Author: Pat D

If you haven’t had a  chance to visit an aquarium, perhaps it’s worth consideration taking an opportunity to see fish and aquatic life from a different perspective than what you might get around town.  These are from Mystic Aquarium which isn’t a long drive from Gloucester.  I loved the colors and textures.  Nothing against the wonderful New England Aquarium…I just don’t have lovely pictures from there recently.  It’s on the bucket list, along with the Georgia Aquarium.

Merry Christmas to the gulls and buoys of Gloucester! (sorry about that terrible pun, holiday stress and all…….)

I read with interest a recent article in the Daily Times regarding the Phillips Library Collections in Salem.  Apparently a trove of local historical information pertinent to researchers and historians has been unavailable to the public recently and there is talk of moving the collection to a facility in Rowley.  Previously it had been housed at the Peabody Essex Museum and there is great concern about moving it to Rowley.

As I have mentioned before, Gloucester is very fortunate to have several repositories of local historical information — three of the major ones are located within a city block of each other: Sawyer Free Library, City Archives and City Hall and the Cape Ann Museum Archives!  I had the great good fortune recently to finally locate a detail regarding John Handran who won a Medal of Honor while serving in the US Navy, and later drowned while serving on the Schooner Cleopatra.

This notation in the January 1 1886 Cape Ann Advertiser seems to confirm that Gloucester’s John Handran had been presented the Medal of Honor by connecting this drowned John Handran to US Navy service.  (Born in Newfoundland, married and started family in Gloucester) I have been searching for such a detail for a long long time in response to correspondence from a Canadian researcher specializing in Canadians who won the Medal of Honor from the United States.

Special thanks to the staff at the Cape Ann Archives who assisted me in finding this and allowing me to look through the actual 1886 newspaper for coverage of the sinking of the Schooner Cleopatra. They were as happy as I was to find this tidbit.  That day, I strolled from the library to the archives and was able to get what I needed before the parking meter ran down.  Gloucester indeed has a noble record of access to historical records and I would hate to ever face losing any of it and I wish those interested in the Phillips Library the best of luck.

Thank you Pauline of Pauline’s Gifts for getting these ready in time for the GMG 10 year celebration last weekend!  Everyone LOVES them.

Serenade your way over there in the moonlight!

A little bit of Gloucester right here on my upstate New York kitchen counter. Ahhhhh.

Gloucester is blessed with sweeping vistas of natural beauty but sometimes it’s worth the time to take a closer look at the pieces that make up these grand views.

How many of us are feeling this morning. Great to see everyone that could attend!

Not the Amazon Show, by the way……. this tin star is awarded to our captain Joey Ciaramitaro along with congratulations for a VERY successful decade of posting his views of life on the dock.

I am not sure when I first became aware of Good Morning Gloucester, but it was pretty early in its history.  Immediately it became a favorite in my Bookmarks.  It was humorous, irreverent and timely and it kept me up-to-date from afar.  It seemed to reflect the Gloucester I’d come to know.

As time went on, the blog grew and adjusted to the readers.  Not as irreverent but still humorous and timely.  Contributors were added; some have come and gone.  The technology has advanced and the posts right along with these developments.  Like the tin that marks 10 year anniversaries, it is durable and reliable.

I  would like to thank Joey for his hours and hours of investment into the blog and the city’s promotion.  I am very pleased to be a contributor to the blog, which emphasizes the good news that needs to be shared.  When I described this to a non-FOB sister, she said “So he’s Ellen for Gloucester.”  I nodded.

Thank you and congratulations.  Here’s to 10 more!

In my collection of Gloucester material, I am fortunate to have two city directories–one from 1917 and another from 1937.  City directories are a treasure trove of interesting information and trivia.  Back in the day, they were a bit like phone books as we remember them.  City directories listed residents by name, with spouse if available along with address and occupation. It might also list a death date or a “removed to _____(city or state)” date.  They also contain various statistics and general information about the area covered, as well as advertisements from area merchants.

These statistics are from the 1917 Gloucester City Directory published by Sampson & Murdock Co. of Boston Massachusetts.  The cost was $4.00.

The statistic that caught my eye was the 423 Registered Female Voters in 1915, well before the 19th amendment was approved in 1920.  Some research showed that Massachusetts women were allowed to register to vote for school committee members after the poll tax was abolished in 1892.  

The 1937 Gloucester City Directory was published by the same Sampson and Murdock Co and sold for $8.00.  Here are the statistics published for the city at that time and take note of the tenfold increase in the number of Registered Women Voters in 1936!  Well done, Gloucester Women of the day!

At this time in our social history, women (and women voters) are having a major impact on the news cycle.  I can imagine that though only 16 years had passed since women were guaranteed the right to vote, these 5008 women also had a major impact on the city’s business.

**Not sure yet how the square area changed over these 20 or so years. Perhaps someone out there knows?**

Sunday’s sun shining on the first snow of the season brought out the sledders to Stage Fort Park.  We saw a variety of styles, such as this “wingman”

Group effort.  Points for participation, though the sledder in the middle is wondering who got left behind.

Backwards is always fun.  Also a point-getter

The one that got away.

Taking that long trek back to the top with a little help between friends.

We’ve been heading up and down the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway more than usual to support the woman based businesses along the way. It’s been a great deal of fun as there are many interesting establishments along the Byway.  A field of poinsettias in an Ipswich greenhouse caught my eye recently so we stopped at Gordon Florist to take a gander.

We met Peter Gordon, a co-owner who gave us some information and a tour of the various greenhouses.  Gordon Florist has been in business for 5 generations since 1922 and Pete explained to us that the greenhouses are the old fashioned glass style complete with vintage pulley and chain systems.  These greenhouses have withstood many storms over the years; in fact the “NewHouse” is so named because it ‘only’ dates to the 1950s.  These pictures were taken in the “Carnation House”.

Gordon’s seems to specialize in providing the materials you might need if you want to create your own holiday decorations using live plants.  I saw birch branches, pine boughs, wreaths without decoration and other such DIY seasonal building blocks.  In addition, there are plenty of wreaths, kissing balls and trees for people like me who need someone else’s creativity and talent.

Thanks to Pete for taking the time to talk with us and give us a tour!  If you’re driving up the Byway, you should stop at Gordons!

There were so many surfers and paddleboarders out on the water at Good Harbor Beach the other day that it looked like a gathering of ducks.  I guess they aren’t that much different in some ways.  Floating out there waiting for the perfect food or wave.  Rising and sinking with the waves.

It sure looked like fun! One of these days, you’ll see me out there!

Middle Street area all decked out for today’s festivities. Hope to see you around later!

Some of CB’s Adventures in November around town:  At the Breakwater

At Good Harbor Beach:

And at Rafe’s Chasm.  She likes to be by the water………

It’s very interesting looking at the world through CB. The perspective gives you pause to contemplate the beauty of nature from an angle that confuses the brain at first but then brings joy to the eye.

Wednesday December 6 seemed to be a popular day for closures.  Lone Gull closed for electrical work; Cape Ann Museum closed to public for event; Parker River National Wildlife Refuge closed for Deer Hunt (yes, that’s what the sign said).  We were turned off Rt 133 – closed for unknown reasons.  We ran into a washed out road at Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary and turned back.

BUT the ocean was open for business and it was just spectacular at Eastern Point.

We drove east from New York to Gloucester last night just as that big beautiful moon was rising.  I watched as the bright light guided us back. (Don’t worry, I wasn’t driving!) I guess it’s no surprise I had a hankering for comfort food Italian style upon our arrival back to town.  We went to Italianos and had chicken parmesan and antipasta.  I was very happy with the marinara which is pretty much what makes chicken parm a success or failure in my book.  Jim enjoyed his antipasta with an eggplant dressing.  It was a quiet night and the staff was in a festive mood.  Simple meal, simple pleasures.  Glowing moon,  bright Main Street decorations.  Win, win, win.  Glad to be back.  It’s going to be a great week in Glosta!

With apologies to Petula Clark:

So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re downtown
No finer place for sure, downtown
Everything’s waiting for you

So go downtown
Things will be great when you’re downtown
Don’t wait a minute more, downtown
Everything is waiting for you, downtown

Since I can’t be on the dock to greet Santa in Rockport later today (1 PM), I will have to settle for this recent purchase from Fred Bodin’s collection available at Cape Ann Auction.  According to Walt Kolenda at the store, this probably dates from the 70s.  This week’s Gloucester Daily Times noted this event has been taking place since sometime in the 70s so perhaps this is an early version.  Perhaps some GMG readers have insight as to a more specific date??  And is that Mike Tupper at the helm with the Halibut Point t-shirt??  Gotta love Santa’s sneakers.  I’d be wearing some pretty solid footwear if that was me!!  Great job to all the Santas and their drivers out there.