The following is an interview with Judy Anderson, owner of Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours, conducted by Discover Marblehead. Anderson set up her business 15 years ago to share her love and knowledge of Marblehead’s architectural, social and cultural history with others through tours and illustrated talks. As part of her business, she donates to public programs and local nonprofits. To learn more about Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours and her September events, go to marbleheadtours.com.
Judy Anderson founded Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours 15 years ago. COURTESY PHOTO
Tell us about your business and why you started it.
I started Marblehead Architecture Heritage & Tours 15 years ago to share information about Marblehead’s architectural, social and cultural history, mainly 1600s and 1700s, through illustrated public programs and walking tours about specific or timely aspects of Marblehead’s history, often to benefit other local organizations. I also provide individually scheduled walking tours for hire for visitors and residents.
Even locals usually learn something new on my tours. For 16 years after 1993, when the incomparable Bette Hunt retired, I worked at the Marblehead Museum as its first year-round, full-time staff member and its first administrative director.
For a decade after 2000, I had the privilege of serving as the first and only designated curator of the Col. Jeremiah Lee Mansion in the museum’s century-long ownership.
After that, I wrote a book about the Lee Mansion’s spectacular and unique original hand-painted 1760s mural papers, plus seven patterns of colorful block-printed wallpapers that apparently were originally in the house.
What is the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
After I tried twice to set up Marblehead Architecture Heritage as a nonprofit, I was dissuaded by local professionals/potential board members who warned about the complex financial issues and other considerations. So instead, I try to benefit other organizations through tours or talks on specific topics, or present timely public programs for nonprofits like the Marblehead Museum or Arts Association, local churches or others in this or other communities that might be interested, so they can receive much or all the programs’ financial benefit.
Privately scheduled walking tours enable me to give back to the local history community also, sometimes through periodic donations (even if small) to the Marblehead Museum and occasional gifts of Marblehead items or ephemera that appear for sale at auctions or elsewhere.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why?
Kayaking with my husband or sons around Maverick’s Island in Maverick’s Cove. Those were the first English names for Gerry’s Island (Thomas Gerry, the father of Elbridge, mid-1700s) and Little Harbor. They were referred to as “Maverick’s” because Marblehead’s town founder, Moses Maverick, was the island’s first English owner, from 1635 to 1675, according to research by Robert Booth.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
After grad school at USC and a 10-year art museum career in Los Angeles and at the MFA Boston, I moved to Marblehead in 1992 because of its rare pre-Revolutionary architecture and compelling social history. Since then, I’ve given countless illustrated talks at historical organizations regionally and up and down the eastern seaboard, and at symposia in several states, including twice at Colonial Williamsburg (in 2000 and 2010). My high point was giving an illustrated talk at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum in 2001.
The business spotlight is a weekly feature published in partnership with Discover Marblehead. Discover Marblehead is dedicated to promoting Marblehead. To learn more, visit discoverMHD.com.
