On View at CAM Green: October 11, 2025 through February 1, 2026
Samuel Lewis Pullman (1900-1961), Quarryman Joe Boston, 1930, oil on canvas. Collection of the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA. Gift of Abner and Miriam (Pullman) Diamond, 1994 [1994.036.001].
GLOUCESTER, MA. (September 2025) – Along with commercial fishing, Cape Ann is known for its century-long granite quarrying industry. Supplying stones for roads, buildings, and construction all over New England and the world, the granite industry was a prominent employer within the region. This new exhibition, Hammers on Stone – The Granite Industry & Cape Ann, explores its history, artistry, and economic impact. On view at CAM Green, the exhibition is open and free to the public from October 11, 2025 to February 1, 2026.
“We are excited to offer items from our collection that tell the story of Cape Ann’s granite industry,” said Cape Ann Museum Director Oliver Barker. “Rockport and Gloucester had the good fortune of having vast quarries embedded in their landscapes which became storied parts of their histories, economies, and many aspects of life on Cape Ann.”
Drawing on the Cape Ann Museum’s extensive holdings of objects and archival materials related to the industry, most of which were gifted to the Museum by historian Barabara Erkkila (1918-2013), Hammers on Stone will examine methods of harvesting, cutting, and finishing stone, as well as how granite was transported from quarry to wharf and further afield. The exhibit will delve into the lives of those involved in quarrying and consider how the industry helped shape Cape Ann’s artistic landscape, inspiring generations of artists to the present day.
For over a century, the granite industry played a vital role in Cape Ann’s economy, providing jobs for workers from across New England and around the world, generating profits for those fortunate enough to share in ownership of the region’s many quarries, and contributing to the unique and authentic sense of place that characterizes Cape Ann today. On a broader scale, the industry contributed significantly to building and transportation projects across our nation during a sustained period of growth and expansion.
Along with examples of tools used in the industry, artwork in a variety of mediums will be shown including recently gifted paintings by Alfred J. Wiggin and Gabrielle de Veaux Clements, as well as other collections pieces including sculptures by Walker Hancock and George Demetrios, and a block print by Eino Natti a member of the Folly Cove Designers. A contemporary photograph taken by photographer Steve Rosenthal and inspired by the quarries will also be on display.
Eino Natti (1909-1975), Polyphemus (detail), 1950, ink on linen, linoleum block print. Collection of the Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, MA. Gift of Anne S. Howells, 1990 [2677].
Several programs that highlight the region’s granite history and communities will accompany the exhibition. Festivities begin with an opening Member reception on Saturday, October 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., followed by a slate of walking tours, demonstrations, and talks throughout the fall and winter.
On Saturdays, October 25 and November 1, visitors are invited to join a docent-led Granite Pier and Quarries Walking Tour in Rockport. Beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Granite Pier, the 90-minute tour covers approximately 1.5 miles and offers an on-the-ground look at Cape Ann’s storied granite industry. Stops include the Granite Pier, Keystone Bridge, Flat Ledge Quarry, Rockport Granite Company Square, and Little Parker’s Pit. Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate attire are recommended. Tickets are $15 for CAM members and $25 for non-members, with registration required; parking fees and bottled water are included.
The Museum will also host a series of CAM Talks and demonstrations, most taking place at the Janet & William Ellery James Center at the CAM Green. On October 25, the afternoon features a granite block shaping demonstration by local stonecutter Scott Natti at 1:30 p.m., followed by a lecture by Suzi Natti, How the Granite Industry Changed the Face(s) of Cape Ann, at 3:00 p.m. Together, these programs explore both the technical artistry of granite cutting and the social history of the industry’s largely immigrant workforce.
Additional talks include Les Bartlett’s presentation, Don’t Take it for “Granite:” The Intriguing Story of Butter, Stone and the Economics of Cape Ann’s Granite Industry, on November 8 at 3:00 p.m., which uncovers surprising connections between everyday goods and the granite trade. The series concludes on January 10, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., with 100 Years in 20 Minutes: The Story of Granite Quarrying on Cape Ann, presented by Monica Lawton. Illustrated with photographs and first-hand accounts, this program offers a sweeping overview of the people, places, and events that defined the industry over a century.
CAM Talks are free for members and $10 for non-members, with advance registration required. More information and registration details can be found at www.capeannmuseum.org.
LINK TO HIGH-RES IMAGES: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hsmr28nh6921xhvg91uxe/AKom05oEtZK61C33TeWv1qs?rlkey=i3patxk0kbe5r9o90ycpgshiv&st=cmczvxy8&dl=0
Good Morning Gloucester 