Independence Park is located on Route 127 and Lothrop Street in Beverly, Massachusetts. Once parked, the first thing that will catch your eyes is the decent of the park to the beach. The sharp grade or the park leads to a sea wall and its two entrances to the beach area. The beach has a gradual slope, making access to the water easier than the walk there. During low-tide the beach is open, and sprinkled with sea weed, with soft sand near the sea wall and hard packed closest to the water. The right side of the beach is dense with small rocks due to the break wall; as you go from the right side of the beach to the left side the rocks dissipate. High-tide offers limited beach space with less noticeable rocks. Both the beach and park provide beautiful views of the Beverly Channel and the Danvers River. The park has many benches for enjoying the view and a commemorative plaque of the reading of The Declaration of Independence and "The Hannah – The First Authorized Armed Ship" of the United Colonies. This area is known as the "Birthplace of the Navy."