Laura asks GMG to share a reminder for tonight and writes:
I’m speaking in Rockport as part of the UU Church’s Daring Democracy series.  If you can post about it, I’d be most grateful.Â
We decided to sing about some unsung heroes – the women who led the fight for the right to vote. This amazing story is not in most history books, and if you can find it in high school text books, please let me know. I’ll be talking about the musical we wrote – PERFECT 36 – about the ratification of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote at the UU Church in Rockport on 11/14 @ 7. Please join me. This story – which took place in 1920 – feels a whole lot like 2020 and is more relevant than ever.
Author of A Catalog of Birds, Europa Editions “A soaring new novel about love and loss.” The Washington Post Alice Bliss, winner of the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, A Boston Globe Bestseller
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Transcendent, gorgeous music, with inspiration found throughout the world, Jesse Cook and company gave a fabulous performance last night at Rockport’s Shalin Liu. Often described as new flamenco, Jesse’s music blends rhumba rhythms, jazz, Arabic music, traditional flamenco, and much, much more.
Currently touring with Jesse are Fethi Nadjem on violin, Matt Sellick on guitar, Matias Recharte on drums, and Dan Minchom on bass.
We met BJ in the lobby. He operated the cameras for the concert film that chronicles the “Beyond Borders” tour, currently playing on PBS. I asked BJ what was the process. He shares that nine cameras were set up nightly during the 31 day coast to coast tour of Canada. In addition, he used a hand held camera to maneuver around the stage. A different song was recorded each night in each different city. By the end of the tour, they had generated 50 TBs of footage. Jesse edited the film and it is beyond beautiful!
It would be tremendous if when Jesse returns to Cape Ann, he can play several nights. The concert at the Shalin Liu quickly sold out and it would be great if more people, especially young people, had the opportunity to hear his music.
We also had the pleasure of meeting Marcy and Christopher Plante, who were sitting next to us with their friends. Chris Plante built the Shalin Liu and Marcy’s friend was wearing a pair of butterfly earrings 🙂
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Tangled lobster trap clots washed ashore after this week’s nor’easter, landing on the Rockport side of Long Beach between fire break #3 and the bridge to Cape Hedge. “Looks like a shipwreck,” people remarked.
The sand was stripped away from the riprap but the seawall is fine. The high tides did not swamp the wall or reach the street.
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Historic maps and books from the 1800s label the landform between Cape Hedge Beach and Long Beach “Little Cape Hedge” or “Cape Hedge”, and the creek “Saratoga River”. I’ve heard the former (also “Eagle Rock”), but not the latter. So many generations of families return to Long Beach cottages. Do you remember family names for these coastal landmarks?
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Next time you’re heading in the direction of Wolf Hill, Good Harbor Beach or Rockport thank E. Raymond Abbott when you pass Day’s Pond, a historic man made pond in Gloucester about 1 acre in size. In 1978 Abbott wrote about his family’s association with the pond:
2018 new engineered wall, railing (sidewalk pending) – read more about Gloucester DPW work here
“On reading a recent article in the Gloucester Daily Times (July 1979) which made reference to the ‘so-called’ upper Day’s Pond off Eastern Avenue it occurred to me that the people of Gloucester might be interested in a brief history of the pond.
Years ago there were two Day brothers who owned a large tract of land which extended from the beaches and marshes all the way up to the old Rockport Road. This land, including the upper Day’s Pond, was later sold to a lawyer named Webster who lived in and owned a hotel on Pleasant Street. Later on the Webster property which also included land around Cape Pond in Rockport, came up for sale at a public auction. My father, James Abbott, bought it in June of 1905 and went into business which was later known as the Cape Pond Ice Company. In 1922, my father retired and I took over the ice business.Â
I will always remember a young girl, Harriet Wonson, who lived just above the upper Day’s Pond, coming to me asking if she could beautify the pond by planting water lilies in and around it. Of course, I gave my consent.
In 1943, I decided to sell the Cape Pond Ice Company. However, before doing so, I gave the upper Day’s Pond to the city of Gloucester so that the children always have a place to skate in the winter, in the summertime provide a pond for fishing, as well as a beautiful subject for our local artists to paint. It was during this same period that I was able to acquire most of the land around Cape Pond and later gave my interest to the town of Rockport to be used as a water shed.Â
It is my sincere hope and desire that the upper Day’s Pond will continue to provide as much enjoyment for the children of the future as it has in the past.
E. Raymond Abbott, Gloucester Daily Times Letter to the Editor, July 16, 1979
Twenty years later, Gloucester dredged Day’s Pond “as part of a watershed management plan to stabilize the pond’s ecosystem.” Massachusetts Department of Environmental Mangement awarded $2500 for the project in 1998. Marilyn Myett wrote a persuasive My View column about the pond’s vital impact in the neighborhood.
In 2018 Rockport widened much of the Long Beach seawall walkway beginning at the Gloucester side and stretching past the midpoint. Recently crews began extending this project straight through to the end point on the Rockport side. The work is expected to be completed in a couple of weeks.
Rocky explained it’s done in segments and moving right along.
Besides this big project, the getting ready for summer bustle is in full swing. Annual staircase return? Check! Front row cottage work? Check! New patio and masonry work by the former hotel (photos 2018 vs 2019 below) where the stone patio was compromised, various yardwork and private deck repairs are visible along the promenade.
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TOHP Burnham Essex Public Reception Saturday, May 18 10AM-NOON
Temporary Public Art: Alexia Parker Fun Fridays: May 10, 17, 31, June 7 4PM
Author James McKenna & Illust. Juni VanDyke If I were Series 5/10; llust. Alexia Parker Bike’s Big Adventure and Pumpkin Carving 5/17; Author & Illust. Barbara McLaughlin The Long Way Home 5/31; Author Diane Polley & Illust. Marion Hall Let’s Go! Animal Tracks in the Snow 6/7
TOHP Burnham Library, Essex
30 Martin Street, Essex, MA 01929
978.768.7410
Days/Hours: M1-7,T1-5,W1-7,Th10-5,F1-5,S10-12 https://essexpubliclibrary.org
Essex Bicentennial display also on view.
snapshot scenes from Fun Friday May 10th and today below and TOHP Burnham hall installation views, Alexia Parker paper collage series, Hometown, for Once Upon a Contest group exhibition.Â
clone tag: 4578575663365558380
Rockport Motif #1 Saturday, May 18 all day
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Literary Cape Ann presented a terrific afternoon, Bestseller to Big Screen, featuring Rodman Philbrick, Andre Dubus III, and Stephen McCauley at Cape Ann Cinema 21 Main Street in Gloucester May 5, 2019.
The Toad Hall wheels behind Literary Cape Ann invited Beth Pocock, Asst. Director Sawyer Free Library, to moderate the first half of the program. Literary Cape Ann co-founder Rae Francoeur directed the second part. The Book Store of Gloucester set up shop to handle book sales. Cape Ann Cinema had trailers queued up and fresh popcorn pop pop popping which was offbeat and endearing. All went off without a hitch thanks to great questions, event coordination/collaboration and three dynamite authors who were frank, engaging, witty and bright. Make sure to look for the next Literary Cape Ann event.
Sponsored by Bach Builders and Gloucester Writers Center
“When a book becomes a movie, a lot happens. It’s a transforming moment for an author whose book takes on a new life. Three authors share their Hollywood stories on May 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. Rodman Philbrick: The Mighty; Stephen McCauley: The Object of My Affection; Andre Dubus III: House of Sand and Fog. Free. Book signings, refreshments, film clips.”
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Literary Cape Ann presents Bestseller to Big Screen featuring Rodman Philbrick, Andre Dubus III, and Stepehn McCauley at Cape Ann Cinema21 Main Street in Gloucester on May 5, 2019. Sponsored by Bach Builders and Gloucester Writers Center
“When a book becomes a movie, a lot happens. It’s a transforming moment for an author whose book takes on a new life. Three authors share their Hollywood stories on May 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. Rodman Philbrick: The Mighty; Stephen McCauley: The Object of My Affection; Andre Dubus III: House of Sand and Fog. Free. Book signings, refreshments, film clips.”
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Construction work continues on the Long Beach seawall at 3 compromised sections: two 500′ sections (one is closer to the Gloucester edge and the second pretty much mid beach) and a third 30′ area of trouble at the corner by the creek and footbridge. Last summer’s temporary pyres have been vastly expanded with truckloads of boulders from Johnson’s Quarry. The line of boulders helps to prevent sand from being scoured away by seas and the bottom of the wall from further erosion. The rip rap will add ballast support weight.
Besides the crew at Long Beach, the second unit labors at the quarry. It’s slow and careful going impacted by weather and tides. This week was busy. Next week’s conditions are less favorable. Extra time is allotted to make certain heavy equipment beats the tides or the very real possibility of large equipment breaks or malfunction (thankfully has not happened yet). People wondered if a jetty or two was in the works but that is simply temporary staging.
Boulders are deposited at the Gloucester entrance to the beach and transferred to repair sites. Excavators work with Rockport DPW and GZA engineers for optimum selection. (GZA was contracted for Gloucester’s Stacy Boulevard work.) “Spotters” can be seen atop the Long Beach walkway. After the boulders are dumped into piles, the excavator sorts, lifts, rolls and inspects the whole lot and singles like searching for an impossibly hard to find puzzle piece. Sometimes one boulder is turned 15x before it’s the correct pitch or timing. The sorting was remarkably graceful and reminded me of rinsing and prepping berries or beans.
One day at Long Beach I spotted a swimmer with a glorious and faithful arm tattoo of Mary Ann from Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. He was staying at Cape Ann Motor Inn. Did he know that the author and illustrator, Virginia Lee Burton, was from Gloucester? He was stunned and thrilled. She modeled the steam shovel after one she brought her son to see busy building Gloucester High School. Families with little construction fans might enjoy watching Mary Ann’s descendant shoring up the Long Beach seawall.
The timeline for permits and planning for a future sand phase have not been slated.
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Views today were taken an hour before the afternoon high tide. Prior high tide left its mark, and I expect more tomorrow with such high winds predicted.
Step through the cheery pink door of Blume Coffee (“Flour Shop”) aside Mayflour Cakes & Confections at Whistlestop mall in Rockport Friday through Sunday for specialty coffees, teas, and hot chocolate (with to die for marshmallows), and not to miss Mayflour Confections daily bake treats.
2019
read more about artist John Falk
2018
2018
2019
2018
Cape Ann has so many great scone options with its stellar bakeries–there could be a scone trail!
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Dog walkers and surfers crossed paths with Kevin and Gary from K & R Construction and Rockport Department of Public Works (DPW) on site setting up a new phase for Long Beach seawall repairs. Two roughly 500 feet lengths of rip rap extending out 15-18 feet (tapered) will be built up beginning just past the first stairs near red cottage 20 Long Beach. Sand will be added later as part of this phase. A steel road plate path was set in at the Gloucester Mass staging entrance so equipment won’t get stuck. Last year smaller forklifts and dump trucks shuttled boulders for patch rip rap.
Slow and steady– truck is LOADED (and another sets up straight away)
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JANUARY 2019 (BEFORE REPAIRS) Long Beach looking from Gloucester Mass side to Rockport- this edge of the beach has more tide to stage construction from. Construction crews will contend with tides as they did last year.
Plenty of prior GMG posts (search “Long Beach seawall”); here are a few:
Good Morning Gloucester 