Daedalus crew working on Tablet Rock plaque Stage Fort Park #GloucesterMA

September 2023. Ladders up for Daedalus crew powerwashing the ‘founder’s plaque’ on Tablet Rock in Stage Fort Park.

^{work in progress photos: Daedalus restoration}

About

The enormous 20th Century plaque on Tablet Rock in Stage Fort Park commemorating the first permanent European settlement, the “Founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1623”, was dedicated in August 1907. James R. Pringle was designated to write the inscription. The execution of the design and bas relief border was by Eric Pape.

“The nautical scheme of decorative framework and embellishment was the composite suggestion” of various committees dating as far back as the 1880s.

Image block documenting how Tablet Rock looked pre bronze tablet through today: before the plaque, 1901 (branded Battery K still visible); 1907 dedication, Library of Congress (Hammond with his daughter Natalie Hammond); 1970s; 1974 (graffiti beneath); 2016; 2019. Note the rectangular area beneath the plaque was lightened at the time of installation. The border carving degraded. The dark streaks accelerated after 2020 (note the verdigris patina 2016, 2019, etc)

part 2 | patina test patches here

PLAQUE TEXT

ON THIS SITE IN

1623

A COMPANY OF FISHERMEN AND FARMERS FROM DORCHESTER ENG.

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF REV. JOHN WHITE FOUNDED

THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY

____

FROM THAT TIME THE FISHERIES THE OLDEST INDUSTRY IN THE COMMONWEALTH

HAVE BEEN UNINTERRUPTEDLY PURSUED FROM THIS PORT

____

HERE IN 1625 GOV. ROGER CONANT BY WISE DIPLOMACY

AVERTED BLOODSHED BETWEEN CONTENDING FACTIONS

ONE LED BY MYLES STANDISH OF PLYMOUTH

THE OTHER BY CAPT HEWES

A NOTABLE EXEMPLIFICATION OF ARBITRATION

IN THE BEGINNINGS OF NEW ENGLAND

____

PLACED BY THE CITIZENS OF GLOUCESTER 1907

-transcription Founders Plaque. Tablet Rock. Stage Fort Park. Gloucester MA