Perhaps you’ve heard about the “Gloucester Encounters” book project that just gave birth this month to a quite unique and wonderful result, right on the doorstep to the 400th?
In this case, the stork was a fellow named Martin Ray who devoted this past year (at least) to pursuing his dream mission of collecting essays and photos on the cultural history of Gloucester 1623 to 2023. Buttressed by his two stalwart editors Merideth and Peg Anderson, Ray teamed up with the Gloucester Cultural Initiative — in particular Judith Hoglander — to plant and then harvest 36 essays on the personal connections and influences of some of Fishtown’s finest thinkers (and talkers). The list is as different as Russell Sherman is to John Ronan, is to Patti Amaral, is to Paul Lundberg, running a gamut of contestants in the Glosta marathon.
When Martin asked this wobbly columnist to participate — embarrassed disclaimer admission — I wasn’t expecting much beyond overly moralistic platitudes, self-regarding and politically correct — and that was just my piece — with not a great link to the gritty reality 400 years had carved. Boy, was I wrong.
Instead of jumping right to read my own, 100 pages into the book, I began at the beginning to come upon it as other readers might.
A brilliant plan because the first piece —a history of the earliest Gloucester by historian Mark Carlotto — got me hooked right off the bat.
The settlements built through Dogtown, the shipping economy in the harbor, of wood and stone, before we were a fishing economy was pretty eye-opening. The financial politics of available wharf space kept the fishers to the backside of the cape for decades. But as the farmers faded from Dogtown settlements, they were replaced by fishing families hunkered down to await their husbands’ returns. They were guarded by ferocious dogs to protect them in the meantime, hence the Dogtown moniker. The history in the first seven chapters gets an “A” in my school house, especially Linda Brayton’s essay on Harry David Sleeper’s real architect, Halfdan Hanson. and Linda gets the last laugh on history.
Peter Anastas, Paul Cary Goldberg, Gail McCarthy, Ken Riaf, David Wise, Janda Ricci Munn, Lise Breen, Susan Erony, Paul Lundberg, Charles Nazarian, Susanna Natti, and Charles Olson are just a few writers. and there were 24 more from the arts, government, the harbor, the streets — just folks connecting their encounters to the whole.
And, throughout the pieces are classic photos, mostly shot or edited by the project publisher, Mr. Ray himself. But there are many historical photos, too ,and paintings that illustrate. Erik Ronnberg’s piece used maritime paintings — mostly by Fitz Hugh Lane — to trace the development of sections of the harbor and industry. Fascinating and easily missable without Erik’s background descriptions. One painting shows empty harborside, the next fully occupied wharves in the same space 20 years later.
This book would make a terrific Christmas and holiday present. It is on heavy durable stock to make the pictures stand out and they do.
At 275 pages, it is crammed with history about your home port that you never knew. It’s only $25, which makes a perfect prezzie amount.
You can get a copy at the two city bookstores or directly from the Gloucester Cultural Initiative at gloucesterculture.org, its website, where the price is the same.
I never expected to write about it, but it read so well, it required telling people.
But if you get it or give it, you must read it! Once you dive in, you keep going. This writer is proud to be included.
The stuff you just never knew about us will float your boat throughout the rest of the winter. Not just another stroke piece about the city, but a heckova great read, a slow read by the fireplace. Get one before they are all gone.
Gloucester resident Gordon Baird is an actor and musician, co-founder of Musician magazine and producer of “The Chicken Shack” community access TV show.