From the History of Great Neck, published in 1984 by Doris Wilson:
“In 1660, there were about four hundred sheep on the Neck, and a shepherd was appointed by the town. Regulations for the cutting of trees existed, but by 1759 the forest growth had completely disappeared. Great Neck was the last area of Ipswich owned jointly by the commoners and in 1837 they organized as “The Proprietors of Jeffries Neck Pasture.” Great Neck continued to be used as commercial pasture land for almost a century. Livestock from all parts of Essex County was sent there to graze from May to November.
Cows returning to town from Jeffreys Neck, circa 1900. Photo by George Dexter. In the background you can make out Great Neck with two lonely rooftops, Plover Hill, Little Neck and Steep Hill in the distance. The photograph was taken from a knoll at 88 Jeffreys Neck Road, opposite Island Park Rd.
The approximate view from Jeffreys Neck Road today, Scientific records for the past century show that sea level rose between 9 and 12 inches in New England. *source
Google Earth screenshot from the knoll where the original photo was taken.
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