Construction workers transforming Marblehead’s former Gerry School playground into a community park made an unexpected discovery this month when their excavation equipment struck a granite structure hidden beneath decades of fill, setting back the project’s timeline to spring 2026.
What they uncovered was a remarkably preserved fire “cistern,” essentially a water tank measuring 24 feet in circumference and 23 feet deep, dating to around 1885, offering a glimpse into the town’s 19th-century firefighting infrastructure.
Granite surprise stops the shovels
“When you start a project like this, you definitely don’t expect to find something that’s not on any of our records,” Marblehead Department of Public Works Superintendent Amy McHugh said. “We had to test the water to make sure it could go into the stormwater system, pump it out and figure out how it was being fed — whether it was just groundwater seeping in or something else.”
The department is working with the contractor to permanently close the cistern while preserving its structural integrity.
“We’ll be taking the granite off the top and trying to utilize it down there in the park,” McHugh noted. “But we’ll leave the walls in place and fill it properly so the ground table isn’t affected.”
The circular granite structure emerged as crews from Raffaele Construction prepared the site for the Park on Elm Street project, a $500,000 community-driven renovation of the former playground. Unlike typical abandoned cisterns filled with debris over time, this one remained surprisingly intact and clear.
“The craftsmanship is really quite remarkable,” said Fire Chief Jason Gilliland, who examined the structure after its discovery. “You can see the expert stonework that went into building this. It’s a testament to how seriously they took fire protection in those days.”
Historical research conducted by Marblehead Museum Executive Director Lauren McCormack confirms the cistern’s timeline and purpose. She examined Sanborn fire insurance maps via the Library of Congress from the late 1800s, and found the structure clearly documented as a “reservoir” on maps from 1885 and 1901, but absent from 1908 maps as the town’s modern water infrastructure expanded.
“These insurance maps are incredibly detailed,” McCormack explained. “They tracked everything related to fire risk — building materials, heating systems, water sources. The fact that this reservoir disappears from the 1908 map tells us exactly when it became obsolete.”
Back Street’s buried insurance policy
The cistern served a neighborhood then known as “Back Street,” considered the outskirts of town in the 1850s. The area housed working-class residents in what was called “Mechanics Square” and featured important community buildings including a schoolhouse and the Gun House armory.
“This was really the back side of town with few houses,” said local historian Pam Peterson, chair of the Marblehead Historical Commission. “The fact that they built such a substantial fire cistern here shows how the area was developing and how seriously they took fire protection for these community buildings.”
The 1885 Sanborn map shows the cistern alongside JJH Gregory’s seed operations, where the entrepreneur ran what the map describes as a “seed factory, packing and office, store room.” Peterson said Gregory’s business, which operated from buildings now converted to residences, was a significant presence in the neighborhood and likely contributed to the need for reliable fire protection.
By 1901, the old schoolhouse was still documented as being “heated by stoves, no lights,” highlighting the fire risks that made cisterns essential infrastructure. However, the appearance of 8-inch and 10-inch water pipes on maps between 1901 and 1908 marked the transition to modern firefighting methods.
“Once they had proper water mains and hydrants, these old cisterns became unnecessary,” Gilliland noted. “But they were absolutely critical before that infrastructure existed. This one would have held thousands of gallons for emergency use.”
Gilliland said the discovery represents one of several fire cisterns scattered throughout Marblehead’s historic areas. Similar structures existed near the Warwick Theatre. Redd’s Pond also served firefighting purposes through a piping system that connected to cisterns in the Pleasant Street area.
Dollars, timelines shift with discovery
The find has delayed the Park on Elm Street construction timeline, with completion now expected in spring 2026 rather than the originally planned end of 2025.
“Obviously this adds complexity to the project, but it’s fascinating to uncover this piece of Marblehead’s history,” said Maeve Maguire, president of Friends of the Park on Elm Street, the nonprofit organization spearheading the renovation. “It really connects us to the community that was here before.”
The park project has successfully raised $400,000 toward its goal, with $234,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding supporting phase one infrastructure work. The organization needs an additional $100,000 by Aug. 1 to complete the full scope of playground equipment, landscaping and amenities planned for phase two.
A generous community member has offered to match new donations dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000, effectively doubling contributions during this final fundraising push.
The project team is finalizing design plans with landscape architect Crowley+Cotrell, selecting playground equipment and determining surfacing, trees and other features. At town meeting, oversight of the completed park was officially transferred from the Select Board to the Recreation and Parks Department.
“This discovery reminds us that we’re building on ground with deep community roots,” Maguire added. “The schoolhouse from 1906 is still here being converted to condos, and now we’re creating the next chapter for children and families in this same space.”
The cistern’s granite stones may be reused elsewhere in the park design, allowing this piece of Marblehead’s firefighting history to continue serving the community in a new form.
For more information about the Park on Elm Street project or to contribute to the final fundraising phase, visit theparkonelm.org.
