Timeline of Gloucester, Massachusetts facts for kids

This is a timeline of the history of the city of Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA.

Prior to 19th century

• 1606 - Samuel de Champlain anchors in "Beauport."
• 1623 - Dorchester Company settlers arrive and setup at Stage Fort Park.
• 1630 or 1631 - Abraham Robinson, son of John Robinson (pastor), and band of Pilgrims, establishes settlement and fishing stage at Annisquam.
• 1642 - Town of Gloucester incorporated.
• 1660 - Edward Harraden house built.
• 1698 - First school house built, Thomas Riggs first school master.
• 1700 - Congregational Church organized, West Gloucester (approximate date).
• 1709 - Davis-Freeman house built.
• 1710 - White-Ellery House built.
• 1713 - Schooner ship type begins operating.
• 1716 - Second Parish Church incorporated.
• 1720 - Dyke-Wheeler house built.
• 1728 - Third Parish Church established.
• 1739 - "Great meeting-house at the harbor" built.
• 1740 - Babson-Alling house built.
• 1765 - Population: 3,763.
• 1770 - Freemason Tyrian Lodge established.
• 1771 - Cape Ann Light erected on Thacher Island.
• 1775 - Battle of Gloucester.
• 1789 - U.S. custom house established.
• 1790 - Population: 5,317.
• 1792 - Gloucester post office established.
• 1796 - Gloucester Bank established.

19th century

1800s-1850s

First Universalist Church built on Middle Street, 1806 (photo 1930s)

Procter Bros., publishers, est. 1857

• 1801 - Annisquam Harbor Light erected.
• 1805 - Daily Boston-Gloucester stagecoach begins operating.
• 1806 - First Universalist Church built.
• 1808 - First Baptist Church founded.
• 1819 - Nearby Essex incorporated as a town.
• 1821 - Ten Pound Island Light erected.
• 1827 - Gloucester Telegraph newspaper begins publication.
• 1828 - First Parish Church built on Middle Street.
• 1830
  • Gloucester Lyceum and Lanesville Congregational Church established.
  • 30 September: Fire.
  • Population: 7,510.
• 1831 - Eastern Point Light erected.
• 1832 - Gloucester Circulating Library, Front Street, in operation.
• 1834 - Gloucester Democrat newspaper begins publication.
• 1835 - Straitsmouth Island Light erected.
• 1836 - Female Charitable Society organized.
• 1838
  • Methodist Church built.
  • Congregationalist Ladies' Sewing Circle organized.
• 1839 - Annisquam Universalist Ladies' Sewing Cirlce organized.
• 1840
  • Part of Gloucester becomes the new town of Rockport.
  • Population: 6,350.
• 1842 - Lane's Cove Pier Co. formed.
• 1843 - Cape Ann Light newspaper begins publication.
• 1844 - Town Hall built.
• 1845 - Odd Fellows Ocean Lodge established.
• 1847
  • Railway begins operating.
  • Gloucester Mutual Fishing Insurance Co., Gloucester Marine Insurance Co., and Annisquam Mutual Fire Insurance Co. incorporated.
  • Artist Fitz Hugh Lane moves to town.
• 1848
  • Gloucester News newspaper begins publication.
  • Mount Adnah Cemetery organized.
• 1849 - Fitz Henry Lane house and Pavilion Hotel built.
• 1850
  • Burnham Brothers Marine Railway built.
  • Population: 7,786.
• 1851 - Cape Ann Savings Bank incorporated.
• 1852 - Company G., 8th Regiment organized.
• 1853 - Gloucester Gas Light Company in business.
• 1855
  • Gloucester Cornet Band organized.
  • Cunningham & Thompson in business.
  • Timothy Davis becomes US representative for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district.
• 1856
  • Oak Grove Cemetery, Independent Sons of Temperance, and Cape Ann Bank established.
  • Cape Ann Advertiser newspaper begins publication.
• 1857
  • Procter Brothers in business.
  • Citizens' Library Association organized.
• 1858
  • Police court, Cape Ann Telegraph Co., Congregationalist Young Ladies' Society, and Congregationalist Ladies' Society at the Cove established.
  • East Gloucester Baptist Church built.
• 1859
  • Gloucester Fishermen's Widow's and Orphan's Fund Society; Sons of Temperance, Annisquam Division; Franklin Club; Congregationalist Ladies' Home Missionary Society; and Band of Hope organized.
  • November 2: "Mechanic Engine Co. had a grand parade."

1860s-1890s

Civil war recruitment poster, ca.1861

Universalist Centenary camp ground, 1870

Seal of City of Gloucester, incorporated 1873

Advertisements for Gloucester businesses, 1882

• 1860 - Population: 10,904.
• 1861 - Railway to Rockport begins operating.
• 1862 - Shute & Merchant in business |url=http://www.shuteandmerchant.com/history-2.html |
• 1864
  • February 18: Fire.
  • First National Bank in business.
• 1865 - Freemason Acacia Lodge established.
• 1866
  • Board of Trade and Cape Ann Horticultural Society established.
  • Cape Ann Anchor & Forge in business.
• 1867
  • North Gloucester Universalist church active.
  • Sylvanus Smith & Co. in business.
• 1869
  • May 16: Town Hall burns down.
  • Cape Ann Granite quarry in business.
• 1870
  • Universalist Centenary.
  • Population: 15,389.
• 1871 - Gloucester City Hall built.
• 1872 - Gloucester Lyceum & Sawyer Free Library incorporated.
• 1873
  • Gloucester becomes a city.
  • Lanesville Granite quarry in business.
  • YMCA and Cape Ann Scientific and Literary Association founded.
• 1874
  • Slade Gorton & Company established.
  • Robert R. Fears becomes first city mayor.
  • Procter Brothers circulating library opens.
• 1877
  • Gloucester Bulletin newspaper begins publication.
  • Artist William Morris Hunt active.
• 1880
  • Sea Side Library in operation.
  • Population: 19,329.
• 1881
  • Gloucester Water Supply Co. incorporated.
  • Harbor Methodist Church built.
  • Gloucester Isinglass and Glue in business.
• 1882 - Russia Cement Co. in business.
• 1884
  • Gloucester News and Cape Ann Breeze newspapers begin publication.
  • Tarr and Wonson paint factory built.
  • Magonolia Library Association formed.
• 1885
  • October 16: North Shore Tricycle Run arrives in Gloucester.
  • Horse-drawn Gloucester Street Railway begins operating.
• 1887 - Magnolia Congregational Church and Gloucester Co-operative Bank established.
• 1888
  • Gloucester Daily Times newspaper begins publication.
  • Gloucester Electric Co. in business.
• 1891
  • Gloucester Safe Deposit and Trust in business.
  • Hawthorne Inn built.
• 1892
  • 250th anniversary of incorporation of town of Gloucester.
  • Gloucester Towboat Co. in business.
• 1895
  • Gloucester, Essex and Beverly Street Railway begins operating.
  • American Halibut Co. in business.
• 1896 - Eliot house (residence) built.
• 1897 - Addison Gilbert Hospital built.
• 1898
  • S.S. Portland shipwreck.
  • Business Men's Association formed.
• 1899 - Ravenswood Park established.

20th century

S.S. Cape Ann ferry, 1905

Gloucester, Massachusetts, 2010

• 1900 - Population: 26,121.
• 1902 - Cape Pond Ice Co. in business.
• 1905 - Gloucester Cold Storage in business.
• 1906 - Gorton-Pew Fisheries in business.
• 1907
  • Gloucester Net and Twine Company in business.
  • Beauport, Sleeper-McCann House expanded.
  • Shute & Merchant became the fifth firm to join the Gorton-Pew Fisheries Company |url=http://www.shuteandmerchant.com/history-2.html |
• 1914
  • Our Lady of Good Voyage Church rebuilt.
  • Synagogue active.
• 1920 - Population: 22,947.
• 1921 - Chamber of Commerce established.
• 1922 - North Shore Art Association founded.
• 1923
  • Tercentenary of European settlement of Gloucester.
  • Gloucester Tercentenary Permanent Memorial Association selects Leonard Craske's design for the Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial.
• 1925 - General Seafood Corporation in business.
• 1926 - Adventure (schooner) launched.
• 1929 - Hammond Castle built.
• 1943 - WPA murals painted in City Hall.
• 1969 - Gloucester Fishermen's Wives Association founded.
• 1979 - Gloucester Stage Company founded.
• 1991
  • October 28: Ship Andrea Gail lost at sea in the 1991 Perfect Storm.
  • Bruce Tobey becomes mayor.
• 1992 - William S. Rafter Jr. becomes mayor.
• 1994 - Bruce Tobey becomes mayor again.
• 1997 - John F. Tierney becomes US representative for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district.
• 1998 - City website online (approximate date).

21st century

• 2002
  • North Shore North - Newspaper Begins (Mike Ryan, James Oliver, Gregg B. Smith)
  • John Bell becomes mayor.
• 2003 Gloucester Island News - Newspaper Begins (James Oliver, Gregg B. Smith)
• 2004 - Sister city relationship established with Tamano, Japan.
• 2007 - Good Morning Gloucester blog begins publication.

A man attempts to reach the flag during the Greasy Pole contest on Sunday, July 1, 2007.

• 2008
  • Carolyn Kirk becomes mayor.
• 2010 - Population: 28,789.
• 2013 - Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute (GMGI) founded.
• 2015
  • Sefatia Romeo Theken becomes mayor.
  • Seth Moulton becomes US representative for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district.