Beautiful Annisquam Lighthouse
Spring sunset from the Annisquam Lighthouse
Tag Archives: Annisquam Lighthouse
LONGING FOR SUMMER DAYS
In a quagmire of trying to organize 95,000 photos and came across this glowing Annisquam scene. Happy summer days to come!
Annisquam Lighthouse and Ipswich Bay
Click image to see larger version.
Fall ocean white caps at Wingaersheek Beach
Beautiful fall morning. I like how the sand fills in the boardwalk come October
ANNISQUAM LIGHTHOUSE
Annisquam Lighthouse on a crispy clear and chilly October morning
Excerpt from the terrific website, LighthouseFriends.com
Annisquam Lighthouse is situated on the Annisquam River, which is in fact an estuary that connects Ipswich Bay to Gloucester Harbor. In 1631, the village of Annisquam was founded on the eastern side of the northern end of the river. The village grew into a fishing and shipbuilding center that during its heyday rivaled Gloucester. For ships traveling the coast, the river was considered an important refuge.
The lighthouse got its start with an April 29, 1800 act of Congress that authorized the erection of a light on Wigwam Point in Annisquam. The act also provided for the appointment of a keeper and other support of such lighthouse at the expense of the United States, provided that sufficient land for the lighthouse be granted to the United States. That land was to come from Gustavus Griffin, who deeded six-and-one-half acres on October 26, 1800, for which the U.S. Government paid him $140. The area was known as Wigwam Point, because it was historically a summer gathering place for Native Americans. Annisquam is a combination of the local Native Indian name for a harbor, “squam”, and “Ann” from Cape Ann, after Queen Anne of England. Originally, it was frequently written as “Anesquam.”
Annisquam Lighthouse c1870. Benham Collection.
In 1801, $2,000 was spent for the construction of the original thirty-two-foot wooden lighthouse, which displayed a fixed white light forty feet above the water. A two-room keeper’s dwelling was erected near the tower. The light’s first keeper was James Day, a Gloucester native, who was provided an annual salary of $200. George Day helped is father mind the light, and when James Day became seriously ill in 1805, George was made the official keeper.
An article published in the Boston Post during the early years of the light provides insight into the life of Keeper James Day and his family. The article, quoted in The Lighthouses of New England, states:
A large milk pan, an iron pot, and a dozen wooden spoons made up the greater part of their housekeeping articles; and their livestock consisted of a cow. It was their custom, while boiling their hominy for supper, to milk the cow into the pan, and after turning in the hominy and placing it on the floor, to gather around with their wooden spoons, and all help themselves from the same dish. On one of these occasions, old parson F., their minister happened to be paying them a parochial visit; and one of the boys, being a bit crowded, thought he could better his position by changing it to the opposite side of the dish. In attempting to do this, by stepping across, he accidently put his dirty foot square onto the milk and hominy, and before he could take it out again the rest had revenged themselves for the interruption by rapping him smartly on his bare leg with their wooden spoons, and without taking any further notice of the affair, went on eating as before…
Aerial view of the Lighthouse and Coast Guard station 1956
Vintage Photos LighthouseFriends.com
Are you up for the 13-2 Gloucester beaches challenge? 13 beaches. 2 jumps. 1 city. Go!
A mid-week vacation day is the easiest. Oh, and you’ll need your resident beach sticker. We prepped our car with a picnic blanket for the seat, extra towels, and ice waters. Start early and grab a big “lobsterjack” breakfast because you’ll need the fuel. End late.
Let’s establish some base rules here.
First off, you need to spend at least 15 minutes at each beach. (You can tweak this a little if you want.) Next, you need to dive under. We suggest a ritual for each beach, e.g. ‘The Five and Dive’. Finally, you have to stop for ice cream and candy. Remember, you can do these beaches (or others in Gloucester) and jumps in any order. Be flexible for unexpected delays like staying at one beach for hours, or a friend asking you to drop off a sub (*cough* Joey *cough*). Most importantly, you have to do at least 13 beaches and 2 jumps in one day. Mind the tides. Be grateful we have so many choices.
The Beaches- partial list
alphabetical order
Annisquam lighthouse. Coffin’s beach. Good Harbor beach. Long beach. Magnolia beach. Niles beach. Pavilion beach (by Beach Court). Pavilion beach bonus (by the cut). Plum Cove beach. Rocky Neck Oakes Cove beach. Stage Fort Park (1) – Cressy’s beach ( our alt. title ‘sea serpent’ big beach). Stage Fort Park (2) – Half Moon beach. Wheeler’s Point. Wingaersheek beach.
The Jumps- partial list
Annisquam bridge. Magnolia Pier.
*We do this challenge at least once each summer. Yesterday we started off with breakfast at Willow’s Rest and continued from there. Our timing was random especially as we spent hours at Wingaersheek. The second meal to get us through the day came from the sandwich counter at Annie’s by Wingaersheek. Yes, they have a sandwich counter.
Gloucester Beaches sandwich directory
Annisquam on a beautiful Sunday afternoon
It could be worse…
It’s the last snow of the year….it’s the last snow of the year…it’s the last snow of the year. That’s what I keep telling myself as I head out this morning to shovel myself into work. I know we have had a wonderfully mild winter, but I’m pretty sure we all have a little leftover angst about last winter. So as I head off to the office I’m going to reflect on a winter when it was a blustery, -10 windchill morning, and a couple friends and I snow shoed down to Annisquam Light after a big storm….it will make today seem like a dusting! Safe travels to all!
GOLDEN TWILIGHT ON THE ANNISQUAM
What a treat, these last lingering days of Indian Summer! I am trying to get out of doors as much as possible to enjoy the fleeting amber-gold moments. The photos below were taken standing at the mouth of the Annisquam, looking towards Wingaersheek Beach.
Foggy Morning Music at Annisquam Lighthouse
I had a wonderful adventure early his morning looping around Cape Ann and listening for the clearest fog horn sounds to record. My drive began at the Paint Factory to listen for the Ten Pound Island fog horn, then onto Eastern Point Lighthouse, Thacher Island Light, and Straitsmouth Island Light, before landing at the lighthouse at Annisquam. For my purposes the Annisquam Lighthouse was perfect and I loved the combined sounds of fog horn, birds awakening, waves lapping at the shore, and the clanging of buoy bells in the distance. I think I got some good stuff!
Click the triangle to hear the Annisquam Lighthouse foghorn.
Naomi Lee shares her art in Gloucester and around Cape Ann. Also, This Sunday August 16th 2015 at The Magnolia Historical Society from 2-6pm. 46 Magnolia Ave Magnolia, Massachusetts
Naomi Lee (Glimcher Panarello) who has made her home here in Gloucester for the past eight years was a long time resident of Revere for thirty seven years and moved on to Marblehead for 18 years. She has been interested in art since early child hood. Always creating something from paint, mud and clay, she has even mentioned how she loved to get punished, knowing she would be sent to her room on purpose. It was there she could be secluded and create her art. She remembers painting birds on vinyl window shades. Also, one of a beautiful parrot that her mother gave to a neighbor who had mentioned how much she loved it.
At the age thirteen she went to the Museum Of Fine Arts and took a course in sculpture and that’s only training she has gotten, everything else was self taught. Because of her skills she ended up working in Parks and Recreation teaching children to senior citizens to create things from clay, later working at two different Jewish community centers one in Revere and one in Marblehead. For one season she was the Art Director at the Eastern Yacht club for the summer program. This was around the early 1990’s and continued teaching until the early 2000’s. Her last position was at Temple Emanuel teaching pottery in Marblehead 2002.
Two and a half years ago she was juried into the Guild of Beverly Artists, while looking to make money to get her car fixed, during that time she did five shows and many others on her own since.
There are many paintings to see of Gloucester’s landscape these happen to be a favorite subject of Naomi’s. Paintings can be done by photo or by eye. She believes in the warmth of the sun the calm of the moon the strength of the wind and power of sea.
Naomi calls this seascape of Good Harbor a miracle painting after a serious decision in her life and seeing the rainbow confirmed her choice. This is the product of doing so.
Here are some other pieces of Naomi’s art work.
My favorite of The Annisquam Lighthouse.
Come by and visit me Sunday at The Magnolia Historical Society from 2-6pm. Many great paintings by local artists, including yours truly.
My artwork can also be seen at the new Salem Art Gallery at 179 Essex Street. Open Thursday and Friday 4-8 and on weekends 12-6. My art is on display until Octobe
Naomi Lee contact
naomileeart@outlook.com
(781) 710-1080
The Annisquam Lighthouse
On a summer morning
Ipswich Bay and Annisquam Lighthouse Panoramas
Always a pretty sight from the meadow looking towards Ipswich Bay. This is the view from where our daughter will be married in less than two months!
Click panoramas to view larger.
The top photo was taken with the iPhone 6plus, the second photo with my Fuji XE-1 at 50mm.
Reminder ~ Please join me tomorrow evening, April 29th, at 7pm at the Hamilton Wenham Public Library where I will be giving my Pollinator Garden program and screening several short films. This event is free and open to the public. I hope to see you there!
Annisquam Lighthouse from Wingaersheek Beach
Annisquam Lighthouse Saturday Spring Snowstorm
More than just a Lighthouse Tour with Captain Donald Steele
Harbor Tours provides a tour of six Lighthouse tour on Cape Ann, (Ten Pound Island, Eastern Point, Straitsmouth, Thacher and Annisquam Lighthouses). The tour is far more; it is narrated by Captain Donald Steele; who gives the history of Cape Ann and the many points of interest; you seethe many islands along the coast line, local and private beaches, and some celebrities’ homes along the shore. As a Gloucester native he tells stories of the many storms, that occurred along the rough coast line of Cape Ann.
The tour is a must for locals and Gloucester visitors. In the slideshow you will see the many delighted faces of people on the tour that I went on this past weekend.
The AnnisquamLighthouse
Annisquam Lighthouse as the sun was going down
Another Beautiful Evening on Cape Ann
Sunday Evening’s Sunset at Annisquam Light. Looks like it will be another beautiful day and beautiful evening on Cape Ann today.
Annisquam Light, circa 1890
Annisquam Light, circa 1890 Charles E. Dennison/©Fredrik D, Bodin
The first Annisquam Lighthouse was built in 1801 on Wigwam Point, where the Annisqaum River meets Ipswich Bay. It was replaced in 1851 by the lighthouse in this photograph. The forty one foot high wooden tower was octagonal. The keeper’s house, to the right of the light, also built in 1801, had a covered walkway connecting it to the lighthouse. Cows grazed the lighthouse grounds, and wandered along the beach at low tide. The present Annisquam Light was erected in 1897, and is made of brick. The light was automated in 1974, and the keeper’s house is currently used by Coast Guard families.
Printed from the original 8×10 inch negative in my darkroom.
Fred Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
My quest for today….
Now that I have finished the 2011 calendar 🙂 and it’s ready to print, I’m thinking maybe a Cape Ann lighthouse calendar would be cool. So today I’m doing research. Any less obvious ones that I might miss?
Thanks! —-Sharon
