Gloucester's working harbor

By DANIEL LISTWA

Essex County Newspapers

GLOUCESTER _ With its numerous beaches and well-worn harbor, Gloucester may best be suited to the shorts-weather of summer. But visitors will find fall here _ devoid of summer crowds _ a perfect chance to see local attractions.

Gloucester's working harbor, one of the country's oldest, hosts a regular influx of sea-minded tourists, many of whom find their ways to the Schooner Adventure, at 4 Harbor Loop.

The Adventure has long been one of the harbor's most popular features, a 75-year-old Essex schooner that trolled the Atlantic in the early 20th century. Once a common ship, there are now only five or six schooners remaining in the world, leading thousands to search out the Adventure yearly.

"It's unique _ I think most people have never been on a boat this age that was a working vessel," Adventure office manager Sally Curry said. "It's just huge: 122 feet long. Everything is large: the seams, the decking, all large-scale stuff."

Curry notes that visitors should try to get to the Adventure as soon as possible: the ship will be hauled from the water in October for repairs. For tour times and prices, call (978) 281-8079.

Others seeking connection to Gloucester' fishing past will wander down the city's seaside Boulevard to the city's most recognizable monument: The Man at the Wheel, a tribute to local fishermen who have died at sea.

Recently joined on the Boulevard by a statue honoring fishermen's wives, TMATW also features a memorial cenotaph, listing the names of the deceased fishermen and the year they died.

Tucked at the end of the cenotaph are five names that may be familiar: the crew of the Andrea Gail, lost at sea during the No-Name storm of 1991 and memorialized in Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm."

To experience Gloucester's heritage through another's eyes, tourists and locals often visit the Cape Ann Historical Association, one of the city's premier museums, at 27 Pleasant St.

Among other works, the historical association houses the largest existing collection of paintings from 19th century Luminist and former resident Fitz Hugh Lane.

"Some critics think he ranks in the top 10 all-time American artist list," Director Judith McColloch said. Other local artists featured include Milton Avery, Maurice Prendergast, Stuart Davis, Marsden Hartley and John Sloan.

The museum also hosts a fisheries and maritime collection, including vessels, models, tools and equipment. Among the notable exhibits is Howard Blackburn's Great Republic, a vessel constructed for one of his two single-handed crossings of the Atlantic Ocean.

Special exhibits this season include Ken Hrube's "Tour of Duty," a sculpture show running through October and inspired by the artist's 20 years in the military. For times, call (978) 283-0455.

As fall inches closer to winter, one attraction that grows in popularity is the Hammond Castle, at 80 Hesperus Ave. In any season, science and history buffs would be impressed by one-time home of John Hays Hammond, touted by some as "America's Second Greatest Inventor," bested only by Edison. As The Father of Remote Control, Hammond once set his the Hammond Research Corporation's lab in the castle, and English-style stone structure towering in West Gloucester

But bare trees and crisp air bring out the a touch more spookiness in Hammond Castle's guided tours. That, not to mention the castle's Murder Mystery dinners and its yearly Halloween haunted house, make this one of Gloucester's best attractions as the year wanes. Call (978) 283-7673 for times and prices.

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