Earliest Painting of Peabody Square area, 1828
Looking Towards Today’s Central Street from Foster Street and Main Street

What was Main Street called before….Main Street?

1659 Common Land Highway
1692 Highway to North Fields
1736 Ye Town Common Road to Stones Plain
1750 Ye Road to Salem Village
1806 Road from Salem to South Meeting House 
In 1843, Main Street was officially given its name.

Main Street Over the Years
Did you know Main Street was almost re-named to Donnell Avenue in 1932?
This was part of a national trend to “modernize” street names. Some felt Main Street sounded too outdated.

Main Street, Looking Toward Peabody Square, 1906
Main Street, O’Shea Building to the Left, Looking Toward Peabody Square
Circa 1910
Main Street, O’Shea Building to the Left, Looking Toward Peabody Square
Circa 1925
Main Street, Toward Salem, 1954