Below, Judy Anderson's walking tour paused in its survey of Marblehead's stature before, during and after the American Revolution.
Above, a sturdy gray hawk perched atop the 1727 Town House's flagpole, the bird's talons on the gold ball at the pinnacle.
The 18-inch-tall raptor might have passed for a weathervane and escaped notice but for his head swiveling 180 degrees, likely eyeing prey.
The hawk was soon swooped into the narrative below.
Judy saw the bird and its place atop the history rich Town House as a serendipitous symbol of freedom.
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