ABOUT
WHERE LIFE and LOVE BLOOM
Floriana is an elegant, historic estate with a storied past and
romantic aesthetic where life and love blossom.
was originally owned and lavishly adorned by Anna Perkins Pingree Peabody who gave it the name, Floriana. The purchase of the estate by The Greek Orthodox Community of Ipswich transformed it into The Hellenic Center – a long-standing hub for culture and gatherings of all sorts. Today, under its original name, Floriana is a hidden gem on the North Shore of Massachusetts – an idyllic setting for weddings and events. Its beautiful mansion and sprawling grounds coupled with impeccable hospitality and unparalleled service make certain your celebration will be a memory in the making.
Our BEAUTIFUL 120-YEAR OLD GEORGIAN-STYLE MANSION
THE MANSIOn
THE SAILCLOTH TENT
THE VERANDA
Meet OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS
With decades of event experience, Floriana’s team of experts combine a keen eye for design with unparalleled hospitality and unwavering attention to detail.
KELSEY CORREIA
COO & Lead Planner
JENNA HORNE
DIRECTOR OF SALES
THE RICH HISTORY Of 117 COUNTY ROAD
ORIGINALLY DIVIDED INTO SIX-ACRE LOTS FROM ROAD TO RIVE AND ALLOCATED TO THE ORIGINAL SETTLERS, THE LAND ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF OLD BAY ROAD IN IPSWICH IS STEEPED IN HISTORY.
Thirteen acres of land came under the ownership of Mrs. Anna Pingree Peabody, who purchased the property in 1903. She transformed the bare pastures into a beautiful estate, which she granted the name Floriana.
In 1866, with the marriage of Anna Pingree to Joseph Peabody, came the union of two affluent families in Salem, Massachusetts. They acquired a mansion on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, where Anna, passionate about the arts, amassed a substantial collection of paintings, which she showcased in her homes: Floriana, her nearby country retreat, and The Breeze, her summer cottage in Bar Harbor, Maine. Her estate, upon her passing, contained 116 works of art, mostly by Boston-trained artists influenced by French impressionists, including Hermann Dudley Murphy, whose style and attention to picture framing were akin to those cherished by Mrs. Peabody.
After the passing of Mrs. Peabody in 1913, the estate changed hands several times in the following five decades. In 1966, the property was sold to the Greek Orthodox Community of Ipswich, whose growing numbers saw immense value in the property that boasted over thirteen acres of land including a three story mansion, swimming pool, tennis court, four-car garage, and horse stables.
With the help of numerous individuals, organizations, and community members, The Hellenic Center quickly became a beautiful and vibrant community and cultural center on the North Shore of Massachusetts. And due to its idyllic setting, the Hellenic Center also became a very desirable location for celebrations and events of all kinds – hosting its first wedding reception in June 1967, with countless more having followed ever since.