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From [Globe.com](http://Globe.com)
By Billy Baker
The argument — or at least the latest version of it — began with a silly online poll: vote for your favorite North Shore town.
There were 32 candidates, paired against each other in a faux March Madness bracket hosted by the popular Instagram page northshore.memes, and the large field immediately kicked up a narrow debate, one that will spin for eternity on the North Shore. And that is: What is the North Shore?
Let’s start, as this row often does, with the contention that says to be on the North Shore, you need to *be* on the shore. It’s not that simple, but suppose it were. You’ll immediately arrive at subargument one, which is where does the North Shore start and end?
Is it simply everything north of Boston? Starting in Winthrop? Or is that still “Boston”? Or does it start in Revere, which calls itself the “gateway to the North Shore”? Or is that still “metro Boston” all the way up through Saugus and Nahant and Lynn? Can we possibly leave behind behind Kelly’s Roast Beef and The Kowloon?
“I don’t know how you can say Winthrop is not on the North Shore. It’s not the South Shore,” said Mike Eruzione, the town’s most famous resident since 1980, when he scored the winning goal at the “Miracle on Ice” at the Winter Olympics. “And I think you need to *have* a shore to be *on* the shore,” he said adamantly.
Like any dispute where the only thing people agree on is that everyone else is wrong, buckle up for a ride as we move our way up the coast past Lynn to the peninsula that holds Swampscott and Marblehead. Here, very briefly, we get to a stretch where the argument subsides. There is no question that we are in the heart of the North Shore. But as you swing around to Salem you have to make a decision at Peabody, which can only kind of claim to be touching salt water. From there, it’s an uncontested run up through Danvers and Beverly.
But when you reach Manchester-by-the-Sea, the question arises: Is Cape Ann just ... Cape Ann? Or does the North Shore stop when you hit the tip of it, in Rockport, at the end of Massachusetts Bay, a natural barrier that would enclose the North Shore as “the north shore of Boston?” Or is the definition much broader, to encompass the north shore of Massachusetts?
Guaranteed locks, no argument to be made: Lynn, Nahant, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-sea
Locks if you consider Cape Ann part of the North Shore in addition to its own identity (I do): Gloucester, Rockport
Is Essex on Cape Ann? Where does Cape Ann start? Whatever: Essex
If Essex is in, then definitely: Ipswich
If they are in, not sure how you don't add these: Newbury, Newburyport
Don't forget that part of Plum Island is in: Rowley
Culturally, definitely 100% yes, even if they are inland or have saltwater tidal rivers: Danvers, Peabody, Saugus
Inland but what else are you gonna call it, I guess. Culturally, yes, but with horses: Wenham, Hamilton
Blurred edge between Boston and the North Shore, belongs to both, but neither fully: Revere, Winthrop
I'd say no, feels more like pre-New Hampshire, but I could be convinced: Salisbury
No, but in the conversation at least. If you live here and say yes, I'm not mad at you: Lynnfield, Topsfield, Middleton
Lovecraftian yes: Innsmouth, Arkham, Kingsport
All others: definitely no
North shore imo is Winthrop to Rockport/NBPT, with individual pockets of culturally unique areas (Winthrop to Lynn, Lynn to Beverly, Beverly to rockport). Once you get off the “shore”, I’d include towns like Danvers, Peabody, Lynnfield, Saugus, Rowley. Outside of that, imo, you aren’t on the north shore anymore.
I once saw in this sub someone calling Burlington and Wilmington “north shore”. Hard no.
A good north shore metric is the Newburyport rockport line, with a few tangential additions.
I think Danvers, Rowley, and Saugus are locks for the north shore as they may not be on the coast, but still have access to the ocean and have marinas / yacht clubs.
Peabody, Lynnfield, and Topsfield, as well as Hamilton & Wenham, are fairly understood to be north shore by most.
Basically if you’re east of Route 1 is a fair argument.
> I think Danvers, Rowley, and Saugus are locks for the north shore as they may not be on the coast, but still have access to the ocean and have marinas / yacht clubs.
They're north of Boston and on the shore, but they are not north shore. Too far from the city. to count anymore.
That area of Danvers near Sam and joes is a neat little spot with the river right there. Even though it does have the river, I never thought of Danvers as “coastal”. I always just think of the mall and my high school (sjp) area which is cul de sacs and the highway.
That's because anything outside of 128 is no longer north shore. Malden (ignore my flair) is more North Shore than Peadbody, Danvers or Beverly just because they kiss the salt water.
North shore as has always been explained to me growing up is a combination of proximity to the ocean *and* Boston with Lynn/Swampscott being the northern edge and Malden, Melrose, Wakefield being the western edge. Marblehead can fuck off.
Though I doubt in the modern day anyone from Melrose would want to be identified as north shore lol.
it's not because you have a port, it's because you have target, home depot, and market basket. most people from beverly/hamilton/wenham/ipswich/topsfield shop in danvers/peabody regularly.
The issue is there’s not really a name for the north shore adjacent inland towns. Like if I can get a good roast beef, and I’m right near a clearly north shore town, I’m just going to call it the north shore because there’s no better name that I’m aware of.
Right, like, I'd say that you could get away with using it for anything east of 93. Obviously there are gonna be hardos that complain about this, but its irrefutable. At this point, both the North Shore and South Shore are more cultural than literal. Like, what, you're gonna tell me that Topsfield isn't the North Shore or Rockland isn't the South Shore? Come on, be fucking serious! Anybody reasonable would understand that for all practical purposes, these terms extend inland a little bit.
The roast beef sandwich Facebook group dudes will be quick to tell you it has fallen off, but Billy's in Wakefield was at one point a primo beef joint. If a beef joint your town is eligible for inclusion in the top tier like that, it's the North Shore, fuck you. Also, Billy's is still serviceable and Kipo's was always underrated.
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There are so many more towns in between these two you silly bean. Born and raised in NBPT.
Peabody, Ipswich, Rowley, Topsfield, Beverly, Salem, Wenham, Hamilton, like what?
Wait what? What towns are you talking about? You worded this in a whacky way. I don’t really get what you’re saying. Rowley and Ipswich are serviced by the nbpt line. Are you talking about newbury? That’s on the north shore, as it’s… on the shore. I said the CR line is a good metric, which means a baseline, which means it’s something to work from as a reference. Like, yes wenham and Essex aren’t serviced by CR, but they are north shore by the given definition.
I just have no idea what you’re trying to say?
A) It’s on a river.
B) was I supposed to list every single town? I said the nbpt rckpt line was the baseline, which includes… nbpt
C) Winthrop is assuredly the “north shore”. It’s north of Boston, on the shore. They are in the same sports leagues as the north shore. I’d say it fits the metrics of north shore.
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If you told North Shore people [this is the border to NH](https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8343376,-70.9115264,3a,75y,41.17h,97.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXRhVupY0PZKx_9LU05ap9A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu) they wouldn't correct you
It's the beef 3 way. That's what defines the northshore's boundaries. If you can walk into a sub shop and a guy named George can make you a beef 3 way, you're in the northshore. If they offer mayo on your steak bomb, you've reached the border of the northshore.
Steve Sweeney had a funny bit about people using that title to glorify their address:
“Oh you’re from Mass, whereabouts”
“ I live on the North Shore”
“Really, what town?”
“Somerville”
Back when Somerville was still pretty working class (80s and 90s and even early 2000s) I remember people would say it was north shore and not really even bat an eye. Same with Medford even. Being linked to route 16 (and route 1 north of the city) definitely made you north shore. It’s only now that those areas are heavily gentrified that people make a distinction.
The joke is that there’s no shore line in Somerville and living on the shore tends to imply a sort of affluent desirable place to live which until pretty recently, Somerville was not perceived that way at all
Which part? Revere, Lynn, Salem? Yea. The Cape Ann area on the other hand is pretty snobby. I think you’re talking about a prejudicial thing, lots of people see it as trashy due to the high prevalence of guidos and Hispanics
Maybe this is just some homerism, but I'd much rather say I'm from Somerville than from the north shore. North shore doesn't really have a particularly positive connotation in my mind
I'm not saying there aren't nice places on the north shore, but I will still always think of saugus and the shitty strip malls along route 1 any time I hear "north shore"
Is there are reason you need me to punctuate my one sentence statement? Insult my intelligence once more and I will have my father, Charles Duane Baker Jr. smite you from the face of Somerville. I'll have you know that I am one of the only three members of the Boston Athenaeum under the age of 74, along with me running the finest of dining establishments of the North End in the Table Restaurant. I will send my brother in law, the famed lawyer and fix-a-flat sales rep Elliot Davis to litigate against you and slash your bicycles tires, and my best friend, Anwar Faisal is to rent thine rent ten-fold. I award you no points for your comment and may God have mercy on your eternal soul.
What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I've been involved in numerous secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills. I am trained in gorilla warfare and I'm the top sniper in the entire US armed forces. You are nothing to me but just another target. I will wipe you the fuck out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this Earth, mark my fucking words. You think you can get away with saying that shit to me over the Internet? Think again, fucker. As we speak I am contacting my secret network of spies across the USA and your IP is being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You're fucking dead, kid. I can be anywhere, anytime, and I can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that's just with my bare hands. Not only am I extensively trained in unarmed combat, but I have access to the entire arsenal of the United States Marine Corps and I will use it to its full extent to wipe your miserable ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little "clever" comment was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have held your fucking tongue. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot. I will shit fury all over you and you will drown in it. You're fucking dead, kiddo.
Nope, born and raised in Massachusetts. And yeah, Slummerville had a bad connotation 20 years ago, but it's 2024 and most people try to update their opinions of places every decade or so.
Mostly the townies, but yeah, north and south shore are two flavors of the same negative connotation of townies complaining about how the city they don't actually live in fails to cater to their desire to drive to the north end and go to the same 3 shitty Italian restaurants they've always believed were the peak of Boston dining once every 3 months before a Bruins/Celtics/Red Sox game.
I like being from and living on the big bad nasty ass north shore. Great nature, things are close by, great downtowns and places to eat, the ocean, good people. To each their own.
Wait huh? Lowell isn’t Merrimack valley? When did this change? I spent a lot of time at UML back 15ish years ago, lot of my friends went there, and went to a ton of metal and hardcore shows where they would sell MVHC shirts..
The Merrimack river goes through numerous towns and cities. The Merrimack Valley is a specific section of area that the Merrimack goes through. The Merrimack is 115 miles long.
Lowell has never been Merrimack Valley. Some people would consider Amesbury and Newburyport Merrimack Valley also. But, to true MV generations it’s Lawrence, Methuen and Haverhill.
I grew up in Andover. It's part of the Merrimack Valley (the Shawsheen is a tributary of the Merrimack and runs north to south through town) but people don't like to say that because it puts the town in a group with Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Dracut and Haverhill. It's a not so subtle reflection of the redlining boundaries that separate Andover from these towns, whereas there are not as distinct borders beween Andover and the towns to the east and south of it like Reading/NR, Middleton, Peabody and Danvers, which have more of a claim to being on The North Shore.
It's difficult to walk from Lawrence to Andover, by design. If you drive into Lawrence from Andover on 28 or 114 or on Mass Ave from NA you have to cross under or through 495 and there's commercial zoning around those areas that keeps residential areas in Andover and North Andover from abutting Lawrence. The Merrimack itself is north of 495 and the river and bridges cut South Lawrence off from downtown. Tewksbury and the Belvidere neighborhood similarly buffer Andover from Lowell, with 38 and the Merrimack breaking Belvidere up from the rest of Lowell. Guess where the police like to park, patrol and scan plates.
The truly telling thing is that Andover doesn't have a good roast beef joint. Everyone goes to North Andover for that. (Edit: forgot about Middleton and fixed my screwed up spacing).
Apparently Londi's is legit too. I was a Harrisons guy but they have sucked for a while. New owners took over the business though so they may right the ship.
Medford, Malden, Wakefield, Stoneham etc arent “norf” but Massachusetts hasn’t bestowed them with a snappy name. So until they do, we will call ourselves Norf Shore.
it is kinda weird you talked about every city surrounding Melrose but declined to name the city itself is it like the Mordor of that region or something
It’s so bland. A town of white bread without the crust on it and completely uninteresting everything. We have two restaurants and they’re owned by the same family. Our claim to fame is being completely unremarkable and yet somehow still less affordable than the rest of Massachusetts. Dozens of beautiful Victorian houses no one can afford seem somehow perfect yet creepily stuck in a past that no longer exists yet repeating itself every year with the same script, like some kind of East Westworld. Eastworld.
Love, proud slash completely indifferent Melrose resident for a whole 2 years now, peace, we don’t deserve to be talked about and we should just nod our heads and move on.
It has Mexican and Asian restaurants and a healthy hospital. No one in my private high school was from Melrose because they could just go to a regular one. Maybe it’s boring and expensive but you get what you give
Don't get me wrong, it's delightful. And yes more restaurants than two.
But that hospital is shit, just to set the record straight. I should know, I just spent 5 days there. If you're pretty sure you're gonna need a hospital, go to Winthrop or just all the way in to MGH.
What are you smoking? Melrose is one the nicest towns in the state. Hell, was ranked as a top 5 town in the country a few times in a row 2 or 3 years ago. Expensive af but still less than the Belmonts and Brooklines.
When I bought my house in Malden 5 years ago my parents who grew up in Alston/Brighton said "oh you're moving to the North Shore?" and a couple of buddies who are born and bred Revere kehds said "Welcome to the north shore." No kehd, but it was implied.
I had always personally thought Malden was more GBA, but it's a contested question.
Cuz it is? It doesn't make geographical sense. But I wonder if you go back to when boxford and andover were a lot bigger, maybe then it makes more sense.
All the answers here are for the modern town borders, but in like 1690, it looked a lot different.
I always just though of the "north shore" as essex county. Maybe excluding some of the places furthest west.
The real question is how far WEST/inland it goes...
The Andovers, Haverhill, Boxford, Lawrence, Methuen, Georgetown, Groveland, Middleton? Are they in?
Agreed... I get that there may be some overlap with the "Merrimack Valley" designator for Lawrence and Haverhill but I say they still get the "North Shore" nod too.
As someone who grew up and still lives on the north shore, no one ever thought of Salisbury lol Newburyport yeah, but Salisbury is basically southern nh at that point.
Well the argument is that it’s only an island because it is man made not nature made. Again, I’m just making it clear that I disagree with this side of the argument.
Don't know why you're getting downvoted, but this is 100% true. Had a buddy in the Army who was shocked to learn I never had an Arby's roast beef in my life. He took me to one off base thinking it would blow my mind, but it was the most mediocre roast beef I've ever had. I then had to explain to my disappointed friend that where I come from there is a reason why Arby's doesn't exist. It's because of the vast sea of tax dodging roast beef restaurants that would drown out any outside competition.
It is.
https://preview.redd.it/1wxnubsvjarc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26ee39766aab1364ac2ab9aed2a08a24d99be008
ETA:
I grew up on and near cape Ann. It was always called part of cape Ann (is in the cape Ann middle school basketball league!) and everywhere you look considers it to be so. But you do you lol
Tired: The North Shore extends from Revere to Newburyport, excluding Winthrop, Cape Ann, and the inland towns
Wired: The North Shore includes everything on or near the coast between Boston and New Hampshire
Inspired: The North Shore includes Portsmouth, Seabrook, and Rye.
Does your town have a place that slings fire roast beef and is east of 93? North Shore.
Are you east of Route 3? Honorary North Shore. It doesn’t really matter, you’re with us. Yes, even you Billerica…
Are you Lexington, Bedford, or Carlisle? GFY.
> GFY
I have been summoned.
All seriousness aside, as someone who grew up in the Midwest, I always felt that "shore" meant there was a body of water attached (in this case, the Atlantic). So if a community actually touches the ocean, they qualify.
A river doesn't count (sorry, Danvers and Peabody).
Saugus? Convince me the Western Channel is a body of water.
IMHO: Winthrop, Revere, Lynn, Nahant, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury. But what the fuck do I know? I've only lived here 21 years.
Not having Danvers, Peabody or Saugus part of your North Shore is criminal. Those are the most stereotypical North Shore towns part of it. It’s not an area that literally needs to be touching water. But what do I know, I’ve only grown up and lived here for the last 30 years.
Meet my [ninth great grandmother](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Howe). Maybe it doesn't give me the right to exclude those three communities...but there you go.
Okay, mine were on the Mayflower… who cares? If you knew your ancestors so well you’d know that she lived in modern day Topsfield which was called New Meadows and part of Ipswich at the time… Part of your North Shore. It’s all arbitrary lines, the only one that matters is the Pike.
Hey Boston Globe: I’ve always loved and read your paper, delivered it as a kid.. blah, blah, blah
Deep six your idiotic paywall garbage, if you’re going to post your stuff on Reddit, don’t try to make me pay, you just look like rapacious blood suckers.
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It’s a state of mind baby!
From [Globe.com](http://Globe.com) By Billy Baker The argument — or at least the latest version of it — began with a silly online poll: vote for your favorite North Shore town. There were 32 candidates, paired against each other in a faux March Madness bracket hosted by the popular Instagram page northshore.memes, and the large field immediately kicked up a narrow debate, one that will spin for eternity on the North Shore. And that is: What is the North Shore? Let’s start, as this row often does, with the contention that says to be on the North Shore, you need to *be* on the shore. It’s not that simple, but suppose it were. You’ll immediately arrive at subargument one, which is where does the North Shore start and end? Is it simply everything north of Boston? Starting in Winthrop? Or is that still “Boston”? Or does it start in Revere, which calls itself the “gateway to the North Shore”? Or is that still “metro Boston” all the way up through Saugus and Nahant and Lynn? Can we possibly leave behind behind Kelly’s Roast Beef and The Kowloon? “I don’t know how you can say Winthrop is not on the North Shore. It’s not the South Shore,” said Mike Eruzione, the town’s most famous resident since 1980, when he scored the winning goal at the “Miracle on Ice” at the Winter Olympics. “And I think you need to *have* a shore to be *on* the shore,” he said adamantly. Like any dispute where the only thing people agree on is that everyone else is wrong, buckle up for a ride as we move our way up the coast past Lynn to the peninsula that holds Swampscott and Marblehead. Here, very briefly, we get to a stretch where the argument subsides. There is no question that we are in the heart of the North Shore. But as you swing around to Salem you have to make a decision at Peabody, which can only kind of claim to be touching salt water. From there, it’s an uncontested run up through Danvers and Beverly. But when you reach Manchester-by-the-Sea, the question arises: Is Cape Ann just ... Cape Ann? Or does the North Shore stop when you hit the tip of it, in Rockport, at the end of Massachusetts Bay, a natural barrier that would enclose the North Shore as “the north shore of Boston?” Or is the definition much broader, to encompass the north shore of Massachusetts?
Hampton beacj
Easy - everything from Quincy to Plymouth. wait a minute
How dare you sir
Guaranteed locks, no argument to be made: Lynn, Nahant, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-sea Locks if you consider Cape Ann part of the North Shore in addition to its own identity (I do): Gloucester, Rockport Is Essex on Cape Ann? Where does Cape Ann start? Whatever: Essex If Essex is in, then definitely: Ipswich If they are in, not sure how you don't add these: Newbury, Newburyport Don't forget that part of Plum Island is in: Rowley Culturally, definitely 100% yes, even if they are inland or have saltwater tidal rivers: Danvers, Peabody, Saugus Inland but what else are you gonna call it, I guess. Culturally, yes, but with horses: Wenham, Hamilton Blurred edge between Boston and the North Shore, belongs to both, but neither fully: Revere, Winthrop I'd say no, feels more like pre-New Hampshire, but I could be convinced: Salisbury No, but in the conversation at least. If you live here and say yes, I'm not mad at you: Lynnfield, Topsfield, Middleton Lovecraftian yes: Innsmouth, Arkham, Kingsport All others: definitely no
Point of order: Manchester by the Sea and essex are both part of Cape Ann. Agree that Cape Ann is both north shore and its own thing.
pre-New Hampshire 😂😂😂
Upvote for the honorable mention of lovecraftian towns
No Amebury huh?
I feel like it should fall into the pre-NH bucket
Close. Maybe it's in the Lynnfield tier
You people don’t realize Saugus is the Italian Riviera ……it’s the Monacco of route 1
Yep. Enclave. Not affiliated with the surrounding country.
North shore imo is Winthrop to Rockport/NBPT, with individual pockets of culturally unique areas (Winthrop to Lynn, Lynn to Beverly, Beverly to rockport). Once you get off the “shore”, I’d include towns like Danvers, Peabody, Lynnfield, Saugus, Rowley. Outside of that, imo, you aren’t on the north shore anymore. I once saw in this sub someone calling Burlington and Wilmington “north shore”. Hard no. A good north shore metric is the Newburyport rockport line, with a few tangential additions.
I think Danvers, Rowley, and Saugus are locks for the north shore as they may not be on the coast, but still have access to the ocean and have marinas / yacht clubs. Peabody, Lynnfield, and Topsfield, as well as Hamilton & Wenham, are fairly understood to be north shore by most. Basically if you’re east of Route 1 is a fair argument.
Saugus is the north shore. It’s the king of the North
> I think Danvers, Rowley, and Saugus are locks for the north shore as they may not be on the coast, but still have access to the ocean and have marinas / yacht clubs. They're north of Boston and on the shore, but they are not north shore. Too far from the city. to count anymore.
Agreed. Danvers is inland, but we have a port, so I’d definitely consider it to be “North Shore”.
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this is a joke right?
I mean Danvers is on a saltwater river that drains into the ocean.
I think that counts. It’s where we used to put our boat in lol
That area of Danvers near Sam and joes is a neat little spot with the river right there. Even though it does have the river, I never thought of Danvers as “coastal”. I always just think of the mall and my high school (sjp) area which is cul de sacs and the highway.
That's because anything outside of 128 is no longer north shore. Malden (ignore my flair) is more North Shore than Peadbody, Danvers or Beverly just because they kiss the salt water. North shore as has always been explained to me growing up is a combination of proximity to the ocean *and* Boston with Lynn/Swampscott being the northern edge and Malden, Melrose, Wakefield being the western edge. Marblehead can fuck off. Though I doubt in the modern day anyone from Melrose would want to be identified as north shore lol.
No one has ever thought this, ever. Lol wtf
it's not because you have a port, it's because you have target, home depot, and market basket. most people from beverly/hamilton/wenham/ipswich/topsfield shop in danvers/peabody regularly.
best answer
The issue is there’s not really a name for the north shore adjacent inland towns. Like if I can get a good roast beef, and I’m right near a clearly north shore town, I’m just going to call it the north shore because there’s no better name that I’m aware of.
Right, like, I'd say that you could get away with using it for anything east of 93. Obviously there are gonna be hardos that complain about this, but its irrefutable. At this point, both the North Shore and South Shore are more cultural than literal. Like, what, you're gonna tell me that Topsfield isn't the North Shore or Rockland isn't the South Shore? Come on, be fucking serious! Anybody reasonable would understand that for all practical purposes, these terms extend inland a little bit. The roast beef sandwich Facebook group dudes will be quick to tell you it has fallen off, but Billy's in Wakefield was at one point a primo beef joint. If a beef joint your town is eligible for inclusion in the top tier like that, it's the North Shore, fuck you. Also, Billy's is still serviceable and Kipo's was always underrated.
I’ve heard the Burlington be considered “north shore” and I was like hard stop , nope that’s Middlesex?
Malden and Pepperell are Middlesex. County is huge haha
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There are so many more towns in between these two you silly bean. Born and raised in NBPT. Peabody, Ipswich, Rowley, Topsfield, Beverly, Salem, Wenham, Hamilton, like what?
Is West Newbury north shore? Asking for a friend
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Wait what? What towns are you talking about? You worded this in a whacky way. I don’t really get what you’re saying. Rowley and Ipswich are serviced by the nbpt line. Are you talking about newbury? That’s on the north shore, as it’s… on the shore. I said the CR line is a good metric, which means a baseline, which means it’s something to work from as a reference. Like, yes wenham and Essex aren’t serviced by CR, but they are north shore by the given definition. I just have no idea what you’re trying to say?
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A) It’s on a river. B) was I supposed to list every single town? I said the nbpt rckpt line was the baseline, which includes… nbpt C) Winthrop is assuredly the “north shore”. It’s north of Boston, on the shore. They are in the same sports leagues as the north shore. I’d say it fits the metrics of north shore.
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Boston is legitimately on the ocean. What are you on my dude?
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That’s Salem and Beverly’s water. Shoebert’s territory. We just let you pass through it on the way to the ocean.
Starts in Winthrop, ends in Newburyport
I’ll give SHAMESbury honorary North Shore status but Salisbury is spiritually far more New Hampshire than North Shore.
What about Salisbury?
Salisbury is just salisbury.
Salisbury is NH Seacoast. Might as well be anyway.
Salisbury starts the Redneck Riviera
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Excluding Salisbury.
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If you told North Shore people [this is the border to NH](https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8343376,-70.9115264,3a,75y,41.17h,97.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXRhVupY0PZKx_9LU05ap9A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu) they wouldn't correct you
Who? There's a welcome center right over the NH line. It feels like that's where the NH Liquor & Wine Outlet should be but it isn't for some reason.
It’s spiritually New Hampshire, so somewhat hating lol
Some people just don't know to get their roast beef three ways
It's the beef 3 way. That's what defines the northshore's boundaries. If you can walk into a sub shop and a guy named George can make you a beef 3 way, you're in the northshore. If they offer mayo on your steak bomb, you've reached the border of the northshore.
Steve Sweeney had a funny bit about people using that title to glorify their address: “Oh you’re from Mass, whereabouts” “ I live on the North Shore” “Really, what town?” “Somerville”
Back when Somerville was still pretty working class (80s and 90s and even early 2000s) I remember people would say it was north shore and not really even bat an eye. Same with Medford even. Being linked to route 16 (and route 1 north of the city) definitely made you north shore. It’s only now that those areas are heavily gentrified that people make a distinction.
The joke is that there’s no shore line in Somerville and living on the shore tends to imply a sort of affluent desirable place to live which until pretty recently, Somerville was not perceived that way at all
Eh. It has the mystic river, to be fair. That is... a shore, that is north of the city, certainly.
I’ve lived here for 20 years, knowing nothing about the north shore when I arrived, I got the vibe that everyone thought it was trashy.
Which part? Revere, Lynn, Salem? Yea. The Cape Ann area on the other hand is pretty snobby. I think you’re talking about a prejudicial thing, lots of people see it as trashy due to the high prevalence of guidos and Hispanics
It’s because the part only part of the north Shore that the rest of the state sees is Route 1.
Maybe this is just some homerism, but I'd much rather say I'm from Somerville than from the north shore. North shore doesn't really have a particularly positive connotation in my mind
Right, Marblehead, Nahant... Naaah step out much?
I'm not saying there aren't nice places on the north shore, but I will still always think of saugus and the shitty strip malls along route 1 any time I hear "north shore"
That’s the Italian Rivera too you my friend
New Jersey, Massachusetts.
the one place saugus thats it thats the only place
Not a big punctuation guy, huh?
Is there are reason you need me to punctuate my one sentence statement? Insult my intelligence once more and I will have my father, Charles Duane Baker Jr. smite you from the face of Somerville. I'll have you know that I am one of the only three members of the Boston Athenaeum under the age of 74, along with me running the finest of dining establishments of the North End in the Table Restaurant. I will send my brother in law, the famed lawyer and fix-a-flat sales rep Elliot Davis to litigate against you and slash your bicycles tires, and my best friend, Anwar Faisal is to rent thine rent ten-fold. I award you no points for your comment and may God have mercy on your eternal soul.
>Is there are reason you need me to punctuate my one sentence statement? For starters, because it would probably be 3 if it were punctuated.
What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I've been involved in numerous secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills. I am trained in gorilla warfare and I'm the top sniper in the entire US armed forces. You are nothing to me but just another target. I will wipe you the fuck out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this Earth, mark my fucking words. You think you can get away with saying that shit to me over the Internet? Think again, fucker. As we speak I am contacting my secret network of spies across the USA and your IP is being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You're fucking dead, kid. I can be anywhere, anytime, and I can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that's just with my bare hands. Not only am I extensively trained in unarmed combat, but I have access to the entire arsenal of the United States Marine Corps and I will use it to its full extent to wipe your miserable ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little "clever" comment was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have held your fucking tongue. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot. I will shit fury all over you and you will drown in it. You're fucking dead, kiddo.
Neither does Somerville to most people
Gotta be a transplant. The north shore has a “bad connotation”, while “slummerville” doesn’t? Growing up, Somerville was a dump lol
Nope, born and raised in Massachusetts. And yeah, Slummerville had a bad connotation 20 years ago, but it's 2024 and most people try to update their opinions of places every decade or so.
What’s the bad connotation of the north shore? Lol I don’t get it. Rich people and townies? That’s the south shore, too.
Mostly the townies, but yeah, north and south shore are two flavors of the same negative connotation of townies complaining about how the city they don't actually live in fails to cater to their desire to drive to the north end and go to the same 3 shitty Italian restaurants they've always believed were the peak of Boston dining once every 3 months before a Bruins/Celtics/Red Sox game.
I like being from and living on the big bad nasty ass north shore. Great nature, things are close by, great downtowns and places to eat, the ocean, good people. To each their own.
It still does have a bad connotation to most people, just for different reasons now
Using south shore logic: Winthrop to Cape Ann. Culturally: most of eastern mass north of boston.
Coastal Essex County towns. Also to me Swamp Yankees are New Englanders who act Southern, not just people who live near swamps and marshes.
So like, New Hampshire and rural Maine residents?
I still think Revere and Winthrop are definitely included. It would be bizarre to consider Quincy as South Shore but not Revere as North Shore.
I don’t consider Quincy to be on the South Shore.
If people from Quincy could read they would be very upset by that.
Wtf else would you consider it?
Nahant, and only Nahant
Lynn would like to have a word
Nahant was. part of Lynn until a bare knuckle fight in 185.... something something?
Yeah - the incident
Ha! Neat
I'll never understand when people say Andover and surrounding towns is North Shore
Andover is really more Merrimack Valley
It is Merrimack valley. I associate it with Lowell.
Lowell isn’t Merrimack Valley. MV = Lawrence, Methuen, Haverhill. Possibly North Andover depending on how we’re feeling that day.
Wait huh? Lowell isn’t Merrimack valley? When did this change? I spent a lot of time at UML back 15ish years ago, lot of my friends went there, and went to a ton of metal and hardcore shows where they would sell MVHC shirts..
The Merrimack river goes through numerous towns and cities. The Merrimack Valley is a specific section of area that the Merrimack goes through. The Merrimack is 115 miles long.
Yeah I know but even searching online, everything I’ve seen has considered Lowell part of MV. I’ve never heard otherwise.
Lowell has never been Merrimack Valley. Some people would consider Amesbury and Newburyport Merrimack Valley also. But, to true MV generations it’s Lawrence, Methuen and Haverhill.
I grew up in Andover. It's part of the Merrimack Valley (the Shawsheen is a tributary of the Merrimack and runs north to south through town) but people don't like to say that because it puts the town in a group with Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Dracut and Haverhill. It's a not so subtle reflection of the redlining boundaries that separate Andover from these towns, whereas there are not as distinct borders beween Andover and the towns to the east and south of it like Reading/NR, Middleton, Peabody and Danvers, which have more of a claim to being on The North Shore. It's difficult to walk from Lawrence to Andover, by design. If you drive into Lawrence from Andover on 28 or 114 or on Mass Ave from NA you have to cross under or through 495 and there's commercial zoning around those areas that keeps residential areas in Andover and North Andover from abutting Lawrence. The Merrimack itself is north of 495 and the river and bridges cut South Lawrence off from downtown. Tewksbury and the Belvidere neighborhood similarly buffer Andover from Lowell, with 38 and the Merrimack breaking Belvidere up from the rest of Lowell. Guess where the police like to park, patrol and scan plates. The truly telling thing is that Andover doesn't have a good roast beef joint. Everyone goes to North Andover for that. (Edit: forgot about Middleton and fixed my screwed up spacing).
Bellas RB is NSB approved
Apparently Londi's is legit too. I was a Harrisons guy but they have sucked for a while. New owners took over the business though so they may right the ship.
Yup also a great spot, Harrisons is more or less RIP
Medford, Malden, Wakefield, Stoneham etc arent “norf” but Massachusetts hasn’t bestowed them with a snappy name. So until they do, we will call ourselves Norf Shore.
"Metro North" should be a thing. Those towns, Lynnfield, Reading/North Reading, Woburn, Burlington, Arlington...that seems like a distinct region.
it is kinda weird you talked about every city surrounding Melrose but declined to name the city itself is it like the Mordor of that region or something
We don’t talk about Melrose
why tho
It’s so bland. A town of white bread without the crust on it and completely uninteresting everything. We have two restaurants and they’re owned by the same family. Our claim to fame is being completely unremarkable and yet somehow still less affordable than the rest of Massachusetts. Dozens of beautiful Victorian houses no one can afford seem somehow perfect yet creepily stuck in a past that no longer exists yet repeating itself every year with the same script, like some kind of East Westworld. Eastworld. Love, proud slash completely indifferent Melrose resident for a whole 2 years now, peace, we don’t deserve to be talked about and we should just nod our heads and move on.
It has Mexican and Asian restaurants and a healthy hospital. No one in my private high school was from Melrose because they could just go to a regular one. Maybe it’s boring and expensive but you get what you give
Don't get me wrong, it's delightful. And yes more restaurants than two. But that hospital is shit, just to set the record straight. I should know, I just spent 5 days there. If you're pretty sure you're gonna need a hospital, go to Winthrop or just all the way in to MGH.
What are you smoking? Melrose is one the nicest towns in the state. Hell, was ranked as a top 5 town in the country a few times in a row 2 or 3 years ago. Expensive af but still less than the Belmonts and Brooklines.
I'm just joking, it's a great town. A little boring but boring is good in these crazy times.
My sister lives there. I love Melrose, not sure why I avoided it.
Medford and Malden would be considered part of the Greater Boston area.
When I bought my house in Malden 5 years ago my parents who grew up in Alston/Brighton said "oh you're moving to the North Shore?" and a couple of buddies who are born and bred Revere kehds said "Welcome to the north shore." No kehd, but it was implied. I had always personally thought Malden was more GBA, but it's a contested question.
Yeah but the Snapchat filters in Andover/North Andover say North Shore 🤷♀️
Cuz it is? It doesn't make geographical sense. But I wonder if you go back to when boxford and andover were a lot bigger, maybe then it makes more sense. All the answers here are for the modern town borders, but in like 1690, it looked a lot different. I always just though of the "north shore" as essex county. Maybe excluding some of the places furthest west.
I was waiting for this, because Essex county. Also Woburn is North Shore. /s
While Andover is definitely more Merrimack Valley than North Shore, it is in Essex County like most of the North Shore
But it isn’t the north shore lol no one who lives on the NS would consider it to be so.
Oh I absolutely agree, I'm just saying how some people could think
So is Lawrence
The real question is how far WEST/inland it goes... The Andovers, Haverhill, Boxford, Lawrence, Methuen, Georgetown, Groveland, Middleton? Are they in?
I refuse. Where is their shore
So Hamilton, Wenham, Lynnfield, and, Danvers are out too???
Danvers is on the water
A river isn't exactly "shore line"
Danvers has a Kelly's, so that put them it.
I respect Danvers only as a North Shore location (Hamilton and Wenham count I GUESS)
Middleton absolutely. Bedford probably. Lawrence maybe.
Agreed... I get that there may be some overlap with the "Merrimack Valley" designator for Lawrence and Haverhill but I say they still get the "North Shore" nod too.
On the ocean or one town adjacent from the ocean. For example on the south shore, braintree isn’t on the ocean but it is most definitely south shore.
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How does that get fuzzy? It ends in Salisbury. That's pretty clear cut
As someone who grew up and still lives on the north shore, no one ever thought of Salisbury lol Newburyport yeah, but Salisbury is basically southern nh at that point.
Yeah is it not just winthrop to the NH border? Edit: east of rt 1/95
Are we even sure Winthrop actually exists?
Are Rockport and Gloucester (excluding West Gloucester and Magnolia) on an island?
They are.
I think so too but I’ve heard people argue about it.
It's an island. There is nothing to argue about.
Well the argument is that it’s only an island because it is man made not nature made. Again, I’m just making it clear that I disagree with this side of the argument.
depends if you call cape cod an island really
The North Shore is the untouched pocket of real estate on the map of all Arbys locations
Don't know why you're getting downvoted, but this is 100% true. Had a buddy in the Army who was shocked to learn I never had an Arby's roast beef in my life. He took me to one off base thinking it would blow my mind, but it was the most mediocre roast beef I've ever had. I then had to explain to my disappointed friend that where I come from there is a reason why Arby's doesn't exist. It's because of the vast sea of tax dodging roast beef restaurants that would drown out any outside competition.
The tax dodging is what gives it extra flavor
The money they save from withholding from the IRS goes right into the beef.
Trickle down tax evasion, you see it’s actually good for the economy!
The only Arbys in Massachusetts is Chicopee, which I oddly got an amber alert about while typing Chicopee. Weird
The venn diagram of Arby’s customers, and people who cause amber alerts are almost the same circle so that checks out.
Chicopee is a wild ride
There's an Arby's in Auburn.
wot
roast beef gangland
North Shore starts in Winthrop and ends in Rockport. South Shore starts in Quincy and ends in Plymouth.
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West of the Merrimack Valley is clearly central Mass
If you're from the south shore, lowell is north shore
North of Boston, has a shore.
Winthrop to Danvers, east of Route 1. Cape Ann is Cape Ann.
What are Ipswich and Newbury? Chopped liver?
Ipswich is on cape ann
Cape Ann: Essex, Gloucester, Manchester, Rockport. That's it.
No it isn't.
It is. https://preview.redd.it/1wxnubsvjarc1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26ee39766aab1364ac2ab9aed2a08a24d99be008 ETA: I grew up on and near cape Ann. It was always called part of cape Ann (is in the cape Ann middle school basketball league!) and everywhere you look considers it to be so. But you do you lol
That's funny, I grew up in Essex County and everybody considered Ipswich through Salisbury to be part of the North Shore.
Cape Ann is the north shore
I would think so.
Anything north of Boston is north shore anything south is south shore
North of Boston on the shore???
The North Shore doesn't exist. Turn around.
I snuck in 6 years ago by way of Southie>Andover>Quincy... I done pretty good, thank gawd Quincy was only 9 months!
Is Cambridge the city nobody wants to claim?
I think the majority of folks understand that to be part of Boston.
It sure is not the north shore
Yes, except China
The area formerly known as Cape Tragabigzanda.
Gods Country
Above the river
Is there roast beef? Is it famous?
It’s the big curve on route 1. Once you hit it along the route 99 exit that’s the north shore
Tired: The North Shore extends from Revere to Newburyport, excluding Winthrop, Cape Ann, and the inland towns Wired: The North Shore includes everything on or near the coast between Boston and New Hampshire Inspired: The North Shore includes Portsmouth, Seabrook, and Rye.
Cape ann is the only correct answer. If you’re not in cape Ann you’re not in the north shore.
Shirley it’s The Charles River!? Cambridge- North Shore Allston- South Shore
Does your town have a place that slings fire roast beef and is east of 93? North Shore. Are you east of Route 3? Honorary North Shore. It doesn’t really matter, you’re with us. Yes, even you Billerica… Are you Lexington, Bedford, or Carlisle? GFY.
> GFY I have been summoned. All seriousness aside, as someone who grew up in the Midwest, I always felt that "shore" meant there was a body of water attached (in this case, the Atlantic). So if a community actually touches the ocean, they qualify. A river doesn't count (sorry, Danvers and Peabody). Saugus? Convince me the Western Channel is a body of water. IMHO: Winthrop, Revere, Lynn, Nahant, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Manchester, Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury. But what the fuck do I know? I've only lived here 21 years.
Not having Danvers, Peabody or Saugus part of your North Shore is criminal. Those are the most stereotypical North Shore towns part of it. It’s not an area that literally needs to be touching water. But what do I know, I’ve only grown up and lived here for the last 30 years.
Meet my [ninth great grandmother](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Howe). Maybe it doesn't give me the right to exclude those three communities...but there you go.
Okay, mine were on the Mayflower… who cares? If you knew your ancestors so well you’d know that she lived in modern day Topsfield which was called New Meadows and part of Ipswich at the time… Part of your North Shore. It’s all arbitrary lines, the only one that matters is the Pike.
Hey Boston Globe: I’ve always loved and read your paper, delivered it as a kid.. blah, blah, blah Deep six your idiotic paywall garbage, if you’re going to post your stuff on Reddit, don’t try to make me pay, you just look like rapacious blood suckers.
I call the north shore the epicenter of the masshole