Gloucester, Massachusetts
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- This article is about Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA; there are other places called Gloucester
History
The boundaries of Gloucester originally included the town of Rockport, in an area dubbed "Sandy Bay." That village separated formally on February 27, 1840. In 1873, Gloucester was reincorporated as a city.
Early Gloucester
Gloucester was founded at Cape Ann by an expedition called the "The Dorchester Company," of men from Dorchester, England, chartered by King James I in 1623. This date allows Gloucester to boast the first settlement in what would become the Massachusetts Bay Colony, as this town's first settlement predates both Salem, MA in 1626, and Boston in 1630. This first company of pioneers made landing at Half Moon Beach, and settled nearby, setting up fishing stages in a field in what is now Stage Fort Park. This settlement's existence is proclaimed today by a memorial tablet, afixed to a 50' boulder in that park.
The life of this first settlement was as harsh as it was short-lived. Around 1626 the place was abandoned, and the people removed themselves to Naumkeag (what is now called Salem, Massachusetts), where more fertile soil for planting was to be found. The meetinghouse was even disassmbled and relocated to the new place of settlement. At some point in the following years - though no record exists - the area was slowly resettled. This led to The town being formally incorporated in 1642. It is at this time that the name "Gloucester" first appears on tax rolls, although in various spellings. The town took its name from the great Cathedral City in South-West England, where it is assumed many of its new occupants originated.
This new permanent settlement focused on the Town Green area, an inlet in the marshes at a bend in the Annisquam River. This area is now the site of Grant Circle, a large traffic-rotary at which MA Route 128 mingles with a major city street (Washington Street/ Rt 127). Here the first permanent settlers built a meeting house and therefore focused the nexus of their settlement on the 'Island' for nearly 100 years. Unlike other ancient coastal towns in New England, development in Gloucester was not focused around the harbor as it is today, rather it was inland that people settled first. This is evidenced by the placement of the Town Green nearly two miles from the harbor-front.
The Town Green is also where the settlers built the first school. By Massachusetts Bay Colony Law, any town boasting 100 families or more had to provide a public schoolhouse. This requirement was met in 1698, with Thomas Riggs standing as the town's first School-Master.
Early industry included subsistence farming and logging. Because of the poor soil and rocky hills, Cape Ann was not well suited for farming on a large scale. Small family farms and livestock provided the bulk of the sustinence to the population. Fishing, for which the town is known today, was limited to close-to-shore, with families subsiding on small catches as opposed to the great bounties yeilded in later years. The fisherman of Gloucester did not yet command the Grand Banks until the mid-18th Century.
Early Gloucestermen cleared great swaths of the forest of Cape Ann for farm and pasture land, using the timber to build structures as far away as Boston. The rocky moors of Gloucester remained clear for two centuries until the forest reclaimed the land in the 20th Century. The inland part of the island became known as the 'Commons' or the 'Common Village.' Here small dwellings lay scattered amongst the boulders and swamps, along roads that meandered through the hills. These dwellings were at times little more than shanties, only one was even two-stories tall. Despite their size, several generations of families were raised in such houses. One feature of the construction of these houses was that under one side of the floor was dug a cellar hole (for the keeping of food), supported by a foundation of layed-stone (without mortar). These cellar holes are stil visible today along the trails throughout the inland part of Gloucester; they, and some walls, are all that remain of the village there.
The Town Grows
- The Parishes
Other parts of town later followed suit. Third Parish, in Northern Gloucester, was founded in 1728. Fourth Parish split off from First Parish in 1742. in 1754, the people of Sandy Bay (what would later be called Rockport) split off from First Parish to found Fifth Parish. The Sandy Bay church founding was the last religious re-ordering of the Colonial Period. All of these congregations still exist with the exception of Fourth Parish.
Gloucester and the Sea
The town was an important shipbuilding center, and the first schooner was reputedly built there in 1713. The community developed into an important fishing port, largely due to its proximity to Georges Bank and other fishing banks off the east coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Gloucester's most famous (and nationally recognized) seafood business was founded in 1849 -- John Pew & Sons. It became Gorton-Pew Fisheries in 1906, and in 1957 changed its name to Gorton's of Gloucester. The iconic image of the "Gorton's Fisherman", and the products he represents, are known throughout the country and beyond. Besides catching and processing seafood, Gloucester is also a center for fish research.
Seafaring and Fishing have always been, and still are a very dangerous undertaking. In its 350-year-plus history, Gloucester has lost over 10,000 men to the briny depths of the cruel mistress that is the Atlantic Ocean. The names of as many of the lost as are known are painted on a huge mural in the main staircase at City Hall, and also on a new memorial cenotaph on Stacy Boulevard. This list has continued to be added to in recent years, despite increased safety precautions and better working conditions.
Gloucester and the Arts
The city was appropriately used as the on-location setting for the adaptation of the book The Perfect Storm. Perhaps the most famous story based in Gloucester is Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling, written in 1897, and made into a movie starring Spencer Tracy in 1937. Charles Olson (1910-1970) a poet and teacher at Black Mountain College, composed a 635 page poem known as "The Maximus Poems" which centered around the city of Gloucester.
Gloucester's scenic beauty has inspired artists since the early 19th century, as it does today. Perhaps the first painter of note was native-born Fitz Hugh Lane, whose home still exists on the waterfront, and whose works hang at the Gloucester Historical Association, as well as at museums in Boston and New York. Others attracted here include William Morris Hunt, Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, John Twachtman, John Sloan, Maurice Prendergast, Edward Hopper, Stuart Davis and Marsden Hartley. Smith Cove is home to the Rocky Neck Art Colony, the oldest art colony in the country.
Movies filmed or taking place in Gloucester
- Captains Courageous was filmed and set in Gloucester.
- The Perfect Storm was filmed and set in Gloucester.
- Moonlight Mile was filmed in Gloucester.
- The Love Letter was filmed in Gloucester.
- The Good Son was filmed in Gloucester.
- Parts of Stuck On You was filmed in Gloucester.
- The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming takes place on a fictional Gloucester Island and was filmed on Martha's Vineyard.
Attractions
Gloucester's most noted landmark is the harborside "Man at the Wheel" statue (also known as the "Fishermen's Memorial Cenotaph"), dedicated to "They that go down to the sea in ships," which is a quote from Psalm 107.
The only professional theatre company on Cape Ann is the Gloucester Stage Company, which stages five to eight plays each season, primarily in the summer months. Located in East Gloucester, the theatre sits at water's edge overlooking Smith's Cove. It was founded in 1979 by local arts and business leaders to encourage playwrights and their new works. Israel Horovitz is the GSC's artistic director, and has been since he helped found it, though he is retiring after the 2006 season. Over the years, plays developed at Gloucester Stage Company have gone on to critical acclaim and popular success, on and off Broadway, nationally and internationally. The group draws theatre-goers from Gloucester, neighboring North Shore districts, greater Boston area, as well as seasonal residents and tourists.
Gloucester's largest annual event is St. Peter's Fiesta, sponsored by the local Italian-American community. It is held the weekend closest to the saint's feast day. Highlights include the blessing of the fleet, and the greasy pole contest.
The city has much significant architecture, from pre-revolutionary houses to the hilltop 1870 City Hall, which dominates the town and harbor. It also has exotic waterfront homes now converted to museums, including [Beauport], built 1907-1934 by designer Henry Davis Sleeper, said to raise eclecticism to the level of genius. In addition, it has [Hammond Castle], built 1926-1929 by inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr. as a setting for his collection of Roman, Medieval and Renaissance artifacts. Gloucester was also the home of feminist writer Judith Sargent Murray, whose house still exists as the [Sargent House Museum].
Geography
Gloucester is located at (42.624015, -70.675521)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 107.5 km² (41.5 mi²). 67.2 km² (26.0 mi²) of it is land and 40.2 km² (15.5 mi²) of it (37.42%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 30,273 people, 12,592 households, and 7,895 families residing in the city. The population density was 450.2/km² (1,166.0/mi²). There were 13,958 housing units at an average density of 207.6/km² (537.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.99% White, 0.72% Asian, 0.61% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 12,592 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,722, and the median income for a family was $58,459. Males had a median income of $41,465 versus $30,566 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,595. About 7.1% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
On November 7th, 2005, incumbent Mayor John Bell was re-elected to a third term in office.
Famous residents
- American artist Fitz Hugh Lane was born (1804) and died (1865) in Gloucester.
- Whoopi Goldberg summers in Gloucester and tends bar at Captain Carlos'.
- Shepard Abbott, screenwriter of the film C.H.U.D., lives in Gloucester and runs an Artspace.
Points of interest
Heroin and other Illicit Drugs
Gloucester used to be a very well-known area for the import of drugs, especially heroin. Until the 80's it was known as the "heroin capital of the United States," until Baltimore apparently beat it out for the title. Fishermen are very often involved in smuggling drugs into the little city, in which they are later distributed to other bigger cities, such as nearby Boston.
External links
- [City of Gloucester, Massachusetts Official Website]
- * [ArtsGloucester]
- * [Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra]
- * [Society for the Encouragement of the Arts (seARTS)]
- * [Gloucester & Cape Ann]
- * [Guide to Gloucester]
- * [St. Peter's Fiesta]
- * [Hammond Castle Museum]
- * [Beauport, The Sleeper-McCann House]
- * [Cape Ann Historical Museum]
- * [The Sargent House Museum]
- * [Gloucester Maritime Heritage Center]
- * [North Shore Arts Association of Gloucester]
- * [Gloucester Stage Company]
- * [Rocky Neck Arts Colony]
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