History

Help Break a World Record: Library Card Sign Up Challenge!

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library is inviting the entire community to join in a fun-filled day of discovery, creativity, and history-making at its Community Celebration & Open House on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester.

As part of the festivities, the Library is launching a Library Card World Record Attempt — aiming to break the current record of 1,922 library card sign-ups in a single day. 🎯 New and renewing cardholders will receive a limited-edition commemorative Sawyer Free Library card as a keepsake from this exciting moment.

“A Library for Everyone” celebration marks the grand reopening of the newly renovated and expanded Sawyer Free Library, now a vibrant and inclusive center for learning, imagination, and community connection.

In addition to the record attempt, attendees can explore the library’s transformed spaces and enjoy live music including Gloucester Student Band, engaging presentations, children’s programs, tech demos, collaborative art projects, Rhea Pizzeria Napoletana, a visit from the Boston Red Sox Wally the Green Monster and much more—with activities and prizes designed for all ages.

Everyone is welcome to attend, have fun, and help make history! Details: sawyerfreelibrary.org

2025 Sawyer Free Library Ribbon Cutting Celebration – September 5th!

~ Sawyer Free Library

After nearly two years of renovation, expansion, and modernization, the Sawyer Free Library is thrilled to welcome the community back to its historic home at 2 Dale Avenue in the heart of Gloucester!

Join us for a special Ribbon Cutting Celebration on:

Friday, September 5, 2025
3:00 – 4:30 PM
School Street Entrance, Sawyer Free Library

Be part of this once-in-a-generation moment as we unveil your newly reimagined 21st-century library—a vibrant, inclusive space built for learning, creativity, and connection.

Enjoy remarks, a ceremonial ribbon cutting, a performance by the Cape Ann Youth Chorus, and light refreshments.

This rain-or-shine event is free and open to all—come celebrate with neighbors, friends, and fellow library lovers as we turn the page to an exciting new chapter!

Don’t Miss the Fun!
Come back the next day for our Community Open House on Saturday, September 6 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, featuring musical performances, activities, and family-friendly fun for all ages! Stay tuned for even more details or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org!

Help Build Gloucester’s Future Today

~ Sawyer Free Library

2025 Sawyer Free Library 🌸 Spring Appeal

The future of the Sawyer Free Library is rising on Dale Avenue—and it’s breathtaking. On schedule and on budget, our modernized library is nearly complete and set to open its doors to the Gloucester community this fall!

This transformation is about more than a building. It’s about what happens inside, and every floor tells a story of inclusion and innovation.

On the Ground Floor

  • A cutting-edge Digital Learning Lab 💻
  • A Local History Research Center with an 85” interactive display and digital archive
  • A 100-seat Community Room for performances, workshops, and forums

On the First Floor

  • A warm, inviting Reading Lounge and expanded collection 📚
  • A Quiet Room for focused study and reflection
  • A newly expanded Matz Gallery showcasing Cape Ann’s artistic talent 🖼

On the Second Floor – 9,500 square feet devoted to Young Minds

  • A Light-Filled Children’s Room
  • An Early Learning Center supporting literacy from the start
  • A Creative Program Room for hands-on exploration
  • Gloucester’s only dedicated Teen Space and Creation Studio

We’re building more than a library—we’re creating a future where knowledge, equity, and opportunity can thrive. This is a library for everyone: every age, every voice, every dreamer. But we’re not quite there yet.

To everyone who has supported the Sawyer Free Library project—thank you. Your generosity has brought us this far, and we’re proud of what we’ve built together. Now, as we prepare to open the doors, we invite you to help us complete this transformational project by donating to the 2025 Sawyer Free Library 🌸 Spring Appeal.

💛 Let’s Finish This Together
Your gift will help turn this shared vision into reality. It’s an investment in Gloucester’s wellbeing, culture, and future. Please consider donating today at 2025.sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Whether you’ve already contributed, are considering an additional gift, or are giving for the first time—your support matters.

Together, let’s build a space where ideas grow, stories are shared, ​and our community shines! ☀️

Uncovering Rockport’s Dark Past: Author Talk with Rob Fitzgibbons & Wayne Soini

~ Sawyer Free Library

Join local authors Robert Fitzgibbons and Wayne Soini at the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, March 27 at 5:30 pm for a riveting discussion on their book, Murder in Rockport, Massachusetts: Terror in a Small Town, which sheds new light on two chilling unsolved murders that shook the small seaside town in the 1930s.

On May 21, 1932, Finnish tailor Arthur Oker was brutally murdered in his shop in Rockport, sending shockwaves through the community. Just over a year later, on Halloween night in 1933, Swedish immigrant and fellow churchgoer Augusta Johnson was slain in her home, deepening the town’s fear and sparking an exhaustive investigation. Authorities searched every house, interviewed 2,500 households, and even enlisted the help of a mystic—yet the crimes remained unsolved.

Through newly uncovered state police archives, Fitzgibbons and Soini reveal long-lost details about the murders, the extensive efforts to solve them, and a surprising suspect who emerged decades later.

Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. For more information, contact jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Boston Light with Lighthouse Keeper Sally Snowman at SFL on Thursday evening

~ Sawyer Free Library

Guiding Light: The Legacy of Boston Light with Keeper Sally Snowman

📅 Thursday, March 13
🕠 5:30 – 6:30 PM
📍 Sawyer Free Librarya, 21 Main Street, Gloucester

Join the Sawyer Free Free Library for a captivating evening with Sally Snowman, the Keeper of Boston Light, as she shares the rich history and personal stories of America’s first established light station. Since 1716, Boston Light has illuminated the way for mariners entering Boston Harbor, and as the last manned Coast Guard Light Station in the country, it holds a unique place in maritime history.

As the 70th and final keeper, Sally Snowman has spent over two decades maintaining this historic beacon. In this engaging presentation, she will recount her experiences as a 21st-century lighthouse keeper, offering insights from her co-authored books and sharing stunning images from Boston Light’s 307-year history.

🔹 Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org
🔹 Questions? Contact lsvensson@sawyerfreelibrary.org

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from Sally Snowman, Ph.D., educator, author, and historian, as she prepares to retire and close a remarkable chapter in maritime history.

March 21st Bach Birthday Concert

~ chasnaz

This concert, performed by Heinrich Christensen on the 1893 Hutchings/Fisk pipe organ with the Jubilate Chamber Choir directed by Mary Jodice, is the fifth in a series celebrating the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was born on March 21st, 1685, and is considered the greatest composer of all time. This musical offering for the Cape Ann community is made possible through the generosity of H. Woody Brock.
The concert features selections from Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the German Organ Mass, a collection of compositions for organ published in 1739, based upon Lutheran chorales (harmonized hymn tunes), which will be sung a cappella by the Choir. The collection of pieces is considered Bach’s most significant and extensive work for the organ, containing some of his most musically complex and technically demanding compositions for the instrument. It opens with the majestic Prelude in E-flat and concludes with a monumental triple Fugue known as the “St. Anne,” depicting the Trinity in a glorious combination on the “organo pleno,” pulling out all the stops! Organist Heinrich Christensen is the Music Director of King’s Chapel, Boston.
The concert will be held on Friday, March 21st at 7:30pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). Parking is available on the green. The admission for the event is $35 General, $5 Students (all ages), under 12 free. An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. For more advance ticket purchases and more information please visit: http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

~ Hammond Castle Museum

2:00 – 2:30 Refreshments
2:30 – 3:30 Presentation
3:30 – 3:45 Q&A /Program Conclusion

Join us for a captivating afternoon as we celebrate the artistry and innovation of John Hays Hammond Jr.’s extraordinary pipe organ. As the third-largest pipe organ in a private residence in the U.S., this 8,000+ pipe marvel is a masterpiece of engineering and music. This special presentation will be led by Peter Kennett, Vice President, Board of Directors at Hammond Castle Museum and Organ Restoration Team Lead, and John Roper, Deputy Team Lead and the Plenum Organ Company. Together, they will guide you through the rich history of this iconic instrument.

Discover the fascinating origins and history of the pipe organ, tracing its journey through John Hays Hammond Jr.’s two Gloucester residences. Learn about the innovative contributions of Hammond and other renowned organ designers and tonal experts, each bringing their unique vision to the instrument’s evolution. Peter Kennett and John Roper will explore the intricate details of the organ’s older components, sourced by Hammond from various locations, and share the story of the significant additions and changes made over the years.

Admission: $15. Hammond Castle Museum Member savings apply.
Proceeds from this program will support the ongoing restoration efforts at the Museum.

RESERVE YOUR SEATS HERE!

Saturday, February 15th: The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation Presents Kory Curcuru’s film series, “Timeline: Cape Ann.”

~ chasnaz

”Curcuru’s docuseries, “Timeline: Cape Ann”, produced for 1623 Studios, focuses on the history,culture and heritage of Cape Ann.  This event will present eight of Curcuru’s shorter videos,telling the story of Cape Ann’s unique history in jewel-like form, from the “first boss-lady,”Abigail Trask of Manchester-by-the-sea to Rockport’s long celebrated but little understood“Paper House,” actually a much more complicated tale than just a house of newspaper. Curcuru will be guiding the audience with his exciting style of storytelling.  The films will be shown on a big screen, in collaboration with the Cape Ann Community Cinema, in the Meetinghouse.  This will be a highly entertaining celebration of Cape Ann’s quirky, singular history.  

The film showing will be held on Saturday, February 15th at 7:30pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). Parking is available on the green. The admission for the event is $20 General, $5 Students (all ages), under 12 free.  An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street. For more information please visit:  www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

Sawyer Free Library to Host Local Author Kristin Czarnecki on Feb 6

~ Sawyer Free Library

The Sawyer Free Library will welcome Kristin Czarnecki, Executive Director of the Rockport Art Association & Museum, on Thursday, February 6 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, for a special evening as she reads from her new memoir, Encounters with Inscriptions. The event will be at the Sawyer Free Library at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. 

When Kristin lost both her parents within nine months, she sought solace in books—but not just any books. In Encounters with Inscriptions (Legacy Book Press, October 2024), she reflects on the volumes her parents had inscribed and gifted her over the years, an array spanning novels, short stories, poetry, nature writing, cultural criticism, and even a cookbook. As Kristin revisits each cherished title, she explores her grief, the complexities of childhood and family, and the rewards of a life spent reading. She recalls falling in love with poetry, contemplates how the Troubles in Northern Ireland shaped her adolescence, reflects on the legacy of her mother’s feminism, and comes to know her father better through an author he loved. Ultimately, these pages reveal how the power of literature can inspire, confound, soothe, and surprise us.

Kristin Czarnecki is also the author of a memoir, The First Kristin: The Story of a Naming, and a chapbook, Sliced. Her creative nonfiction, poetry, literary criticism, and book reviews have appeared in numerous publications. Kristin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati and was an English professor for many years at Georgetown College. From 2015 to 2020, she served as President of the International Virginia Woolf Society and remains on the Virginia Woolf Miscellany editorial board. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

This event will be moderated by Heather Atwood, an artist, a home cook, and a writer/producer who also lives here in Cape Ann. Additionally, The Bookstore of Gloucester will be on-site during the event to sell copies of Kristin’s books.

To register, go to the calendar page of sawyerfreelibrary.org. Space is limited. Questions, 978-325-5500.

Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Event 2025

~ chasnaz

GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE, MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. BIRTHDAY EVENT 2025
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation proudly presents its ninth annual
Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday event. It will be held on Monday, January 20th
at 2:00pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner
of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). An elevator is available
from the side door at 10 Church Street. No charge for admission but freewill
donations are gratefully received. For more information please visit:
www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org


This year’s program will honor Dr. King by featuring the work being done by two
local groups to reckon with history. Afterward, there will be a discussion about
how vernacular history gets written, “how the word is passed.” The program
will open with a recording of Martin Luther King, Jr. reading segments of
“Letters from Birmingham Jail.”


Joe Rukeyser from the Cape Ann Slavery and Abolition Project will present
recent research on abolition. Melissa Dimond of Wellspring House will follow
with that organization’s work on the Freeman Family, the prominent Black
family who called the Wellspring House home for over 100 years. Then Michea
McCaffrey, co-chair of the Gloucester Racial Justice Team, and Dick Prouty,
founder of TownGreen and board member of the Gloucester Meetinghouse
Foundation, will lead a discussion on critical points made by author Clint Smith
in his book How the Word is Passed. (It is not necessary to have read the book.)
The Paul Revere Bell in the Meetinghouse tower will be rung at the end as
people disperse onto the newly restored green.

ABOUT THE GMF: The mission of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is to preserve the historic
1806 Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, as a civic hub,
entertainment venue and community gathering center. The GMF is a 501(c)(3) corporation modeled on
a similar nonprofit that preserves Boston’s famous Old North Church.