Local History - Marblehead Current

The Dixey Collection: Remembering the Rockmere

24Mar

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local History, Local News, real estate, Uncategorized

The Dixey Collection: Remembering the Rockmere

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot. “This is a view of the Rockmere Hotel from Crocker Park in 1906,” Dixey said. “The hotel had over 100 rooms and was located where Glover Landing is today. This photo is from the original Fred Litchman glass negative.”

9Mar

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Culture, Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Glover’s Regiment gifts town with relief carving from salvaged Fort Sewall wood

On Wednesday night at Abbot Hall, the Marblehead Glover's Regiment presented the town with a relief carving of an American Revolutionary War patriot. The artwork was carved from wood salvaged from the sycamore maple tree that stood on Fort Sewall for 147 years. A microburst severely damaged the 50-foot, 12-foot circumference tree in 2019 and it was later removed. The carving was created by the regimental surgeon, Dr. Ray Sullivan of Middlebury, Connecticut. Sullivan's daughter, Katie, presented the relief carving alongside Capt. Seamus Daly and Larry Sands. Both members showed up in 18th century military uniforms. The gift was given as a token of appreciation for the support and assistance of Marblehead leaders, residents and businesses in helping fulfill the regiment's...

7Mar

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local History, Local News, Top Stories

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: Town historian was nation’s ‘outstanding teacher’

Name: Don Doliber Age: 78 Birthplace: I always say I was born in an alley — Mary Alley Hospital. Have you lived in Marblehead your whole life? Not yet. [Doliber laughs.] But yes, I’ve always lived here. What jobs have you had and what was your favorite? As a teenager, I worked at the Lee Mansion as a brass boy, polishing brass. I got to know a great deal about the Lee Mansion and got to research family records. After that, I worked at Boy Scout summer camps in Alfred, Maine, and Orford, New Hampshire. I worked as a counselor and camp director. For my full-time occupation, I worked as a history teacher at Masconomet Regional High School from 1967 until I retired in 2009. I was a teacher and then assistant principal and acting principal. That was my favorite job. Becau...

1Mar

By Mark HurwitzNo Comments

Local History, Opinion, Views & Reviews

’HEADERS HISTORY: Taft and his ‘Summer White House’

Every summer from 1909 to 1912, President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft escaped the oppressive heat and humidity of Washington D.C. for the cool, ocean breezes of Beverly. In 1910, Marie Evans tired of people trampling across her estate to see where President and Chief Justice William Howard Taft was summering. After he left, she had the Stetson Cottage, which the president rented, cut in half and sent by barge across the harbor to Marblehead. COURTESY PHOTO / DIGITIAL COMMONWEALTH The fact that he picked Beverly as his summer destination was not as unusual as it might seem. Beverly was part of what was then known as the “Gold Coast,” a string of waterfront mansions that attracted the country's rich and famous from around the nation, including a number of Republicans and R...

9Feb

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Culture, Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters, Public safety, Top Stories

Franklin Street firehouse needs $2.3M worth of work

The Marblehead Select Board’s 2023 warrant articles will include a request to override Proposition 2 1/2 to finance the restoration of the Franklin Street firehouse. The Select Board took its vote on Feb. 8 after architects Ryan Foster and Erik Christensen summarized an assessment of the condition of the historic building that the town commissioned last year. Fire Chief Jason Gilliland briefs the Marblehead Select Board on the Franklin Street Firehouse renovation. CURRENT PHOTO / WILLIAM J. DOWD "The firehouse is a wood structure built in 1886, and it has been continuously used as a fire station since its construction," Foster told the Select Board. "It is one of the oldest continuously operated fire stations in the commonwealth." Today, the firehouse at 3 Frankli...

1Feb

By Chris StevensNo Comments

Local History, Municipal Matters, Public safety, Top Stories

After more than 40 years away, Marblehead fire truck comes home

Nearly everyone has a vehicle they dream about owning. Maybe it's a sports car, luxury vehicle, decked-out Harley or even a fire truck. "Every firefighter, I think, dreams of owning their own fire truck," said Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland. Jason Gilliland, Marblehead Fire Chief, poses with his newly acquired 1939 Mack model 80 Fire Truck. The former Marblehead Fire Truck came from Sunapee, New Hampshire Fire Department. Gilliland says he can’t wait to drive it in the town parades. Photo by Nicole Goodhue Boyd And for Gilliland, that dream has come true. Gilliland recently became the proud owner of a classic 1939 model 80 Mack combination pumper/ladder truck. If that weren't exciting enough, it is an original Marblehead fire truck. Gilliland said he'd looked off a...

1Feb

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Local History, Local News

The Dixey Collection

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot. “This photograph was taken after a winter storm in 1969 by the late Dave Moynihan,” explained Dan Dixey, who has collected more than 5,000 historic photos of Marblehead. “A John S. Martin truck is driving down Pleasant Street near the former Dill’s Restaurant and Marblehead Submarine Shop.”

31Jan

By William J. DowdNo Comments

Culture, Local History, Local News, Top Stories

Banner year for the Glover’s Regiment march

It was a chilly and clear night for Glover’s Marblehead Regiment’s annual march from the Old Town House to Old Burial Hill to pay homage to Gen. John Glover. As the sun retreated, Capt. Seamus Daly led the march as a banner-year crowd of about 150 people trailed behind the single-file line of reenactors. Members of Glover’s Marblehead Regiment tell the story of how the famous Marblehead general helped George Washington cross the Delaware River in the Revolutionary War. : Locals join Revolutionary War reenactors as they march in the annual funeral procession from the Old Town House to the former home of General John Glover on Sat., Jan. 29. Reenactors prepare to march outside Gen. John Glover’s former home during the Glover’s Marblehead Regiment funeral march...

18Jan

By Leigh BlanderNo Comments

Culture, Local History, Local News, Top Stories

The Dixey Collection: Meet the keeper of 5,000 Marblehead photographs

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Dan Dixey, who will be sharing photos from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot, in our print and online editions. “Each picture is a frozen moment.” So says Dan Dixey, who has collected more than 5,000 photographs of Marblehead dating back to the 1860s and chronicling life here in town. Photographer Dan Dixey has collected more than 5,000 pictures of Marblehead. COURTESY PHTO / MELISSA DIXEY “Each picture makes me wonder what else was going on around it and how my family was a part of what was going on,” Dixey told the Marblehead Current. Dixey is an 11th-generation Marbleheader. “William Dixey sailed over on one of the first English ships and settled in Salem in 1629, when Salem en...

18Jan

By Mark HurwitzNo Comments

Culture, Local History, Top Stories

Marblehead time capsule: Mutiny on the Hannah

I am sure everybody has heard of the mutiny on the H.M.S. Bounty. Capt. Nicholson Broughton's home at 5 Lee St. COURTESY PHOTO Whether you read about it in school or saw the Anthony Hopkins film, it was an exciting tale about life at sea in the 18th century. For those not familiar with it, here is a brief history of the events: In April of 1789, Fletcher Christian, the master’s mate on the H.M.S. Bounty, led a successful mutiny against Lt. Bligh. Bligh was an oppressive commander and insulted those under him. On April 28, near the island of Tonga, Fletcher Christian and his fellow mutineers took the ship by force. Bligh and 18 of his loyal crew were set adrift in a small boat with food, water, and a sextant. To the amazement of many, Lt. Bligh and his men safely reached ...