Author: Sharon

My passions include photography, music, people, teaching, learning, taking risks and asking "I wonder what would happen if I..."

Grandson Chris Muise talks about life in the Army

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From the Beacon 

by Jason Brisbois

Chris Muise, 19, talks about life in the Army-

In a hostile environment, in a foreign country, miles away from family and across the Atlantic Ocean, finding any level of comfort is a challenge.

For Chris Muise, who is currently back at home in Gloucester while on leave after serving for six months in Afghanistan with the United States Army, comfort comes from knowing the person standing next to him has his back.

“Me, personally, I rely on everybody around me,” explains the 19-year-old Gloucester native, who graduated from Gloucester High School in 2010 and graduated from basic training in February of this year. “We rely on each other to keep each other sane. We try to look on the bright side of stuff while we’re over there, doing what we can.”

For now, he finds a level of comfort simply being back home with family, including parents Cynthia McDonald and Michael Wall. He anticipates spending Thanksgiving with his family members, but most likely will be assigned to his next tour of duty (with destination unknown) before Christmas. It’s possible he could be back in Afghanistan, or another war-torn country with a hostile terrain and populace. Such is the life of the modern-day soldier, a reminder of just what current service men and women endure as we celebrate Veterans Day on Nov. 11. Read more here.


Gloucester Harbor Village, 1856

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Gloucester Harbor Village, 1856 H. F. Walling/ ©Fredrik D. Bodin

The Gloucester Harbor Village map was a small inset on a larger map, A Topographical Map of Essex County Massachusetts, which measured 62 inches x 62 inches. It was a wall, or scroll map, and was printed on linen and hand colored. The surveys and map were made by civil engineer Henry Francis Walling (1825-1888),  Superintendent of State  Map. Some of the 49 insets, which were approximately 5 inches  x 9 inches, were Annis Squam Village, Lanes Ville, Rockport Village, and Pigeon Cove Village (which I have). Interesting features of the Gloucester Harbor Village map include: Canal Street (the Boulevard) and the long Cordage Mill (rope factory); Fort Defiance at the end of Peach Street (The Fort); Front, Spring, and Jackson Streets running the length of the Gloucester waterfront (no Rogers Street yet); Rocky Neck with it’s first wharf – the Walen Story Wharf; and the end of the railroad line is in Gloucester. Also significant is the now non-existent Vincent’s Cove, and Five Pound Island, which is now the terminus of the State Fish Pier.

Printed archivally from a scan of the original map. Image # AM04-001

Title Section of A Topographical Map of Essex County Massachusetts, 1856 H. F. Walling

 

~Fred

 

Welcome home, Chris!

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As many of you know, my 19 year old grandson, Chris Muise, has been serving in Afghanistan for the past nine months with the US Army. Yesterday he flew home from his home base in Louisiana (Fort Polk). My sister Pat got a Hummer limo for 20 of his friends and family to surprise him at Logan. After all 20 of us going to the wrong terminal, getting on a bus to the right one, we waited excitedly for Chris to get off the plane. His step-dad Bryan met him upstairs as planned, and as they came down the escalator, Chris was blown away as everyone screamed and cheered at his arrival. Hugs and tears for all! Absolutely the BEST!

Click on the photos or here for more pictures!

Got Stuff?

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I just saw Snapgoods on Good Morning America. It’s a great way to keep consumption down. All we have to do is sign up and add local friends. It really sounds like a doable way of sharing what we have and make a little money at the same time.

I found this review:

SnapGoods offers users a new way to find items they need to borrow or rent. The site claims to provide a safe way to lend out items or borrow hem from others. Users can post an item they need (a “want ad”) or post an item they have that is available to borrow or rent (a “good”). The site is intended to help users find cost effective ways to get things done or a quick solution to find a suitable replacement item for one that was lost or damaged. Item categories are relatively broad, including photo and video, music, tools and gadgets. SnapGoods also helps put users’ minds at ease by offering to replace or repair any damage done to items that are lent or rented out through the site. The item search includes geographic location filters as well as closest, best match and recently added options. See more here.

Wheeler or Wheelers Point?

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Wheeler Point, Mill and Annisquam Rivers, circa 1950 Don Felt/ ©Fredrik D. Bodin
You say Wheeler, I say Wheelers;

You say Wonson, and I say Wonsons;

Let’s get the whole thing right…
My friend Cliff McCarthy and I disagreed on whether it’s Wheeler Point or Wheelers Point. We based our opinions on what we’ve heard people say and maps we’ve looked at. Who’s right? The United States Board of Geographic Names (US BGN) is right – they define the official names of everything geographic. Their database holds the Federally recognized name of every feature’s location by state, with USGS topographic map, geographic coordinates, altitude, and even includes undersea features. This is the gold standard for place names. In the American West after the Civil War, rapid westward expansion led to confusing names for geographic features. This was a serious problem for surveyors, map makers, and the military. In 1890, President Harrison created the US BGN to standardize geographic names.
The final word on Wheeler(s) Point and Wonson(s) Cove is here: http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/index.html Click on Search Domestic Names, type in what you’re looking for in the Feature Name box, select the State, select the County, then press the Send Query button. You’ll see that Wheeler Point is correct (with Wheelers Point as a variant name))and so is Wonson Cove (with Wonson’s Cove as a variant name). Cliff, you were right!
Here are some interesting official names on Cape Ann: Cressy Beach (with Cressys Beach as a variant name), Dog Bar (an underwater bar), Dog Bar Breakwater (a dam) , Dog Bar Channel, and Dogtown Common ( listed as a Populated Place with an elevation of 79 feet). Some places we know are not listed, such as Cripple Cove. The US BGN invites any person or organization to propose new names, name changes, or names that are in conflict.
Fred
Printed from the original 4×5 inch film negative in my darkroom. Image # A9245-546
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Present is opening for 2011!

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Thursday, November 3 · 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Join us as we celebrate the opening of Present for the 2011 holiday season. Come to our new spot at 122 Main Street, right next to The Franklin. We will have food and drink and plenty of great locally-made goods.

               Present 2011 is:

Karin Chapin
Amanda Cook
Jane Cunningham
Brittan Davis
Micah Dean 
Jessica Demarjian
Jill Demeri 
Elizabeth Grammas
Anne Hyde
Jill Josephson
Pam Lally
Sharon Lowe
Camilla Macfadyen
Stephanie Mason
Melanie Murray-Brown
Mary Rhinelander
Twin Light Studios

Auction Wednesday – Antique & Vintage Boat Building Tools

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Walt Kolenda is holding his monthly auction on:

Wednesday

November 2

 6pm

17 Kondelin Rd.  #7

Gloucester, MA 01930

 (inspection 3pm – 6pm)

This sale will include the first part of complete workshop of well known area boat builder Russell “Pete” Tobey of Dunstable MA.

There will be hundreds of lots of antique & vintage tools from the boat building trade, and much more! This sale will be packed w/ over 300 lots! Antique wood plane

Here is a partial listing of Antique/vintage/modern woodworking tools:

6ft long butcher block/ oak top workbench

4ft long heavy duty work bench w/ 3 drawers

woodend dovetailed toolboxes

antique block and tackle pulleys

many hand saws

2 person saw

To see more pictures and details go to his Auctionzip.com page.

Walt Kolenda       Auctioneer License: 2621                                                                         978-636-3101       wkolenda@gmail.com

The 2012 Calendars are Here!

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You can get yours by clicking on the photo below OR you can wait for PRESENT to open next week on Main St.!

Watch for new additions to the calendar selection. Coming soon!

Marooned on – Eastern Point Island

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Eastern Point Light, Perfect Storm, 1991 ©George B. Lenart
On October 31st, 1991, diesel mechanic and photo enthusiast George B. Lenart was caught in a historic storm on Cape Ann’s granite coast. He drove his big Mogul Motors truck out to the end of Eastern Point for a job with the Eastern Point Yacht Club. What George walked into was a hurricane strength tempest with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and gusts up to 98 miles per hour (hurricane devastation occurs at 73+ mph). Unexpectedly, George Lenart was marooned by rising water and monstrous waves. He grabbed his camera  and captured this incredible scene from the 3rd floor of the Eastern Point Yacht Club. It shows Eastern Point Light and Dog Bar Breakwater, which guard the entrance to Gloucester Harbor. Waves built to 70 feet, one of which swept right through Mother Ann Cottage, seen on the left, and completely destroyed a house high atop Sherman Point by Good Harbor Beach. George’s only option was to camp out overnight at the yacht club.
I didn’t photograph the Halloween Storm. I was busy helping a Bearskin Neck artist move his paintings to safety, aided a neighbor on Rocky Neck save what she could after storm surge took most of her personal belongings out to sea, and salvaged the 150 framed photos that were damaged in my gallery on Tuna Wharf. The phrase perfect storm has become part of the English language, being synonymous with “worst-case scenario.”
Photographed on 35mm color negative film by George B. Lenart. Scanned and printed digitally. Image #GBL-001c
And yes, we do sell this photograph in the gallery. Thank you George.
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

 

Trail Ride in Vermont

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Fall Ride, South Woodstock, Vermont ©Fredrik D. Bodin
Only once have I seen fall foliage so brilliant that it was hard on my eyes. Driving north to Woodstock, Vermont, with the writer for Yankee, we preferred to keep the sunglasses on. Our destination was the Kedron Valley Inn in South Woodstock, built in 1793. The next day’s assignment was to photograph the Green Mountain Horse Association’s annual Fall Foliage Ride. This 14 mile long meandering trail ride offered great opportunities to photograph the horseback riders amidst the spectacular scenery. This is the image Yankee chose to run across two pages in the magazine.
Today, Woodstock and central Vermont are still recovering from the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. Although the Kedron Valley Inn was untouched, the Green Mountain Horse Association’s facilities were heavily damaged, and the headquarters of the Vermont Standard newspaper, located in Woodstock, were completely destroyed, In spite of this, Vermont’s oldest newspaper continues to publish. Send a little love their way and plan a vacation in beautiful Vermont.
Photographed on 35mm Kodachrome 64 transparency film. Image #FDB7835-002c
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Something about a Harley…

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For more Nelson Ride photos and the Rockport Harvest Fest, click here.

 

 

 

Old Salt, circa 1890

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Old Salt, circa 1890 Anonymous/ ©Fredrik D. Bodin
I love this photograph, and affectionately call the subject  “Old Salty.” I like it so much it’s my profile picture on Facebook. This is a classic Gloucester fisherman image, with oilskin, sou’wester hat, and old fashioned beard. What’s really striking is the far away look in his eyes. He’s seen it all: Weather, endless ocean, severe hardship, and extreme danger. The portrait is carefully posed and lit – probably taken for the tourist trade. I was told that Old Salt could be Jessie Bates or Rufus Bates Parsons, and was taken in Gloucester.
If you know Salty, please let me know. In the meantime, today’s tourists who have seen my Facebook page will come to the gallery looking to meet the fisherman with the beard.
Printed archivally in the darkroom from a 6×7 cm copy negative. Image # AC020128-02#11
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Last Minute Auction – Tray Lots, Table Lots, Choice & More!

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Last week’s auction was a HUGE success! To make room for an important upcoming estate auction,  Walt Kolenda is clearing out the  house.

17 Kondelin Rd. #7, Gloucester MA
(Cape Ann Industrial Park)
Oct. 12th, Wed. Eve. 6pm (inspection 3-6)
(Auctioneer ID #1587)
978-395-7077

See more info and photos here:http://www.auctionzip.com/Listings/1260032.html

Here’s the Times article on the new auction house and the auction post on GMG  last week.

The Best Day!

Posted on by Sharon

#1 Grandson Chris is back in the States from his tour in Afghanistan…going through Customs right now! His sister Cait and Grandma Pat will be waiting at the gate in Louisiana. Huge sigh of relief! We love you, Chris!

Ipswich Light

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 IIpswich Light and Steep Hill, 1934 Alice M. Curtis/ ©Fredrik D. Bodin
Many Ipswich residents and beach goers who come to the gallery are unaware of Ipswich Light and its interesting history. The first Ipswich Light was built on Crane Beach in 1838 to guide ships to the mouth of the Ipswich River. It was actually two towers, called a range light (like Rockport’s Thacher Island Light). This was replaced in 1881 by a 45 foot tall cast iron structure, very similar to Gloucester’s own Ten Pound Island Light (erected the same year). In 1881, Ipswich Light stood 82 feet from Ipswich Bay. By 1911, it was 1,090 feet inland. In addition, drifting sand covered the lighthouse to the extent that personnel had to enter through a third story window. In 1939, the Coast Guard floated the lighthouse by barge to Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard. It now guards the entrance to Edgartown Harbor, bearing the plaque: Formerly Ipswich Light. Today’s Ipswich Light is a 29 foot tall sand dune resistant skeleton tower.
 

Ipswich Light, Crane Beach, 1934 Alice M. Curtis/ ©Fredrik D. Bodin
Photographs printed from the original 4×5 inch negatives in my darkroom. Images # A8845-056 and A8845-053
Note: I was asked today if any of the photos on my posts are for sale. Yes they are! The post from 9/14/11 resulted in the Brooklyn Bridge going to Oklahoma, and last week’s post (Cape Ann – a Farming Town) resulted in a purchase for a descendent of a Cape Ann farming family.
Fred Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

REMINDER – PUBLIC AUCTION TOMORROW NIGHT!

Posted on by Sharon
Tomorrow (Wednesday, October 5) Walt Kolenda will be holding his first Gloucester  auction in the Cape Ann Industrial Park. I’ve been helping Walt open box after box of the contents of the estate of Wentworth Professor of Aviation, Lockhart Smith, of Saugus, MA. There are old (back to the early 1900’s) aviation magazines, original flight training manuals and handbooks, antique aviation collectibles, ephemera
( collectible written and printed matter), memorabilia, postcards, awards, etc. We unearthed a bunch of very cool old hobby model kits of airplanes, cars, ships, spaceships, robots, and more. There is plenty of antique/vintage glassware, lighting, pottery, porcelain, jewelry and who knows what else!
If you’re looking for furniture, the auction will include mission oak chairs, a solid cherry drop front desk with glass bookcase, a hand painted Asian cabinet, a Hoosier cabinet with Tambour doors, pine corner shelf, and other  really nice pieces.Walt moved to Gloucester in August of  2010, and although new to the area, has been in the auction/antiques business for about 30 years. He’s very excited to be holding his first Gloucester auction and plans on making it at least a monthly event, with special event auctions added as needed.The monthly auctions will take place on the 1st Wednesday evening of each month at 6pm, inspection starts at 3pm the day of the sale.There will be no buyer’s premium for this auction. Terms of payment accepted are cash, known checks and credit cards.
Walt is also an antiques appraiser and webmaster at his online appraisal site,auctionwally.com
To see more pictures and details go to his Auctionzip.com page.
The background story on the estate being purchased here can be found on  www.auctionwally.com/news

If you have any questions about this or future auctions call 978-636-3101 or email towkolenda@gmail.com

Location:

17 Kondelin Rd.  #7
Gloucester, MA 01930

The auction starts sharp at 6pm (inspection 3-6)

Read the Times article on tomorrow’s auction!
 MA-128 N
 Take exit 14 for MA-133 toward W Gloucester/Essex
Slight right onto MA-133 E/Essex Ave
Slight right onto Magnolia Ave
Take the 2nd right onto Kondelin Rd
17 Kondelin Rd. #7
Destination will be on the right