Loading map...

1893 Map of Gloucester

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Gloucester
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1918
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

The maritime identity of Cape Ann is established through the intricate coastlines of Gloucester and Rockport as they appeared in the late nineteenth century. The town of Gloucester serves as a dense hub of development, centered on Gloucester Harbor and connected to the mainland via the Boston and Maine Railroad. Further north, smaller villages like Lanesville, Bay View, and Annisquam dot the perimeter of the peninsula, reflecting the era's reliance on both the sea and the local quarrying industry, signified by Pigeon Hill.

Navigation and safety are marked by critical landmarks such as Squam Light and the twin beacons on Thacher Island. The landscape transitions from the developed docks and stations at Magnolia Station and West Gloucester Station to the rocky outcroppings of Bass Rocks and Halibut Point. This survey captures the region just as it was becoming a prominent summer destination, evidenced by the clusters of settlements like Freshwater Cove Village and Magnolia.