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Local Lore:
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• Castle Hill

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If the spirits of the departed return to the scenes of their earthly haunts when it is possible that on a favorable night the ghost of Nanapashemet, Sachem of the Naumkeags may be seen above the apex of the fast vanishing Castle Hill, viewing interestedly the removal of the old hill, upon which his mortal career ended, and looking with a wistful eye to the growing settlement, extending from the western side of the base of the hill to the meadow and hill beyond. Equally as interested, and gazing with perhaps greater interest, may be their wraith of Judge Lynde, who occupied a mansion on the summit of the hill about the year 1700.

Small wonder the visitors from spirit land are amazed. The change from the early conditions are marked and varied. In 1837 the first great change to place in the vicinity, the entrance of the Eastern Railroad cutting through the eastern side of the hill, and dividing the country in twain. After the Railroad came the man with the pick and shovel, and for years the old, but beautiful hill was constantly attacked, until at last its stony heart has been exposed, broken and nearly carried away, to make a surface dressing for streets and highways. In five years the a great level expanse taking its place. The pond that laved its base is nearly gone, and in a few years will be only a reminiscence.

After 1815, when the house on the top of the hill was blown down, no habitation was erected near the hill until about 1869, when the late George Carey erected a two-story dwelling in the open pasture, about 300 yards northwest of the hill, and in what it is now the heart of the Castle Hill settlement.

During more than a dozen years Mr. Carey and his family dwelt undisturbed by neighbors, their home standing a solitary suggestion of civilization in a large tract of unimproved territory. Realizing the possibilities of the territory as a residential section Charles S. Clark and the late James F. Almy bought the Derby estate and sold a large number of house lots at public auction. Nearly all the lots were bought by French Canadians. The late Desire Menard being one of the early settlers.

As they years fled dwellings began to rise until at present there are in the district 80 dwellings, varying in size from a single story to a four story building. As the houses increase in number, the streets became more defined, and about six years ago the City Council named the streets as follows: Arthur, Cloutman, Horton, Jefferson avenue, Lawrence, Ocean avenue, Payson, Read, Silsbee, Story, Wheatland and Wilson.

The original plan of the district provided for a street which was marked No. 10 and to this street it was attempted to give the name Cleveland, but the City Council refused, as it was thought to be an attempt of William A. Cleveland, then a member of the City Council, to perk perpetuate his name through the medium of the street sign. Though the street was not named, the people call it Cleveland Street, and in the Naumkeag directory it bears the same title.

Along the 13 streets of the settlement are 80 dwellings and about twice that number of barns and outbuildings. About 125 families, numbering about 1000 souls, make their home in the district, and have added to the valuation of the City in real and personal property about $85000 the personal property being horses, cattle, wagons, etc.

The population, with the exception of five families, is French Canadian and to their industry, frugality and thrift is due the success of the settlement. In the center of the settlement is the new church of St. Anne, which will be blessed next Sunday, and a few rods distant is a public school. In the northeastern corner of the district is a three-story building, formerly used as a morocco factory. About 20 stores and shops, including a bakery and several grocery stores, remove the necessity of visiting for domestic needs of many kinds.

Jefferson Avenue runs through the center, dividing the settlement into nearly equal parts, and extending, on paper, to Loring Avenue. Across the Boston " Maine tracks are half a dozen houses, and it is hoped to extend the avenue across the Railroad by a bridge, but the City Council seems to consider the proposed bridge only about election Day.

The extension in grading of Jefferson avenue would open up a large tract of meadow land upon which, in a few years, would arise a number of comfortable dwellings, with the needed small structures.

About 20 years ago it was reported that silver ore had been found in the vicinity, and in excavation was made near the center of the present settlement, but no silver was found, and in time the excavation was filled and the entire territory became dotted with humble but happy homes.

The entire territory became dotted with humble but happy homes. The entire territory was formerly a part of the Derby estate and in 1878 became the property of Charles S. Clark and the late James F. Almy, who opened it up to settlement, and to whose enterprise, and to the industry of the present occupants, the City owes a substantial addition in population and value.

Transcribed from the Salem Evening News, January 1902