The Central Congregational Church, at the head of Brown Square, was built in 1861 with Italianate detailing - the projecting eaves with paired brackets and the round-headed windows, surmounted with brick moldings. The clock in the steeple was given to the church by a member of the congregation who lived across the river; she used to set her watch by it daily, and it is known around town as "Old Betsy."

Stop at the corner of Green and Pleasant Streets and look up Pleasant Street to the steeple of the Church of the First Religious Society of Newburyport (Unitarian Church), built in 1801 and attributed to Timothy Palmer. The great architect Samuel Mclntire said that this steeple "rivals anything in New England." Note the delicate urn finials above the cornice. Walk up Pleasant Street for a closer look at the aisle (side) windows on the first floor. Facing the church, you see a wealth of classical detailing. The main door is highlighted by a delicate fan light. Above it is an exceptionally fine Palladian window on the second floor. The two side doorways are enframed in Doric pilasters; the entablature above the pilasters is decorated with triglyphs (three parallel vertical channels) and metopes (the blank spaces in between). From here, look up at the steeple at the graceful Ionic columns and beautifully-shaped cornice.

Cross the street - you will now be on the same side of the street that the church is on - and continue up Pleasant Street. As you walk, look across the upper stories of the brick building in the middle of the next block. You will see a good example of 19th century detailing in brick and terra cotta under and around the windows. Two buildings beyond this is another good-quality brick commercial building. Again, look at the upper stories, where an effort has been made to make the building more attractive with decorative treatment of the brick with keystones over the windows and numerous brick belt courses.

Glance down Inn Street at the attached brick buildings, part of the old market district.