The town of Newbury, incorporating the villages of Old Town, Byfield, and Plum Island, was settled in 1635. The extensive Newbury plantation was primarily agricultural, although many early residents also earned their living through shipbuilding along the Merrimack River. Newbury is rich with natural landmarks and stunning landscapes, including a large portion of the Great Marsh, the largest salt marsh in New England. Byfield was the site of early industry, with gristmills and sawmills sprouting up along the Quascacunquen, now the Parker River, as early as the 1630s. Mills producing products from nails to woolens and snuff prospered into the 20th century. Ancient houses, many of them the homes of famous sons and daughters, stand as a legacy to Newbury's early history. During the 19th century, Plum Island became a fashionable seaside resort and hunters and fishermen took advantage of the birds and fish that proliferated there. The three communities bring together a citizenry fiercely proud of its heritage and a rich history of working and playing on land and sea.