Did you know?

Photo by E.J. Lefavour

Motif No. 1 (Whether you love it or hate it – I personally liked the old original one better.)

Did you know this little bit of history about Motif No. 1?

The fishing shack was built in the 1840’s.  In the 1890’s to 1930’s, it served as a rendezvous for tourists coming to see the U.S. Navy fleet every summer.  In the 1930’s it was used as a studio by painter, John Buckley.  In 1933, a scale model of the shack won first place in the historic float competition at the Worlds Fair in Chicago.  In 1942 Aldro Hibbard organizes Rockport artists to paint the Motif.  In 1945, painter John Buckley sells the Motif to the town, dedicating it “to the fishermen and artists of Rockport.”  In 1949, Lester G. Hornby, a Rockport artist, founds Motif No. 1 Day as a celebration of Rockport’s official start of the summer season.  In 1978, after Motif No. 1 collapses into the water during the great February blizzard, a duplicate is built.  In 2002, Motif No. 1 appears on the Massachusetts stamp as part of the “Greetings from America” postage stamp set.  In 2003, a painting of Motif No. 1 is seen on the wall of a dentist’s office in Rockport native, Andrew Stanton’s, hit Disney film, “Finding Nemo”.  In 2006, there is a revitalization project to reconstruct the roof, replace some side shingles and apply a new coat of paint.  In 2009, Motif No. 1 is featured prominently in the hit Disney movie, “The Proposal”.  Also in 2009, lighting is installed to illuminate Motif No. 1 at night.

E.J. Lefavour

www.khanstudiointernational.com