Downtown District

The focus area of the Topsfield Main Street Foundation centers on the Business Village District - the commercial and communal heart of the the town - but extends from the intersection of Route 1 and South Main Street along Main Street to the Town Common.

The Business Village District is a traditional New England village with mixed residential and commercial uses.  It is, in fact, the only area in town where the full range of retail activity and mixed residential and commercial uses are permitted. 

Map of the Business Village District

Anchoring the Business Village District to the north is the Town Common, a National Register Historic District, which is widely recognized as one of the best-preserved rural town commons in New England. Proctor School, Town Hall, the Town Library, the Congregational Church and the Emerson Center, the Commons, and the Topsfield Historical Society's Parson Capen House and Gould Barn ring the Town Common. Other institutional and municipal properties, including St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and the Fire Station, are close to the Business Village District. These public and private buildings attract many people to the area throughout the week. The Town Common, itself, hosts the annual Strawberry Festival, concerts, and many community activities.

High Street, Central Street and South Main Street lead out of the Downtown through the Central Residential District to the Business Highway District on Route 1 where some retail establishments, various commercial properties and the Topsfield Fairgrounds are located. The proposed Rail Trail runs along the old MBTA railbed from Proctor School, across Main Street, and parallel to Park Street toward Route 1. This project will also connect the Downtown center with the Business Highway District.