Abbott Hall

The jaunty fife-and-drum squad depicted in the painting The Spirit of ’76 is one of the most iconic images in American history—so much so that you might expect it to be hanging in a museum in Washington. Actually, the massive 8-by-10-foot painting hangs on the wall of Marblehead’s town hall, Abbott Hall (188 Washington St., 617/631-0000, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon., Tues., and Thurs.; 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Wed.; 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Fri., free). Painted in 1876 for the country’s centennial by a native of the town (who used his father as one of the models), it was donated in honor of Marblehead’s role in Revolutionary naval battles.

Jeremiah Lee Mansion

George Washington slept at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion (161 Washington St., 781/631-1768, www.marbleheadmuseum.org, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues.–Sat., $5)—as did James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, and the Marquis de Lafayette. The three-story 1768 mansion was home to a shipping magnate who was once the wealthiest in Massachusetts. It is a rare New England example of Georgian architecture, with highlights including the only surviving example of hand-painted English wallpaper.