Photo by E.J. Lefavour
That between 1880-1886, Alpheus Hyatt founded the directed the Annisquam Seaside Laboratory, predecessor of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, under the auspices of the Boston Society of Natural History, and with support from the Women’s Educational Association of Boston? This summer school was primarily for the training of teachers of natural science, but several of the staff and students became well-known professional scientists, contributing to research as well as to science education. Alpheus Hyatt (1838-1902), trained by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University, was primarily a paleontologist who specialized in fossil cephalopods and their evolution. He also did special research on sponges and bryozoans. Hyatt transferred his Annisquam Seaside laboratory to Woods Hole, was instrumental in raising funds, and became the first President of the Board of Trustees for the Marine Biological Laboratory in 1888. Alpheus Hyatt was the father of Anna Hyatt Huntington, who created the Joan of Arc sculpture used in the World War I Memorial in Legion Square.
Inquiring minds wanted to know, so I grabbed my shovel and went digging. This is where Hyatt’s Seaside Laboratory was located on River Road in Annisquam, prior to relocating to Woods Hole (location information courtesy of Jim Groves).
E.J. Lefavour
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Good stuff EJ, I’ve been wondering where on River Road this was. Do you have an address and a citation so I can update his wiki page? I can just put it in as personal communication, Jim Groves and cite your blog entry but it would be better with a hard cite.
Is there a plaque on that building or any other indicator?
Fun Fact: I had a summer girlfriend in Woods Hole who lived on Hyatt Road. Just south of Agassiz Rd.
Pretty cool, Paul. Her name wasn’t Alpheusina or Anna was it? I checked back with James Groves on the source of his knowledge. It came from a book called “Annisquam (Peaceful Harbor) Tales of a Village on the New England Coast” by Lydia Prescott Thayer, which apparently contains information about Hyatt’s Seaside Laboratory and includes sketches of it, which is how he knew where it was. I don’t know the address, only that it is the 2nd house on the left on River Road. I’ll pop over there tomorrow and see if I can find the address. I tried to search Thayer’s book, but only came up with one copy available on Amazon for $200. Possibly the Sawyer Library has a copy, since it was published in Gloucester, although it was a limited publication. The person who has the book for sale on Amazon is also located in Gloucester.
Really like posts!! Great info
Excellent, informational posts.
Do tell us more about Anna Hyatt Huntington. I feel certain that few Gloucesterites realize what a talented sculptor she was, nor do they know the history of the Joan of Arc piece she created…Keep on researching and reporting!
Thank you!
That’s great E.J…..I spend some summers living in that house when I was a kid! It belonged to a former Navy Captain & his wife..last name was Gladding! They spent alot of time on their boat, and rented the house every summer.
No plaque on the house, which is why I was clueless until I read your comments.
Thanks for all the wonderful information.