Central Gloucester Historic District

Description and history

Gloucester, which takes up much of Cape Ann on the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, was settled by English colonists in 1623. By the early 19th century it was well on its way to become a major fishing port, and the fishery remains an important aspect of its economy. Its downtown area is located on the north side of its inner harbor, east of the southern mouth of the Annisquam River, a tidal river separating the cape from the mainland. This area was shaped to a significant degree by major fires in 1831 and 1868, and has been impacted by 20th-century development and urban renewal.

The historic district is roughly divided into three contiguous areas. The commercial heart is located on Main Street, extending eastward from Washington Street to Pleasant Street, and a short way north on Pleasant. The civic core is just to the north, clustered on Dale Street, which runs parallel to and west of Pleasant. Adjacent to the civic core are densely set residences. Running parallel to Main Street to its north is Middle Street, where a number of high quality homes, most built before 1840, are located. At the far western end of Main and Middle Streets are also clusters of densely built residences, extending as far north as Pine Street.

Prominent buildings in the district include Gloucester City Hall, an elaborate Second Empire structure built in 1870 after the 1868 fire, and the Front Street Block, a collection of four joined buildings at the western end of Main Street, which were built after the 1831 fire.

Gallery

File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 001.jpg|63 Middle Street] File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 002.jpg|Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 003.jpg|William Stevens, merchant, ca. 1749 File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 004.jpg|Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 005.jpg|Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 008.jpg|Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 009.jpg|Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 010.jpg|46 Middle Street File:Central Gloucester Historic District 2016 012.jpg|Middle Street

References

References

1. {{NRISref. 2008a
2. "NRHP nomination for Central Gloucester Historic District". Commonwealth of Massachusetts.