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Cape Ann perches on granite ledge. Large granite boulders define the
coastline and pop up throughout the Cape Ann landscape.
The granite quarrying
industry became well established in the 19th century, joining
fishing as a mainstay of Cape Ann’s economy. The granite industry
drew workers from Finland, Sweden and Ireland, adding to Cape Ann’s
rich cultural mix.
In the early years, quarried granite blocks were hauled by oxen
to nearby Lane’s Cove where they were loaded onto sailing vessels
for delivery by water to major cities in the Northeast.
Civil War general Benjamin Butler had
one of the earliest quarrying operations located in the Bay View
section of Gloucester. The granite gallery contains samples of local
granite, tools and equipment, as well as photographs, paintings and
sculpture which help to illustrate the history of granite quarrying
on Cape Ann. "All but one of the Cape Ann, Massachusetts granite quarries are
silent and water-filled, the only sound the distant cry of a seagull
planing in the blue overhead or of a small, wild bird flitting over the
surface of the still, green depths. Many of the bigger quarry pits,
about fifteen of them, are more than 100 feet deep with water. "It has been just 50 years since the last quarryman picked up his
toolbox from the ledge and walked home after the final whistle sounded "
These opening paragraphs in Barbara Erkkila’s book Hammers on Stone
(published 1987) mark the end of an important chapter in Cape Ann’s
history.
The Museum has been building an impressive collection of tools,
artifacts and photographs with the generous assistance of granite industry
historian Erkkila. In 1997, a gallery was built to display the collection.
Although there has been no major quarrying on Cape Ann since the 1930s,
there are lasting reminders of its existence. In addition to the water
filled pits there are the paving blocks, building stones, curbings and
memorial carvings which are abundant on Cape Ann.
The granite industry also helped to create the cultural diversity and
enrichment provided through the Finnish, Swedish and Irish immigrants who
settled on Cape Ann to work in the quarries.
Finally
there are the photographs, drawings and paintings of Cape Ann artists who
saw beauty and drama in the quarries and what went on there. The work of
some of these artists hangs in the gallery as a complement to the
artifacts and tools.
In 2004, the Museum created a sculpture garden which
is most likely the last project of any size to use Cape Ann granite. An
interior wall, at seating height, was added to an existing courtyard
in front of the Museum. The granite was quarried from a small pit
(called a motion) near the Rockport-Gloucester line.
The Museum puts out a monthly publication for children called
Timeship. It features biographical material on Cape Ann
residents from all periods of history. The issue which covered
granite quarrying produced some real
characters. |
