Historically Speaking: Park Street Common in Exeter
By Barbara Rimkunas
Exeter’s early records include the following: “On March 30, 1682, it was enacted by general consent that the piece of land between Edward Sewall’s fence, Christian Dolloff’s fence or land, John Bean’s fence, Henry Magoon’s fence or land and the way that goes from Henry Magoon’s land to Pickpocket mill, which said piece of land now lying common, shall lie perpetually common for the use of the town, either for a common field or for what else shall be thought convenient for the town.”
Nancy Merrill would write, in 1972, that this was the first reference to a triangle of land later referenced as “lower plains,” “plains common,” and the current name “Park Street Common.” Since the 1680s, the flat open piece of land has been used for a variety of purposes.