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Old 08-05-2008, 11:23 AM
 
3 posts, read 39,027 times
Reputation: 11

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Hi,
I live in Ipswich on the North Shore and we are considering moving to Topsfield or Boxford. My kids are 3 and 4. We love Ipswich and want to stay near the water, but I don't think we will be able to find the family neighborhood we are looking for. My husband commutes to Boston 5 days/week. I commute to Boston 3 days/week.

I am interested in the following feedback:
1. are these towns as family friendly as their reputations suggest?
2. boxford has no town center, where do people 'congregate' for ice cream or dinners out etc.?
3. I hear the schools are good. can anyone tell me how to research the schools on my own (i.e., what website to go to and what numbers to look at?)
4. I saw a house listed in Boxford close to Four Mile Pond. It said for a fee you can have access to the pond for boating and tennis. Anyone have any further details about Four Mile Pond and this 'association.' I googled it but found very little.

Thanks in advance for our responses -- greatly appreciated!!
Amanda
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Old 08-05-2008, 12:39 PM
 
Location: Southern New Hampshire
4,643 posts, read 13,892,166 times
Reputation: 4626
Hi Amanda! Interesting that you live in Ipswich--I just this morning thought of the Cranes Beach Sand Sculpures, and was going to look online to see if I've already missed it or not... It seems that this about the right time for it

In answer to some of your questions, one of the best places to check for schools is SchoolMatters - Home (http://www.schoolmatters.com/ - broken link). There is an area that you can compare schools from one area to another. Masco is an excellent school, but you should definitely do your own research. You may also want to check out the MCAS scores: http://www.boston.com/news/special/e...ex_schools.htm
I hope you find the links helpful

Some of the places that people tend to congregate would be Benson's Ice Cream in West Boxford (almost into North Andover). They have the most AMAZING ice cream in the world--when fruit is in season (NOW) order raspberry or peach ice cream. It's even better than White's Farm , and that's saying something! Ingaldsby Farm has something for everyone (PYO berries, etc. and a great farm stand for your fresh produce). Going out to dinner, plenty close by. Follow Rte 133 to 125, and there are some great choices from Joe Fish to The Loft to Mango Grille to China Blossom or Beijing for eat in or take out Chinese.

One thing to keep in mind that there IS no walkable town center. It's amusing to read through MLS listings and see the comment "2+ Acre Lot!!!", since that has been the minimum lot size for building for decades
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Old 08-05-2008, 01:58 PM
 
3 posts, read 39,027 times
Reputation: 11
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for the message. Sandblast at Crane Beach is this Saturday, 8/9. You haven't missed it. Great info about how to research schools - thank you!! I know that Boxford doesn't have the town center and wonder how people still manage to feel like there is a 'community.'
Boxford is gorgeous! I just wondered how I would get the community feel.

Thanks.
Amanda
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Old 08-15-2008, 02:04 PM
 
2 posts, read 17,385 times
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I am interested in the following feedback:
1. are these towns as family friendly as their reputations suggest?

absolutely! Both Topsfield and Boxford are great family towns.

2. boxford has no town center, where do people 'congregate' for ice cream or dinners out etc.?
Actually, there are 2 small town centers, in east and west, with small deli/cafes where people often meet for coffee or a quick lunch. In west, it's the West Boxford Store, which has a lunch counter, and in East, it's Wayne's, with tables and a lunch counter.

I find that many people in Boxford find many ways to get together through activities at the schools in town, so if you have kids, there are always fundraisers, barbeques, etc. The two congregational churches in town are also very socially active. As for dinner & drinks, people in West often head to the nearby restaurants a few miles away in North Andover, while those in East frequently head for the business strips on Route 1 or Route 114 to the South. Boxford itself is absolutely closed down in the evening and at night.

3. I hear the schools are good. can anyone tell me how to research the schools on my own (i.e., what website to go to and what numbers to look at?)

The schools aren't just good, they are excellent. They are the reason many people with children accept the inflated real estate prices in order to get their kids into town. The regional high school , Masconomet, which would be available to you if you live in either Topsfield or Boxford, is considered top-flight.

4. I saw a house listed in Boxford close to Four Mile Pond. It said for a fee you can have access to the pond for boating and tennis. Anyone have any further details about Four Mile Pond and this 'association.' I googled it but found very little.

I think you are talking about Stiles pond. There is a Four Mile village, which is the town's retirement community, which I think may be near a pond which may be called Four Mile (there are many ponds in Boxford), but the town beach is at Stiles Pond, and membership is around $125 per family per summer season now, payable to the Boxford Athletic Association. It is very swimmable, the beach is peaceful. Kayaks and canoes are available for free (lifejackets provided), and there is a great snack bar staffed by town teenagers so you can feed your kids at the beach. Half the families in town with kids live there in summer.

Free public tennis courts are near the Boxford police station and were recently refurbished.
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Old 01-11-2011, 03:54 PM
 
3 posts, read 17,594 times
Reputation: 11
Default Where did you settle after all?

You were looking @ Boxford/Topsfield and another town when you wrote in 2008. I too am looking @ move to Boxford & have basically the same questions you had. wondering if you did move after all & if you did move to Boxford, how you are liking it & finding a sense of 'community'.

Thanks,
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Old 01-11-2011, 09:14 PM
 
Location: North of Boston
3,668 posts, read 7,355,117 times
Reputation: 3634
I live in Lynnfield, however we strongly considered Topsfield when we were looking at moving from Newbury in 2005.

I would not choose Boxford because the 2 acre minimum zoning does not lend itself to a neighborhood feel. Even in the many subdivisions the houses are very spread out. Some folks like that, we prefer to be closer to our neighbors and for our kids to have other children to play with.
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Old 02-04-2011, 01:12 AM
 
8 posts, read 25,680 times
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Boxford and Topsfield are both very nice towns. If you're a Republican, you'll love living in Boxford!! Very conservative!
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Old 12-03-2011, 10:03 PM
 
1 posts, read 11,021 times
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I have lived in Boxford for 6 years and while its very peaceful and seemingly crime-free it can be isolated and boring especially during the winter months. We're planning to move next spring to Topsfield. Topsfield offers an actual downtown area and more fields and pastoral landscapes. I'm tired of woods, woods, woods. Plus, Topsfield is closer to Ipswich/Beaches.
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Old 12-04-2011, 11:27 AM
 
16,979 posts, read 21,625,959 times
Reputation: 29053
Quote:
Originally Posted by gf2020 View Post
I live in Lynnfield, however we strongly considered Topsfield when we were looking at moving from Newbury in 2005.

I would not choose Boxford because the 2 acre minimum zoning does not lend itself to a neighborhood feel. Even in the many subdivisions the houses are very spread out. Some folks like that, we prefer to be closer to our neighbors and for our kids to have other children to play with.

+1.... In Boxford to go over to a friend's house you need to drive your kids! Your kids aren't going to bicycle down Ipswich Rd to a friend's house!

Homes can be beautiful but there is a lack of community feeling there. One of the best things is the I-95 access to get anywhere else (stores, restaurants, Boston). If you like local towns and going downtown this isn't the place. Topsfield has the town center but that isn't great for dining options/stores etc.
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Old 12-04-2011, 12:52 PM
 
3,244 posts, read 7,419,954 times
Reputation: 1604
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amandabk View Post
Hi,
I live in Ipswich on the North Shore and we are considering moving to Topsfield or Boxford. My kids are 3 and 4. We love Ipswich and want to stay near the water, but I don't think we will be able to find the family neighborhood we are looking for. My husband commutes to Boston 5 days/week. I commute to Boston 3 days/week.

I am interested in the following feedback:
1. are these towns as family friendly as their reputations suggest?
2. boxford has no town center, where do people 'congregate' for ice cream or dinners out etc.?
3. I hear the schools are good. can anyone tell me how to research the schools on my own (i.e., what website to go to and what numbers to look at?)
4. I saw a house listed in Boxford close to Four Mile Pond. It said for a fee you can have access to the pond for boating and tennis. Anyone have any further details about Four Mile Pond and this 'association.' I googled it but found very little.

Thanks in advance for our responses -- greatly appreciated!!
Amanda
---------------------------------------------------------------------

I lived next to Boxford in North Andover (literally the town line was 500 feet) for a decade or so. It is a wonderful town. I used to go there all the time. It tends to be rather rural (lots of farms, or former farms)
-- This town is very family friendly.
-- It has 2 town centers (though very small). Remember the population is relatively low.
-- The best place for ice cream is Benson's (awesome )
-- Can't help you with Four Mile Pond. One of my engineers lives on another big pond (they are all over the place), but they are directly on it, so no fees.
-- Housing there is rather expensive (I think the median house price is something like $524K)
--Get used to no street signs on the rural streets. I was told once, by a resident, "if you don't know where you're going, you don't belong there"

Just my personal opinion, but I would choose Boxford over Topsfield in a heartbeat. I have lived here on the North Shorse since I was six.
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