NEWBURY — On April 8, a substantial sign to commemorate the iconic Pink House was erected on town land at 60 Plum Island Turnpike, the site where the beloved former home stood for a century.
The sign was a gift, anonymously donated to the Town of Newbury, ensuring that the memory and legend surrounding the house endures in perpetuity.
When the US Fish and Wildlife Service/Parker River Wildlife Refuge, who took possession of the house in late 2011, announced its plans to demolish it in 2015, a palpable public outcry arose. Support The Pink House Inc, a nonprofit, formed in response, and with broad community support, every federal and state elected official and municipal officials from several towns adjoining Newbury got involved.
The mission to save the pink house received coverage in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, The Newburyport Daily News, North Shore Magazine and the Town Common, as well as being covered by NPR, the UK’s Daily Mail, The Chicago Tribune, WCVB TV’s Chronicle and every network television station.
Though the structure was proven sound and clear of contaminants, and several viable land trade options and funds were available, The Pink House was demolished on March 11, 2025.
Newbury Select Board Chair William DiMaio, Select Board Vice Chair Alicia Greco, and Select Board Member Patrick Heffernan formally accepted the sign on behalf of the town, hailing it as an important historic landmark.
DiMaio stated, “The Pink House may be gone from the marsh but it still rises in
the heart.”
Suspended between two granite posts, the engraved sign reads: “1925 -2025” on either side of the centerpiece; a beautiful rendering of the house by Plum Island Artist Kathy Culbert. Words of tribute underneath the picture read: “Honoring 100 Years of Memories. Demolished March 11, 2025, but never forgotten”
“Our Pink House came to mean a great deal to so many, in countless ways. In this historic area, now it too will be forever remembered,” said Bruce Stott, who, along with his family, were the last owners of The Pink House and called it home for nearly 50 years.
The sign was crafted and installed by Rick Salmonson of Bridge Road Signs.
A Pink House Memorial Celebration is being planned for early June near the site, which will be attended by members of the Stott family, The Newbury Select Board and other officials. Details to follow.
Visit The Pink House website for more information on the effort to save it and the house history.
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