Newburyport, city, Essex County, northeastern Massachusetts, at the mouth of the Merrimack River; incorporated as a city 1851. Manufactures here include silver products, leather goods, and electrical machinery. Its many fine old homes, several of which date from the 17th century, are tourist attractions. Settled in 1635, the community received its name as the port for Newbury, from which it was separated in 1764. It was one of colonial America's great shipping and shipbuilding centers, but these activities declined after the War of 1812. Population 15,900 (1980); 16,317 (1990); 17,189 (2000).
