History

The Gloucesterman Adventure : Jonathan Bayliss and Schooner Adventure at 100

~ Sawyer Free Library

Discover how the Schooner evolved from a pinnacle of North Atlantic design into a lasting symbol of literary endurance and independence in a presentation at the Sawyer Free Library by Ken Riaf, John Day and Emily Pearce on Thursday, January 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

For more than a century, Gloucester’s schooners have shaped the city’s identity, inspired generations of writers and artists, and embodied both the peril and poetry of life at sea. In this richly illustrated lecture, we explore how the schooner—especially the Schooner Adventure—has served as a powerful creative catalyst for author Jonathan Bayliss and for Gloucester’s cultural imagination at large.

The hour-long program highlights Schooner Adventure—launched in 1926 and celebrated as the “Queen of the Windjammers”—as a rare, fully restored vessel that keeps Gloucester’s maritime heritage vibrantly alive. Set against this historical backdrop, the program also explores the literary imagination of Jonathan Bayliss, whose childhood experiences with Gloucester’s schooners became central to his writing. Through Bayliss’s memories, historical imagery, and hands-on examples, the program demonstrates how schooners fuel creativity, bridge fantasy and realism, and inspire new generations to connect with maritime history.

This event will be hybrid taking place at the Sawyer Free Library and online. If you wish to participate online please include this in your RSVP at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

For more information contact Meg O’Neill or Julie Travers at 978-325-5500.

Ten Pound Island: A Journey Through History, Mystery, & Art

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, January 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm for an unforgettable evening as speaker and historian Richard Carlson brings to life the rich and storied past of Ten Pound Island, one of Rocky Neck’s most iconic and intriguing landmarks. His engaging presentation promises a journey through centuries of history, mystery, and artistic inspiration.

Ten Pound Island has been a central figure in the area’s story since well before Samuel de Champlain charted the coast in 1606. Rich will explore the island’s many chapters—from its early days as a fish hatchery, to its role as a Coast Guard airfield during Prohibition, to its enduring legacy as home to the beloved Ten Pound Island Light.

This lively talk will also dive into the island’s more enigmatic moments. Expect tales of sea monster sightings, the infamous Great Rat Flood, and the ways in which artists have been captivated by the island’s beauty over the years.

Whether you’re a history buff, maritime folklore lover, or simply curious about Gloucester’s hidden gems, this is an event you won’t want to miss. Register for this special event at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

A Journey Through the Roots of American Popular Music

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Saturday, January 17 from 2:00 to 3:15pm take a journey through the roots of American popular music at the Sawyer Free Library in the Community Room.

A Journey Through the Roots of American Popular Music is a program of songs and stories about the origins of the blues, rock, and country music presented by singer and songwriter Jon Waterman. In the show, Jon is joined by Li Waterman on bass. The program, which also features an accompanying slideshow, explores some of the fascinating characters and events that are part of the history and the role of music in our lives. Register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

The program has been described as, “a unique performance experience combining music history, storytelling, and original songs inspired by his research.” And “A must see for anyone interested in American history or American music!”

Musician and songwriter Jon Waterman has been performing his original songs along with blues, rock and country standards throughout his life. His music is influenced by intriguing characters and stories from history, the roots of the music he loves, and the diversity of the human experience. His song “Sultana” which tells the story of the Civil War steamboat disaster was selected to be featured at the Sultana museum in Marion, AR. Waterman has presented his programs “A Journey Through the Roots of American Popular Music” and “Cro-Magnon Blues: History and Legends Through Song” in venues around the country, both in person and virtually. He has an M.A. in Popular Music History from Prescott College. Li is a classically trained guitarist and singer who formerly fronted the Rhode Island band Alien Tesh. She is also an artist and graduate of Museum School in Boston.

For more information or to register for this exciting program go to sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Gloucester Genealogy Group: Getting Started with Family History Research at Sawyer Free

~ Sawyer Free Library

Curious about your family’s past but not sure where to begin? 

Join the Gloucester Genealogy Group at the Sawyer Free Library on Saturday, January 10 from 10:30am to 12:00pm for an introductory session designed for beginners to family history research.

Experienced group members will walk newcomers through the basics of genealogy, including how to get started, where to look for records, and how to organize and document what you find. Whether you’re just starting out or have hit a roadblock in your research, this welcoming session offers guidance, encouragement, and a chance to connect with others interested in family history.

To attend, please register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PROGRAM IN THE GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 2026

~ chasnaz

GLOUCESTER, MA: The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, in collaboration with the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, will present a program to explore the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The goal is to use our history to guide us in light of today’s social, economic, and political challenges.  The featured speaker will be Professor Jamie Wilson, historian from Salem State University and author of a book about Dr. King. The free program will take place on Monday, January 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the historic Gloucester Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, on the green at 50 Middle Street.  For more information please visit www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Professor Wilson is the author of Martin Luther King. Jr.: A Life in American History. New York: Bloomsbury, 2023.  He will discuss the obstacles faced by Dr. King and the struggle for racial equality in both the north and the south after the landmark Supreme Court decisions that banned segregated schools but left many discriminatory practices intact across many industries such as housing and employment.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

All are invited to the UU Church Social Hall (downstairs) where Professor Wilson will speak, followed by a video excerpt from a 1967 interview of MLK, Jr. by Sander Vanocur of NBC News.  Participants will then be divided into discussion groups led by trained facilitators. Each group will tackle issues that are relevant to the struggles for human dignity and security that Reverend King championed.  Parking is available on the green in front of the Meetinghouse.  Please enter the Social Hall via the side door at #10 Church Street or the side door from the Gould Court parking area.  Light refreshments will be served.

Organizers of this event include Jerry Ackerman and Karen N. Bell, co-chairs of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Events Committee, and Michea McCaffrey, Chair of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team. A special sponsor of the event is the Beverly & Addison Gilbert Hospitals, a member of Beth Israel Lahey Health.  This annual MLK Day program in Gloucester is part of the Meetinghouse Tenth Anniversary series.

ABOUT THE GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE FOUNDATION

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation’s mission is to preserve one of Gloucester’s most admired historic buildings, built in 1806 for the first Universalist church in America, as a civic hub, entertainment venue and community gathering center. The Foundation is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit and invites your support.    

Author Talk: Robert Booth on Genesis of Gloucester Harbor: 1690-1715

~ Sawyer Free Library

Genesis of Gloucester Harbor: 1690–1715
Saturday, December 20 | 2:00–3:00 PM
Community Room | Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester

Before Gloucester rose to fame as a world-renowned fishing port in the 1800s, the Inner Harbor was already a bustling center of overseas trade. But this transformation didn’t happen overnight. In the 1600s, Riverdale and Annisquam were the centers of activity, while the Harbor remained a quiet, lightly settled corner of town. So how — and why — did the Harbor evolve into Gloucester’s commercial heart?

Join the Sawyer Free Library for an illustrated talk with author and historian Robert Booth, who will explore the people, businesses, and turning points that sparked the Harbor’s development between 1690 and 1715. Booth will also discuss the methods and historical clues that help us understand this pivotal era.

This presentation draws from research for Booth’s upcoming book. A respected local historian educated at Harvard and Boston University, Booth is curator emeritus of the Pickering House in Salem, former director/curator of the Manchester-by-the-Sea Museum, and a consultant on historic restoration and interpretation. He is the author of several acclaimed works, including:

  • Boston’s Freedom Trail (1982)
  • Salem: Place, Myth, Memory (2004)
  • Death of an Empire (2012), a Boston Globe best-seller and “Best Book of New England History in 2012”
  • Mad For Glory (2015)
  • The Women of Marblehead (2016)

Please register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

We hope you’ll join us for this fascinating look into Gloucester’s early maritime beginnings.

Middle Street Walk: Events at Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

Middle Street Walk
Saturday, December 13 | 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Sawyer Free Library · 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA

Celebrate the 27th annual Middle Street Walk, a beloved Gloucester holiday tradition where “the past is present!” Enjoy a festive day filled with music, art, community events, and FREE horse-drawn wagon rides along historic Middle Street. The Sawyer Free Library is excited to be part of the celebration with special programs for all ages.

Festivities at the Sawyer Free Library

10:30–11:30 AM — Holiday Music & Card Making for Kids
Drop in for cheerful music and hands-on card-making fun — perfect for children and families.

12:00–2:00 PM — Walker Creek Saxophone Quartet Performance
Enjoy a live performance from this talented saxophone quartet, filling the Library with seasonal favorites and jazzy flair.

1:00–4:00 PM — Tours of the Saunders House Historic WPA Murals
Professional conservator Lisa Mehlin will lead 15-minute guided tours of the newly restored WPA murals in the historic Saunders House. Learn about their remarkable history and the intricate conservation process. Registration required at SawyerFreeLibrary.org.

1:00–1:30 PM — Gingerbread Creation Contest Winner Announcement
Join members of the Middle Street Walk Committee — including Barbara Catalini of Cakes by Barbara — in the Children’s Room as they announce the winners of the 2025 Gingerbread Creation Contest. All gingerbread entries will be on display!

More details on Middle Street Walk festivities city-wide will be shared soon. We hope you’ll join us for this magical Gloucester tradition!

Sawyer Free Library to Host Film Screening and Panel Discussion: “Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library”

~ Sawyer Free Library

Ever wonder how Gloucester’s public library came to be? The Sawyer Free Library invites the community to a special evening celebrating nearly two centuries of local history, innovation, and civic spirit. On Thursday, November 20 from 5:00 to 6:30 PM, the Library will present a film screening and panel discussion of Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library in its Community Room.

Produced by Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios, Timeline Cape Ann: Sawyer Free Library traces the remarkable story of Gloucester’s public library—from its 19th-century beginnings in the Gloucester Lyceum to its role today as a vibrant civic and cultural hub. The short documentary explores how a small-town vision grew into a cornerstone of learning, access, and community connection.

The film situates the Sawyer Free Library within the broader story of American public libraries—beginning with Benjamin Franklin’s 1731 subscription library, which sparked a movement for shared knowledge and free access to books. By the early 1800s, the “Lyceum movement” swept New England, bringing citizens together for lectures, debate, and education. Gloucester quickly joined in. In 1830, residents established the Gloucester Lyceum, which merged Franklin’s ideals with this new spirit of civic learning.

The Library’s evolution accelerated under the leadership and generosity of Samuel Elwell Sawyer, a Gloucester native and philanthropist who made access to books free for all. His lasting legacy includes the donation of the Saunders House, which remains part of the Library campus today, and the 1872 incorporation of the Gloucester Lyceum and Sawyer Free Library, with a charter promising it would remain free forever.

Timeline Cape Ann also highlights the Library’s continued resilience and innovation—surviving fires, embracing technology, and expanding services through the 20th and 21st centuries. From WPA murals and children’s programs to its newly completed, state-of-the-art renovation and expansion, the Sawyer Free Library remains a living institution shaped by generations of readers, learners, and citizens.

Following the screening, Curcuru will be joined by Sawyer Free Library Local History Librarian Julie Travers and local historian and author Wayne Soini for a panel discussion and audience Q&A exploring the Library’s enduring role in Gloucester’s civic life.

This free public event offers a fascinating look at how one man’s generosity and a community’s shared commitment helped shape the heart of Gloucester.

Space is limited; registration is requested at SawyerFreeLibrary.org.

Film Screening and Panel Discussion:
Thursday, November 20, 2025
5:00–6:30 PM
Sawyer Free Library, Community Room (Ground Floor), 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA

Harborlight Homes presentation on the “Dirty Deeds Project” at the Sawyer Free Library

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Thursday, October 30 from 5:00 to 6:00 pm the Sawyer Free Library welcomes Andrew DeFranza, Executive Director, and Nancy Sanchez, Advocacy & Education Manager at Harborlight Homes to discuss their role in the Dirty Deeds Project. 

The Dirty Deeds Project is a collaboration between Harborlight Homes, the NAACP North Shore Branch, and the Mapping Prejudice Project at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Together, the partners examined property records in Southern Essex County and identified 407 deeds containing racially restrictive covenants, later confirmed as 390 after duplicates were removed.

Racial covenants were once a widespread practice used to exclude people from homeownership based on race, ethnicity, or religion. These clauses were written directly into property deeds and included language such as:

“The granted premises shall not be sold, mortgaged or leased to or occupied by persons of negro blood.” — Marblehead

“Said premises shall not be conveyed to or occupied by a colored person.” — Beverly

“The premises … shall not be owned or occupied by any person of Negro, Jewish, Italian, Greek, Polish or Armenian blood.” — Nahant

Although no longer enforceable, the presence of these covenants in the historical record continues to send a harmful message to those they targeted.

The project not only documents this discriminatory history but also advances solutions. Harborlight Homes and its partners are supporting Senator Lydia Edwards’ bill (HD.4087/SD.720, An Act Providing for the Removal of Void Restrictive Covenants), which seeks to remove such language from property records across Massachusetts.

By uncovering and addressing this history, The Dirty Deeds Project works toward building more inclusive and equitable communities.

Please register for the event at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Author Talk with Mark Kurlansky: The Boston Way: Radicals Against Slavery & The Civil War

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join the Sawyer Free Library for an afternoon with acclaimed author Mark Kurlansky as he discusses his latest book, The Boston Way: Radicals Against Slavery & The Civil War on Saturday, October 25 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM.

In this powerful and thought-provoking work, Kurlansky explores a lesser-known side of abolitionism—the Boston pacifists who believed persuasion, not violence, was the only path to lasting freedom and justice. Through the lives of William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and other Black and white abolitionists, Kurlansky examines how their moral courage and commitment to nonviolence shaped not only the fight against slavery, but the broader pursuit of human rights that would influence thinkers from Leo Tolstoy to Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Copies of The Boston Way will be available for purchase at the event courtesy of The Bookstore of Gloucester.

The event is free, and open to all to attend but registration is requested at sawyerfreelibrary.org.