Marbleheads secret passage ways

From wherever they lived and worked on land, early residents of Marblehead walked the most direct paths to the harbor and ocean that were their livelihood. While many of these historical pathways have disappeared over the years, eighteen are still open for public use – eight in downtown Marblehead and ten on Marblehead Neck.

Though it sometimes feels as if you are walking through someone’s back yard, follow these maps and directions and you’ll stay on public rights of way. Each numbered marker on the overview maps below shows where a passageways is located. For details, click on the names in the numbered lists below the overview map.

Each passageway is shown on its own map, and a numbered, yellow map marker shows the entrance or start of each path. Additional numbered, yellow map markers on some maps correspond to numbered photos below the map that show significant features along the path. When visiting these sites, please be respectful of the neighbors and park only on the main streets.

Every two years the Marblehead Conservancy offers the opportunity for a group perambulation of these passageways. For a printable map of all of the “Secret” Passageways, click here.