EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this story misidentified the late president mentioned in the 1881 Marblehead Messenger. He was President James A. Garfield, not Andrew Garfield. The article has been updated to reflect the correct name.
Standing at the counter of his antique shop on Washington Street, Tim Swigor admires his extensive collection of Marblehead historical artifacts. Every wall, shelf and table is covered with reminders of Marblehead’s long and storied past. From a copy of the Marblehead Messenger, announcing the death of President James Garfield in 1881, to old photographs of the town in the early 20th century, to relics of Marblehead’s rich maritime and military history, there is enough to keep any local history buff occupied for decades. Swigor beams as he described each one in great detail.
Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, Swigor has always had a passion for history. He attended Northeastern University and ran a third-party marketing business. He moved to Marblehead in 2004, and quickly fell in love with the town’s charm and rich history. He lives on Front Street.
“I’ve always been a steward of history,” said Swigor. “I love history in general, and obviously Marblehead’s got a ton of history. So I just embraced everything that the town has to offer from a historical perspective.”
He added, “If you go to Florida and Texas, everything is cookie cutter, nothing is old. But there’s so much character and history in Marblehead’s narrow streets,”
Swigor has been collecting artifacts for 30 years, but he eventually decided to open an antique shop in order to share his passion for local history with the Marblehead community. He bought a condo on 134 Washington St. and quickly got to work fixing it up.
“We bought the condo two years ago, and we started renovating it,” said Swigor, who opened Old Town Antiques on June 1, 2024, and has since been sharing his collection with anyone who stops by on the weekends. “The floor was painted black so we had to sand it down, and the fireplaces were covered up, so we had to expose them. The building was built during the 1790s, and I wanted it to look like it. I wanted to bring it back to its original luster.“
Swigor walked around the shop, showing off all of the historic photos, maps, documents, flags, anchors, newspapers and other objects that will remind the viewer of the rich history that our town boasts of. One of his favorite pieces in the collection, a fraternal flag made for Civil War veterans which hangs on a wall by the front, was made in 1881. Though he would never part with it, Swigor excitedly showed off one of just a handful of surviving copies of the first ever U.S. Census taken in 1791, showing that Marblehead had 5,661 residents, and was signed by Thomas Jefferson.
Swigor is always on the hunt for more historic Marblehead antiques to add to his collection.
“I’m always interested in buying things,” explained Swigor. “I find a lot of it at local yard sales and garage sales. Other times it’s auctions and Ebay. I’m looking for Marblehead stuff anywhere and everywhere.”
Swigor also spoke about how the antique shop has connected him with the Marblehead community in new ways and has been a tremendous learning experience.
“It’s been great. Since I’ve opened the shop, locals will come in and tell me stories about the town that I’d never heard before. Old timers will come in, and they’ll tell me about things that have happened in our town’s history,” said Swigor. “And when you share these stories, they continue to be passed down to future generations.”
Swigor’s passion for local history recently drove him into local politics. He ran for the Planning Board, and was an advocate against the controversial 3A zoning measure, which he says doesn’t honor the uniqueness and extraordinary history of Marblehead.
“I thought that 3A was an overreach by the state, and that they’re trying to turn Marblehead into every other suburb,” explained Swigor. “But we’re not like every other suburb. We are unique. Local zoning should be handled at the local level.”
Swigor believes that protecting and honoring our local history should be a top priority for our local government.
“My passion for Marblehead history pushed me to get involved in local politics. I’m not usually a politician, but I believe that someone needs to have a rational approach to things in keeping the town’s history in its best interest,” he said.
Through his antique shop, Swigor wants to continue to protect and share pieces of our town’s rich history with as many people as possible. He worries that it may become lost throughout the years, but he hopes he can do his part to prevent that.
“I’m trying to highlight and preserve Marblehead history, and there’s just so much history here,” said Swigor. “It’s a unique place, and there’s just so much history that we need to protect from being lost.”
