Sold! Museum Acquires Main Street Property in Essex

After a whirlwind nine months of quiet fundraising, the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum this week purchased a prominent downtown property at 44 Main St. in a move that will preserve the site for public use and expand the museum’s footprint in Essex.

The $1.2 million sale closed on Tuesday, according to the museum, and nearly $1 million has already been pledged toward the project, with additional fundraising underway.

The purchase is a big win for the museum that offers plenty of runway for its strategic future.  Currently, the museum operates from two separate building areas—a former 19^th Century schoolhouse at 28 Main Street and a waterfront “campus” on a former shipbuilding yard at 66 Main Street.  44 Main Street sits between the two, linking them. 

The museum’s executive director, KD Montgomery, said the strategy is to transform three historic properties into one cohesive museum that tells the story of Essex’s heritage that dates back more than 300 years. 

“This is a huge step—a great thing for the community,” she said, adding that the linked site could support expanded exhibition space, educational programming, collections storage and community gathering areas, though final plans have not yet been determined.

The purchase comes amid broader efforts by cultural institutions across the region to expand facilities and programming as they compete for visitors, donors and relevance in a tightening nonprofit environment.  For smaller museums like EHSSM, property ownership can provide both stability and new revenue or program opportunities—but also carries long-term financial obligations.

The museum’s board Chair Louis Somma said donor support made the acquisition possible and more will be critical as the organization moves into redevelopment and programming phases.

Main Street Antiques: End of an Era

Main Street Antiques is something of an Essex institution, going back to 1981 when it began with Bob and Susan Coviello.  Back then, Essex had roughly 30 to 40 antiques shops concentrated along Main Street and Route 133, and Main Street Antiques sat right in the middle of it all, central during the town’s heyday as a regional antiques destination. 

More recently, the site faced redevelopment pressure, including proposed condominium plans, underscoring its value within a changing downtown, and pressure for needed housing.  But voters didn’t support the idea of large-scale residential development of the site and declined to support the owners’ request to purchase added town sewer capacity needed for the project at last year’s Annual Town Meeting. 

Following this, the developer, who had the property under agreement, and the Coviello family together pivoted, each supported a sale to the museum.  By August, they’d connected with the museum and were talking “sale.”

“They really wanted what the community wanted,” said Montgomery.  “Both got behind it, and helped make the sale happen.”

The museum plans to stabilize the property and begin a master planning process to determine future uses.

Community members and donors are being asked to support the project as planning continues, especially as the organization approaches its 50th anniversary and officials are focused on positioning the museum for long-term growth.

“We’re the stewards of these three historic properties,” said Montgomery.  “It’s wonderful.  It’s exciting.  But in many ways, we’re just at the beginning.”