My View of Life on the Dock
motif Monday photo: view across the marsh at the back of Good Harbor Beach
photo: portrait of David Cox at MFA, Boston, Rothko exhibition 2018
photos same morning, minus Rothko effects: sunrise motif with signs; when even the parking lot…
OPENS at Noon!
Discover nautical themed finds – maritime lamps, tableware, books, dishes, Folly Cove prints, jewelry
Main Street Arts & Antiques updates on Facebook and Instagram- check them out!
David Cox, proprietor and photographer holding a photograph ca.1923 by his father Frank Cox- not for sale!
This sale reminded me about my first set of dishes, purchased for my first apartment after college, dinnerware once commissioned for an ocean liner, unearthed at Main Street Arts & Antiques. Main Street Arts & Antiques has been that way ever since– there is always something to discover! What have you found?
Beyond nautical: Selection of floral themed tableware (buttercup, dog wood), lovely linens, table accessories this January 2021
Cheery blooms in winter: Imagine a Princess Bride themed movie night featuring these beautiful buttercup dishes NOW – until they can shine for outdoor safe distancing garden parties and future covid-19 free soirees.
Covid-19 precautions in place.
take 2(Coming soon…Archie’s picks 🐶🐶!~ And before/after photos of a new jewelry and collector bag display by Kim)
(Coming soon…Archie’s picks 🐶🐶!~ And before/after photos of a new jewelry and collector bag display by Kim)
Congratulations to Jamie McDonald, aka Adventureman, for his momentous, inspiring solo-run achievement across America~ And to his team! Little kids in the crowd sported red capes. GMG photographers are out in full force so great coverage will be coming like it’s St. Peter’s Fiesta.
Aerial no filter straight up phone video from rooftops across Gloucester Harbor. It was heartwarming to hear voices carry — from this height and battling wind–, to see the crowd stream past, pause by the Leonard Craske FisherMan at the Wheel memorial, then off to Pavilion beach by Beauport Hotel (site of former Birdseye factory) so Jamie could touch the water and conclude his generous journey.
David Cox in position
Who says you can’t mix work and pleasure?
If you missed the Dogtown Books Grand Re-Opening Celebration and sale, David Cox coverage is coming soon. New owners Caroline and Lucas worked wonders readying Dogtown Books. Do stop by!
“M” shelf snapshot –
Gloucester Smiles captures “Around Town” GMG Photographer David Cox.
Congratulations to Portugal making the Knock Out Round in the World Cup.
Dogtown is eligible for the National Register! Will Gloucester earn another major district designation?
Come to a special public presentation November 29th in Kyrouz Auditorium in Gloucester City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, at 7pm.
Read excerpts from the press release shared by Bill Remsen, local project coordinator, and Mary Ellen Lepionka, co-chair Gloucester Historical Commission, and some Dogtown maps and memorabilia 1633-1961:
It was a really pretty night for last evening’s special events: the Schooner Festival Mayor’s Reception hosted at Maritime Gloucester and the Main Street Block Party.
Mayor Romeo Theken with Daisy Nell. Mayor Theken holds a new original Sam Parisi painted oar that would be auctioned off later for the Schooner Festival. I heard Senator Tarr but did not hear the results!
The connecting dock between Maritime Gloucester and Solomon Jacobs Park is awesome!
BLOCK PARTY
Stores on Main Street had the Schooner Festival spirit and even some special schooner “sales”.
And there was business at on trend Cape Ann Slime
Main Street Art and Antiques 124 Main St, Phone: (978) 281-1531
I was most delighted to see two Davids
Forgot to credit photographer and now I can’t find where I got this shot. Any help? I’m guessing it has to be Manny Simoes.
April 12 Swampscott at Gloucester
April 13 Beverly at Gloucester
April 25 Winthrop at Gloucester
April 27 Landmark at Gloucester
May 5 Concord at Gloucester
May 10 Pingree at Gloucester
Look for local summer camp sailing options SailGHS, YMCA, Eastern Point Yacht Club, Rockport and Annisquam!
David Cox racing photos Main Street Art and Antiques
One weekend only…more than 50 exhibitors last year
Read dishy brief updates from downtown, marketing opportunities from MOTT, and trending topics from across the state. The arts scene in Gloucester and Cape Ann has so much going on and sets such a high, high bar for the state. We needed a calendar and GMG did it! Reminder: If organizations want to be featured on the essential GMG calendar and weekly arts round-up, they should email their listings to James Eves! Triple check the calendar before planning any major scheduling dates.
*= Founding Partner Yellow = NEW partner March 2017 Bold blue= updates
Cape Ann Museum docent Margaret Bernier spoke about Honor Moore’s biography of Margarett Sargent, Moore’s Grandmother. The Cape Ann Museum Book Group is reading The White Blackbird: A Life of the Painter Margarett Sargent. Sargent’s painting Women and Mirror was acquired by the museum in 2002 and is on current temporary display to coincide with the book group and women’s history month. A beautiful Nell Blaine, a diptych by Pat Lowery Collins and two works by Juni VanDyke are also featured. Contact Kate Bibeau to learn more about the book group and other special events like the museum’s second recent on line photo competition, At the Water’s Edge, deadline April 30.
“This Saturday morning forum is offered in collaboration with Essex County Greenbelt, Friends of Dogtown, Lanesville Community Center and Mass Audubon and held at Cape Ann Museum. The forum will be moderated by Ed Becker, President of the Essex County Greenbelt Association.”
UPDATE: Cape Ann TV is scheduled to film the event!
Chris Leahy gave a presentation at Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library on February 23, 2017: Dogtown- the Biography of a Landscape: 750 Million Years Ago to the Present
A photographic history through slides presented by the Gloucester Lyceum and the Friends of the Library. Mary Weissblum opened the program.
Chris broadly covered the history of the local landscape from an ecological bent with a bias to birds and blueberry picking, naturally. New England is a patchwork of forested landscapes. He stressed the evolution of bio diversity and succession phenomenon when the earth and climate change. “Nature takes a lot of courses.” He focused on Dogtown, “a very special place”, and possible merits of land stewardship geared at fostering greater biodiversity. Perhaps some of the core acres could be coaxed to grasslands as when parts of Gloucester were described as moors? Characteristic wildlife, butterflies, and birds no longer present may swing back. There were many philosophical takeaways and tips: he recommends visiting the dioramas “Changes in New England Landscape” display at Harvard Forest HQ in Petersham.
“Isolation of islands is a main driver of evolution”
“Broad Meadow Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Worcester has the highest concentration* of native butterflies in all of Massachusetts because of secondary habitats.” *of Mass Audubon’s c.40,000 acres of wildlife sanctuaries statewide. “The fact that Brook Meadow Brook is in greater Worcester, rather than a forested wilderness, underscores the value of secondary habitats.”
“1830– roughly the time of Thoreau (1817-1862)– was the maximum period of clearing thus the heyday for grasslands…As farmsteads were abandoned, stages of forests return.”
Below are photos from February 23, 2017. I added some images of art inspired by Dogtown. I also pulled out a photograph by Frank L Cox, David Cox’s father, of Gallery on the Moors (then) compared with a photo of mine from 2011 to illustrate how the picturesque description wasn’t isolated to Dogtown.
Louise Upton Brumback (1867-1929), Dogtown- Cape Ann, 1920 oil on canvas
David Cox had five older siblings. At the time of David’s graduation photograph, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Cox were residing at 853 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA. David’s mom was so beloved 2 families named their daughters after her, and 3 families named their sons after her (her maiden name ‘MacAulay’ as their middle.)
Here is a close up of the GHS photograph for his brother, Norman (“Norm”). Norm gave this print to his friend, Ken. Thankfully it made its way back to the Cox family.
Frank and Norm graduated together from Gloucester High School in 1941; Frank had to make up a missed year recovering from pneumonia. He must have been busy as he was a recognized athlete and Flicker mentions his status in “our rogues gallery”. At this time the Cox family resided at 616 Western Avenue.
We are wondering if anyone has a copy of a cadet formal photograph of the oldest brother and sibling, Frank Cox? Or a copy of the senior photo as seen in the yearbook. Both Frank and Norman were in the Army Air Corp during WWII. Frank was drafted out of the Citadel and was a bombardier flying missions out of England. Norm went to Harvard on a GI bill. After retiring from a long career at Mitre Corp, Norm worked with David at the store. At Gloucester High School, all three Cox brothers were cadets which Albert Bacheler established at the school. David won awards.
Here’s one mention from the papers that David hopes I ditch, which I’d consider however it’s worth repeating for that mention of Albert Bacheler (see Civil War coat) and the brag: “David Cox, a senior cadet from Company E, turned in a brilliant effort last night to take top honors in the 63rd annual Prize Drill and Dance in Albert W. Bacheler Drill hall of Gloucester High School.”
The girls had their own unit, the ‘Girls Drill Team’ which David’s sister and athlete, Theo, won. We don’t know if there were cadet photos for the girls. Louise and Christine were David’s other siblings. David told me that there were 4 special Prize Drill and Dance galas at Gloucester High School each school year. The first was the individual drill competition. The second was the prize squad drill competition. The 3rd dance was the Officers Party. The 4th and final prom was the Sargents Party and for this one the boys wore white jacket cut aways. These scans are from the collection of David Cox. He’s speaking to Nancy Knowles Rossi in one of the photos. Who can you recognize?
What is everyone gathered around in that last photograph?
Good Morning Gloucester 