Dyke Hendrickson, an author-journalist living in Newburyport, has a new book coming out on April 25 called “Merrimack: The Resilient River, An Illustrated Narrative of the Most Historic River in New England.” Hendrickson calls it “part history and part call to action.” The 117-mile river is sometimes getting dirtier, not cleaner. He provides insight on its remarkable past, including the fact it was the birthplace of the Coast Guard. The first major textile mills in the country were built along the Merrimack. It was also the site of a scientific breakthrough in clean drinking water and of one of the first successful labor strikes. 

Hendrickson interviewed more than 50 North Shore residents for the well-researched text, and he has included more than 75 color photos of the majestic waterway. He is currently a historian with the Merrimack River Watershed Council. In that role, he speaks on Zoom to clubs, associations, and historical gatherings on the history of the Coast Guard and of the Merrimack River. His maritime writing began several years ago when he produced a multi-part series for The Daily News, the local newspaper in Newburyport, on the 250th anniversary of that city. Hendrickson then researched and wrote “Nautical Newburyport: A History of Captains, Clipper Ships and the Coast Guard,” published by The History Press in 2017. Coming in 2020 was, “New England Coast Guard Stories: Remarkable Mariners.”