Good Morning Gloucester

The Almy, Bigelow & Washburn ads I perused for the 1920 Christmas week stroll through the Gloucester Daily Times got me a bit intrigued about this establishment. I learned there were several branches opened in Essex County after the first branch opened in Salem in 1858. A pamphlet celebrating the 50th anniversary can be found and downloaded for free here.

My research quickly led me to the not-very-happy story of the February 1961 fire at Almy’s on Pleasant Street, apparently near or at the site of the current police station. Here’s a YouTube video of this unfortunate event. It’s not a very happy holiday follow up, but the magic of technology and sites like YouTube mean we will never forget.

The Gloucester Daily Times provides us with a little peek at Christmas week 100 years ago here in Gloucester. Huge shout out to Sawyer Free Library’s Local History Librarian Jacklyn Linsky who hunted down and shared dozens of examples at my request so you could see them here today. I am SORELY missing researching at the library myself, but this is a wonderful service that helps fill in the gaps. Thank you Jacklyn for your efficient and able assistance!

Ads and articles from Christmas week 1920 in the Gloucester Daily Times reflect some very interesting trends. The Post Office was very busy in 1920, but the motorcyles helped immensely with delivery; Dodge Brothers “foresaw the rapid tendency toward closed cars” (thank you for that!); and Cape Ann Savings Bank used to have Saturday evening hours! Remember christmas Clubs? The front page of the Dec 24 1920 Gloucester Daily Times is included here along with a number of ads. Enjoy your 100 year old stroll.

Willowrest is open until 4pm on Christmas eve. Ensuring the locals get delicious food and amazing gifts for the holiday! Everyone knows how amazing their gourmet food is. But, it’s their gift shop that’s turning heads as soon as you enter the door! Eye Candy!

Hand made, local & abroad.

Amazing gifts for any budget

Resources hand-made snuggle fish! Tons to choose from!

Textiles, Candles, jewelry, fine art!

EXCLUSIVE PRINTS!! You have to see to believe!

Thanks to Mellissa and her crew. Happy Holidays!!

Thanks for Keeping it local, folks!!!

Cape Ann Coffees 86 Bass Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930

Presented by
Ron Gilson and Erik Ronnberg
Arthur D. Story Shipyard
Essex, MA
Circa 1947
DANA A. STORY ~ BUILDER

The following history is the story I promised, from the year 1947, when Gloucester’s Fishing Industrial Revolution was in full swing.

It is presented here from my memory as a 14-year old working on the Gloucester waterboat, “Wenham Lake”.  This F/V Kingfisher story is recounted from official Essex shipyard records; Dana Story’s Kingfisher construction photos; my personal records and interviews with E. Lewis Knickle, Kingfisher’s startup chief engineer; and lastly, my early advisory contribution to Erik Ronnberg, Jr., the model builder of the F/V Kingfisher.

Ronnberg is a nationally acclaimed vessel model builder, currently serving as Maritime Curator at our Gloucester Cape Ann Museum.

Ron and Erik at Cape Ann Museum

This in-depth presentation is for historical purposes.  The facts as presented are done so in hopes that this history will live on in Gloucester’s fishing industry annals.  Ron GilsonJune 2020
ERIK’S REQUEST

Ten years ago, Erik called me and asked “in my opinion” what vessel was the most innovative, modern in concept, architecturally designed, “easern rigged side trawler”, built in an Essex shipyard in the 1940’s era.
As Erik listed the desired characteristics, there was only one vessel that qualified. . . the F/V Kingfisher!Owned by business partners Larry McEwen and Thomas Hudgins, the 109′ Kingfisher was launched from the A.D. Story Shipyard, Dana Story, Builder, Essex, MA on Marc 25 1947.

Illustration April 1947 feature aticle of Fishing Gazette

Read the rest at The Gloucester I Love 2 Blog including 87 pictures in total detailing the construction of the Kingfisher at his link:

https://thegloucesterilove-2.blogspot.com/

Before the snow is washed away, here are a few more photos of birds at our feeder that have been giving us a lift with their colorful presence and behaviour, during a very strange Christmas and Holiday season. The first is a flashback to the snowstorm last Thursday.

Photo from Tuffy

Good morning….

During this unprecedented time in our lives, when the arts were curtailed due to the pandemic, Windhover emerged as a refuge for performing artists. Choreographers and their dancers needed space to work, and a select number of companies came to Windhover this summer to reside, to rehearse new work, to hold open rehearsals and for some companies, they were engaged in making films of their dances. Aside from all of that, Windhover was able to produce for the first time, a 33 minute new film titled: Quarry Dance lX. It was the result of a bold decision by choreographer Dušan Týnek who brought his dancers to reside at Windhover for a week, two at a time, in order to film a newly created dance performed live for the video camera, at three private Cape Ann quarries.

Our gift to the public is this 33 minute film which can now be accessed on YouTube, as well as on the Windhover.org website. The local Cape Ann community cable station at 1623 Studios plans to show it on a regular schedule starting soon. (channel 12 here on Cape Ann)  The film elicited praise from two acclaimed dance critics; Marcia Siegel, as well as New York based critic Deborah Jowitt. The links are attached here:  Dancing on Stone and in Water – Deborah Jowitt and the second review is  Reclaiming Space – Marcia Siegel

Through your financial support, Windhover has been able to remain open this past summer, sustain its dance residencies and was able to produce the Quarry Dance lX film. We could not have achieved this without your support. Every friend and donor counts, especially during these most challenging times. Please consider making a year-end gift of any amount to our non-profit 501©3 organization. Donations are fully tax deductible. Just click on the DONATE button on the www.windhover.org website, which links to paypal. Alternatively, old fashioned checks are still acceptable as well. You can make the check payable to Windhover and send to P.O Box 2249, Rockport, Ma. 01966

As we embark on our year-end campaign, we want you to know that exciting plans are in the works for  2021, with many more outdoor live performances next summer. With ample space to spread out, Windhover is able to welcome audiences in its back garden where its outdoor stage will be utilized for live performances, seen here in a photo taken this week in December during a recent winter snowstorm. We hope you can help sustain Windhover to ensure its continued success and growth. 

With warm wishes,

Lisa

Cool technology.