06/11/17 - Day 69 - Gloucester, MA

Day trip out of the city to Gloucester which is about an hour northeast on the coast of the North Shore of Massachusetts.  The city was initially chartered in 1623, before Salem and Boston.  However, it was quickly abandoned for greener pastures until a more permanent presence was incorporated in 1642.  The city became more well known in the middle 18th century as a fishing capital thanks it's proximity to the Grand Banks, one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.
    










Today the town still has a big fishing presence, but it's also a summer destination for tourists.





Gloucester is home to the Gorton's Seafood company, purveyor of the countless fish sticks I consumed as a kid.


There are several interesting buildings around town, though being Sunday they were either in use (churches) or closed (town hall & museums)
    





Today commercial fishing is a risky job (The Perfect Storm movie is about a boat that operated out of Gloucester) but back before the availability of wireless communications, accurate weather forecasts, and a modern Coast Guard service, it was a heck of a lot more dangerous.  Hundreds of sailors have died since the town became a fishing hub.  The city has a memorial dedicated to these folks along the boardwalk overlooking the ocean.




It was a quiet little place, but I'm glad to have seen it.





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