ORTH SHORE BREEZE 
AND REMINDER 
‘Vol. XII | 
Manchester, Mass., Friday, September 24 
No. 39 
——— 
GLOUCESTER—Something of Its History 
KATHER:NE GAUSS 
HE City of Gloucester, named by Rev. Richard Blyn- 
man and his friends in 1642 when they care from the 
English city of Gloucester to repopulate Cape Ann, is 
one of the quaintest of New England towns. Built on 
the rocky coast over-looking the bro ad bay it was and is 
an ideal settlement for those plying their trade on the 
deep blue sea. 
Near the entrance of Gloucester harbor is a form- 
idable reef called “Norman’s Woe’ where the schooner 
“Hesperus” was wrecked, according to the poem by that 
name. As the mner harbor is peated: boats of every size 
and description are on all sides. From the Gloucester 
fisherman’s boat to the square riggers bringing salt from 
Italy, for the curing of fish. There, also, are the pleasure 
craft of the summer colony and seldom is the harbor free 
from at least one government boat. 
For two hundred and fifty years Gloucester 
very slowly; since 1875 her growth has been remarkable. 
Sirange as it may seem to the tourist who climbs about 
sen the rocks of the Cape, the early settlers went to farm- 
ing, and it is a curious fact that in 1727 some of the in- 
habitants went to Salem, because there were not enough 
"farms to go around. ‘Then the people took to cutting 
- wood and sending it to market in the boats built in the 
harbor. When the timber supply was exhausted, these 
‘vessels were changed into fishing boats. The industry 
was not very successful, and for some time the town bare- 
ly made a living out of it. But the original families mean- 
time had married and intermarried. There had been only 
slight infusion of new blood. 
a race as rugged as their Cape, indomitable and patriotic. 
They responded freely to the calls of war, even though 
tne Revolution ruined their fishing industry. The foreign 
t-ade left the port as the lumber trade had gone. Thea, 
about 1860, came the turn of the tide. The demand for 
fish increased. New and better 
found. Boats and gear were improved. Men saw their 
chance, took larger hazards and reaped greater rewards. 
The first fisnaing boats with auxiliary power appeared } 
Gloucester in 1900. 
The boat which Gloucester may claim as her very 
own is the schooner. In the early days the pink, pointed 
at both ends and having no bowspirt, was the Gloucester 
Grait. © Then in 1713 Captain Andrew Robinson invented 
a new kind of vessel.. It had gaffs instead of latecn 
yards, and the luff of the sails was bent to hoops on the 
$ 
grew 
The Gloucester breed became 
fishing grounds were 
Lining the shores of the harbor you note the acres 
of long racks upon which barrow-loads of fish are beiag 
spread. The sun is hot so that long stretches of white 
canvas covers are soon rippling and billowing in the wind. 
The cod and the mackerel, as soon as they have been 
cleaned, go to these flakes to be dried in the sun. Once 
they are dried they will be packed in every shape and 
style for shipment to markets all over the world. Nearby 
these fisheries is a rocky island upon which is located 
masts. As she slid down the ways on launching day some 
sailor cried: “Oh, how she scoons,” and a “ bchoonen” that 
tvpe of boat has been ever since. 
the United States fish-hatchery. 
In the wake of the fisheries is coming another industry 
te give Gloucester fame, the quarrying of granite. Saint 
Ann’s church, whose lofty cross serves as a mariner’s 
beacon, got its granite from these quarries. 
The town “has many historic houses, such as the 
“Revolutionary House,” set sidewise to the pavement. 
At the rear is a one story extension which has little port 
hole windows. This property once belonged to the widow, 
Judith Stevens, whom Murray, the founder of Univer- 
salism in America, married. The Briggs house at Annis- 
Guam, whose antiquity probably antedates that of any 
other structure on Cape Ann, is another. The gambrel 
roofed Babson house is filled with interesting old furni- 
ture and under the gables are pens once used for slaves. 
Near the “Revolutionary House” is the historic Uni- 
vcersalist church. Before it is an open, green, parklike 
area shaded by splendid elms. This “Independent Chris- 
tian church, Universalist,” was built in 1807.° This was 
the original home of Universalism in America, and Glou- 
eee is today the Mecca of the: faith of the: founder, 
he Rev. John Murray. It seems that in 1774°a few resi- 
ie of Gloucester heard that in Boston Mr. Murray 
was preaching the doctrines in which they believed and 
tney sent one of their number to ask him to visit them, 
with the result that January 1, 1779, the independent 
church was organized. The Rev. John Pie who 
had been chaplain in Nathanial Greene’s Rhode Island 
regiment headed the parish. Later after many trials the 
church was granted incorporation by the legislature. 
Every year the visitors to this old town are becom- 
ing more numerous, and year by year the summer colony 
is reaching out on all sides as the news of the ever pres- 
ent cool sea breezes is aired abroad. 
Some of the Colony of Artists on Cape Ann 
HERE have been many prominent artists in East Glou- 
cester this season, painting for the fall, winter and 
spring exhibitions in New York, Pittsburg, Chicago, St. 
Iwuis and other cities. 
Hayley Lever, of New York City, much talked about 
in the art-world today, has been located all summer on 
Mt. Pleasant avenue, East Gloucester and will remain 
until the first of October, with his wife and young sou. 
Mr. Lever has received recognition at the Panama-Paci- 
fic exposition, having been awarded a gold medal. He 
contributed five pictures, “High Bridge,” which received 
honorable mention in Pittsburg, “St. Ives Harbor,” “Af- 
ternoon—St, Ives,’ “Washington Bridge—Snow,” “High 
Bridge—Snow.” A reproduction of the | ‘Afternoon—St. 
