Spotlight on Lynn, Massachusetts 

The North Shore Alliance, or the “Alliance,” prides itself on supporting economic development initiatives across the 30 communities and four Gateway Cities of the North Shore of Massachusetts. 

Each month we will be conducting a community highlight. We will be looking at some of these communities, where they stand economically and highlight commercial development sites that may be of interest to our readers. 

This month we will be taking a closer look at the Gateway City of Lynn, Massachusetts. 

A Word About Lynn, Massachusetts 

Nearly 350 years ago, some settlers from nearby Salem wanted to find a less crowded area with greener pastures. Originally incorporated as the town of Saugus, the area would later be renamed Lynn after its first minister Samuel Whiting, who arrived from King’s Lynn, England. 

Lynn began as an agricultural community and would later become a major shoe textile industry center of the world. Lynn is historically known as a city of “firsts”. For example, in 1629, Lynn was the first tannery to begin operations in the United States. Additionally, Lynn native, astronomer Maria Mitchell was the first woman inducted into the Academy of Arts and Sciences. These are not the only examples as Lynn was also the first Airmail Delivery in New England that flew from Saugus to Lynn and the first Jet Airplane Engine in the U.S. was built at Lynn’s General Electric plant in 1942.

Currently, Lynn has a population of 89,050 and continues to thrive and flourish as a community of hard-working people. Lynn is now the largest city in Essex County and is known for being an urban manufacturing and commercial center. It is densely populated and culturally diverse.

Points of Interest 

Lynn, Massachusetts is an area of vibrant activity including indoor places of interest and many outdoor spaces where families bring children and pets for some fun in the sun. 

Lynn Woods, Lynn Shore Drive, and Red Rock Park are three outdoor areas of interest in the Lynn area. Whether you want to lounge on the beach, play catch with your pet, or long walks on well-maintained trails, Lynn has an area for you. 

Lynn Woods is the second largest municipal park in the United States. The Woods offers over 30 miles of scenic trails for hiking, running, horseback riding, mountain biking (not allowed during the winter), cross-country skiing, and nature walks.

Red Rock Park is a great walk for exercising and the leisure smell of the ocean lovers. This is a great location where concerts are held. There is free (and plenty of) parking at Red Rock. 

Lynn Shore Drive offers another perfect place for a walk along piers and boardwalks with beautiful vistas of the ocean. 

Indoor places to make sure you visit include the Lynn Museum, the Mary Baker Eddy Historic House, and the Lynn Heritage State Park. 

Check out more things to do and places to visit in Lynn here.