Day: April 16, 2015

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the stunning bas-relief A. Piatt Andrew bridge doors up close!!

Free admission for Cape Ann residents on April 18

Two of four bronze doors from the granite faced pylons on top of the A. Piatt Andrew Bridge which brings Route 128 over the Annisquam River and into Gloucester are currently on display at the Cape Ann Museum. The doors were removed from the bridge late last year for much need conservation work and this will be the first time in over half a century that the public will be able to view the doors up-close.

Designed by sculptor John F. Paramino (1889-1956), the doors were cast at the T. F. McGann & Sons foundry in Boston in 1950. One honors the bridge’s namesake, A. Piatt Andrew (1873-1936), founder of the American Field Service, a U.S. Congressman from this district, director of the U.S. Mint and a long-time Gloucester resident. The second door celebrates the history of Cape Ann and in particular the fishing industry. John Paramino was born in Boston in 1889 to immigrant parents and studied modeling at the North Bennet Street School. He continued his studies under Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Bela Pratt and by 1916 had his own studio in Boston. Examples of Paramino’s public sculptures are scattered across Boston and include The Founders Memorial (1930) and the World War II Memorial in the Fenway (1947-1948).

Route 128, officially known as the Yankee Division Highway, was built between 1936 and 1958 on its current alignment as a bypass route around Boston. It was the first circumferential highway around a major U.S. city and now incorporates sections of I-93 and I-95. The A. Piatt Andrew Bridge is the crowning achievement of the decades-long Route 128 construction project and serves as a gateway to Cape Ann.

The Cape Ann Museum is pleased to offer Cape Ann residents free admission to the Museum on Saturday, April 18, in order that all may view the doors. In addition, the Museum will offer a narrated walking tour highlighting outdoor public sculptures in downtown Gloucester. The tour will be held on Saturday, May 23 at 10 AM.  Tickets are $10 for Museum members and $20 for non-members. Space is limited, reservations are required. Reservations and tickets at (978)283-0455 x10or info@capeannmuseum.org.

This project is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the City of Gloucester and the Gloucester Committee for the Arts, and the Cape Ann Museum.

Photos courtesy of Skylight Studios, March 2015.

The Cape Ann Museum tells multiple stories, all relating to Cape Ann. Founded in 1873, the Museum’s collections represent the history of Cape Ann, its people, its industries, its art and culture. For a detailed media fact sheet please visit www.capeannmuseum.org/press.

The Museum is located at 27 Pleasant Street in Gloucester. Hours are Tuesday through Saturdayfrom 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $10.00 adults, $8.00 Cape Ann residents, seniors and students. Youth (under 18) and Museum members are free. For more information please call: (978)283-0455 x10. Additional information can be found online at www.capeannmuseum.org.

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