190302/http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports%2FFire%20statistics%2FKey%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie_test=1 |date=2007-09-30 }}</ref>

The [[Tanning (leather)|tanneries]] that lined Peabody's "Ottoman Street" remained a linchpin of the city's economy into the second half of the 20th century. The tanneries have since closed or been relocated elsewhere, but the city remains known locally as the Leather City or Tanner City. The mascot of [[Peabody Veterans Memorial High School]] is named the Tanners.

The loss of the tanneries was a huge blow to Peabody's economy, but the city has made up for the erosion of its industrial base, at least in part, through other forms of economic development. Early in the 20th century, Peabody joined the [[automobile]] revolution, hosting the pioneer [[Brass Era car|Brass Era]] company, [[Corwin Manufacturing Company|Corwin Manufacturing]].<ref>Clymer, Floyd. ''Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877-1925'' (New York: Bonanza Books, 1950), p.158.</ref>

The [[Northshore Mall]], originally known as the Northshore Shopping Center, is one of the region's largest [[shopping malls]]. The mall opened in September 1958 as an outdoor shopping center, and was built on [[farm land]] originally owned by [[Elias Hasket Derby]], one of America's first millionaires. Centennial Park,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.peabody-works.com/CentennialPark.html |title=Peabody-works.com |access-date=2008-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026110602/http://www.peabody-works.com/CentennialPark.html |archive-date=2017-10-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> an [[industrial park]] in the center of the city, has attracted several [[medical]] and [[technology]] companies. West Peabody, which was mostly farm land until the 1950s, has been developed into a middle-to-upper class [[residential]] area. Brooksby Farm,<ref>[http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/brooksby_farm.shtml Essexheritage.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222124042/http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/brooksby_farm.shtml |date=2007-12-22 }}</ref> a {{convert|275|acre|km2|adj=on}} working farm and [[conservation area]] has been one of the city's most popular destinations for decades.