This little Photo Essay book is chockful of images and anecdotes from Rockport’s history not previously shared. Each topic in the Table of Contents has afforded me several lectures over the past 15 years since I published it.
I have ample copies and they make a great gift for out-of-towners as well!
A few years back, Don came and sat in on my Motif talk, which that year I was giving in the Martha Moore Room at the Rockport Art Association. At one moment in the conversation, he spoke of how he had arrived in Rockport on Cape Ann.
His love of the landscape and fellow artists was deeply felt by those of us there. And I felt the so oft, self-imposed boundaries between painters and photographers dissolve. I frequently reflect on this chance exchange, shortly after that day, Don’s health became his landscape.
This image is from one of the Rockport Art Association Costume Balls, which I photographed as an act of love.
You can guess whose arm enters the image plane from the right 🙂
The tradition of “Old Home Days,” was started by Frank Rollins of New Hampshire. In 1897 he created an official Old Home Week Association (for more info – http://www.yankeemagazine.com/article/features/old-home-days#_).
Rockport’s “Old Home Days,” were celebrated from the late 1940s into the early 1960s (sporadically included with the celebration of Motif No.1 Day)
Here is an image from the era and time of Rockport’s “Old Home Days.” I believe the location is at the corner of Granite & King Streets. The Sandy Bay Historical Building is visible in the background; although at the time of the photo the SBHS had not yet acquired the building. Also note the marked parking lanes, which I believe indicate that there was no road to the right of the Town Water Pump – perhaps? Also note how the landscape of trees furl down King Street!
UPDATE: mea culpa! Definitely not the Sewall Scripture House!!!
Accept no substitute for verifying photographs with your own eyes. This image is captioned “flock of sheep on barren Dogtown Common.” Nary a wooly flock in sight; instead what is on view is a rare view of pig pen and inhabitants. And the glacial erratics outnumber the pigs. The image is dated ‘1902,’ which would account for the display of long low fence railings. By the 1930s, animal husbandry had evaporated from Dogtown.
Herewith a view of Short Beach – now Back Beach – courtesy of Charles Cleaves, summer 1934.
Rockport History 