On September 6, 1638, Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Simon Bradstreet received an agreement from Governor Winthrop and the General Court giving him and eleven other men the right to begin a plantation north of the Merrimack River. This land grant included the towns of Amesbury and Merrimack, Massachusetts as well as the New Hampshire towns of Seabrook, South Hampton, Newton, Hampstead, Plaistow and Kingston.  

This town, bordered by the Merrimack River and the Atlantic Ocean, originally named Colchester, was incorporated as Salisbury in 1640. The modern Salisbury encompasses sixteen miles of farms, beach, marshlands and both residential and commercial space. The newly-formed Economic Development Commission is working on expanding the town's commercial and industrial base. Attractive features for businesses include Salisbury's proximity to Boston as well as its access to Interstates 95, 495 and Route 1.  

One of the lowest tax rates in the Merrimack Valley is another plus for both businesses and residents. Salisbury Beach State Reservation is the Commonwealth's busiest, with over two hundred thousand visitors annually to the four-mile beach and campground. Points of interest include the beach amusement area, the reservation for seal and bird-watching, and the historical fishing village of Rings Island, childhood of Edna St. Vincent Millay.  

Marinas line the river and provide a great spot for bass and bluefishing. Active community groups and cooperation between town officials and townspeople make Salisbury a fine place to live, locate a business or spend a vacation.