Local History - Marblehead Current

17 Jul

Conservation efforts underway for town’s Fishermen’s Monument

Will DowdLocal History, Local News

Conservation work has begun on the Fishermen's Monument, a cherished memorial on Old Burial Hill that honors 65 local fishermen lost at sea in the Great Gale of 1846. Ivan Myjer, a conservator with Building and Monument Conservation, cleans the Fishermen’s Monument on Old Burial Hill in Marblehead. The 15-foot marble obelisk, erected in 1847 or 1848, stands as a testament to one of the most tragic events in Marblehead's history. The storm claimed nearly 150 lives in a town of about 5,000 residents at…

15 Jul

Marblehead goes back in time for Glover’s encampment at Fort Sewall

Lia GorbachLocal History, Top Stories

A thick fog encompassed Fort Sewall and the surrounding streets. Through the blanket of mist emerged two columns of hat-topped soldiers fitted in black-buckled shoes. Members of Glover’s Marblehead Regiment march from Fort Sewall to Gas House Beach on Saturday. CURRENT PHOTOS / LIA GORBACH “Forward march!” someone bellowed from the line. On Saturday, July 13, a group of men and women marched from Fort Sewall to Gas House Beach to meet the British enemy during the annual Glover’s Marblehead Regiment encampment. Glover’s Regiment is…

11 Jul

Encampment set for Saturday, July 13

Lia GorbachLocal History, Local News

Take a trip back in time and visit Glover’s Marblehead Regiment for their annual encampment at Fort Sewall on Sat. July 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Scenes from recent Glover’s Regiment encampments at Fort Sewall. COURTESY PHOTO The fort will be transformed into a bustling military camp with soldiers, sailors and civilians.Activities will include cannon salutes, arms drills, fife and drum concerts, a “tactical” at Gas House Beach and a last-man-standing contest. New this year is a children’s area at the top of…

10 Jul

FROM THE VAULT: A spoonful of opium helps the medicine go down

Jarrett ZemanLocal History, Local News, Uncategorized

The 19th-century ship was a home, a workplace and a deathtrap. With dozens of men living in close quarters and filthy conditions, a sailing vessel became an incubator for disease. Contents of a ship's medicine chest, including Stoughton's Elixir, White Vitriol, and Sugar of Lead, can be found in the Marblehead Museum's archives. COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM The Seaman Act of 1790 required each merchant ship to carry a medicine chest like the one seen here. The law also demanded that an "apothecary of…

03 Jul

Fort ranger program begins at Fort Sewall

Lia GorbachLocal History, Local News

Visitors to Fort Sewall can now get a tour of the inside of the fort as part of a new program that began on June 18. Michelle Gatta was hired as one of three fort rangers to conduct tours around Fort Sewall this summer. CURRENT PHOTOS / LIA GORBACH The Recreation and Parks Department hired three people to be fort rangers at the historic site. Bob Erbetta, Dave Cronin and Michelle Gatta walk visitors through the officers' quarters, bunk room and storeroom. During the tour,…

12 Jun

FROM THE VAULT: How boxing was knocked out in Marblehead 100 years ago

Jarrett Zeman0 CommentsColumns, Local History, Local News

The building at 18 Prospect St., which houses the North Shore Children's Theatre today, has a colorful history. Built as Hibernian Hall in 1871, it served as the headquarters of the Hibernian Friendly Society, which supported the town's Irish Catholics. The society helped immigrants find jobs and housing, provided financial support if a man suffered a workplace injury, and assisted families with funeral costs. The former Hibernian Hall was located in 18 Prospect St. COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM By the 1890s, Hibernian Hall began…

23 May

NEVER FORGET: Town to salute fallen service members

Will Dowd0 CommentsLocal History, Top Stories

Marblehead is set to commemorate Memorial Day with a weekend of events and ceremonies honoring fallen service members. A Cub Scout from Pack 11 holds the American flag as the National Anthem is played during the Memorial Day service at Memorial Park on May 29, 2023. CURRENT PHOTO / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD The observances begin Thursday, May 23, at 9 a.m. with a Veterans Breakfast at the Council on Aging, sponsored by The Masons. On Saturday, May 25, a grave flagging ceremony will take place…

23 May

FROM THE VAULT: Civil War shawl embodies the spirit of the Soldiers Aid Society

Jarrett Zeman0 CommentsColumns, Local History

When we picture Civil War clothing, we usually think of a soldier's uniform, bedecked with a sword and epaulets, or the hoop-skirted ball gown of a Southern debutante. This silk shawl decorated in a floral pattern is a surprising piece of Civil War clothing. This 1863 silk shawl, hand-stitched by Hannah Dwyer, tells a story of compassion and community support during the Civil War. COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM Hannah Dwyer of Pleasant Street hand-embroidered the shawl in 1863. Dwyer donated the shawl to a…

09 May

PARK RANGER: Something, or someone, new is coming to Fort Sewall this summer

Max Arbo0 CommentsLocal History, Local News, Uncategorized

There will be a special addition to Fort Sewall this summer — a park ranger who will lead tours inside the historic fort, which recently underwent a $1.8 million renovation. Larry Sands, dressed in his Glover’s Regiment gear, speaks outside Fort Sewall during its rededication in June 2022. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER “We estimate that more than 50,000 people a year visit the fort,” said Larry Sands, chair of the Fort Sewall Oversight Committee. “I think that’s a pretty conservative number. But I think…

08 May

ON THE WATERFRONT: Town seeks $2M in federal funding to kick-start coastal resiliency project

Will Dowd0 CommentsEnvironment, Local History, Local News, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Marblehead is embarking on a $13.5 million project to protect its historic harbor and shipyards from the impacts of climate change, with the first phase focused on rebuilding the deteriorating Parker's Boatyard, a public landing near Redstone Lane. Town officials have identified damage to Marblehead seawalls and structures as a top priority in Marblehead's $13.5 million Municipal Shipyard Resiliency Improvements Project. The town is seeking $2 million in federal funding to begin work on Parker’s Boatyard. COURTESY IMAGE The Municipal Shipyard Resiliency Improvements Project will…