BEACHES
WHALE
WATCHING & CHARTER
FISHING
KAYAKING & WATER
SPORTS
FESTIVALS
& EVENTS
PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS
BIRD
WATCHING
LIGHTHOUSES
MAN
AT THE WHEEL STATUE
TOURS
& CRUISE SHIPS
VISITING
SAILORS GUIDE
|
PARKS
& PLAYGROUNDS
Stage Fort Park
This Park is the historic site of Gloucester's first settlers
in 1623. Dorchestermen set up fishing stages on this land. The
Park consists of Half Moon and Cressy's beaches. Half Moon is
a lovely small beach ideal for families with children. Cressy's
Beach is a rocky, more natural beach. Stage Fort Park has an
information center open during the season, rest rooms and on
the grounds, a privately owned restaurant open to the public.
There is a playground. Visitors can bring grills for cookouts.
During the season, there are outdoor concerts and story telling. Check
the Calendar of Events for details. Stage Fort
Park is pet friendly! Dogs are allowed in the Park but
not on the beaches from May 1st to September 15th. Owners must
pick up after their dogs. Parking is $10 per car weekdays, $15
weekends and holidays.
Anyone interested in obtaining permits for outings and
functions in Stage Fort Park should contact Beach, Recreation
and Public Properties at 978-281-9785.
Directions: Take Exit 14 off Rte.
128. At the bottom of the ramp, take a right onto Rte. 133.
Follow to the end with the harbor in front of you. Go right.
The Park is located on the left.
Ravenswood Park
This Park is located on Rte. 127 between Gloucester and
Magnolia. Owned by the Trustees
of the Reservation, it
is made up of 600 acres. It is open from sunrise to sunset
7 days a week year round. A small parking lot for 12
cars provides free parking. The land was given to the
city of Gloucester by Samuel E. Sawyer, a local philanthropist
and founder of the city's library. Five miles of trail
run through the Park. Some trails are easy to navigate
while others are more difficult. Witch hazel trees, hemlock,
moss, sweet bay and many other varieties of flora abound
in the park. Old Salem Path runs through the Park. At
one time this road connected Stage Fort Park to Salem.
There are many stories about Ravenswood Park, one starting
with its name. Samuel Sawyer left instructions that
it be named "Ravenswood" for
the castle so named in Sir Walter Scott's "The Bride of
Lammermoor". There are other stories about the Hermit of
Ravenswood, Mason A. Walton, a naturalist and writer who
lived in the Park for 33 years. Also, at the time of the
Revolutionary War there was a "pest house" in the area
of the Park. Today, many use the Park for long walks
year round and cross country skiers truly enjoy it in
the winter.
Dogtown
In the early 1700's, a small community of farmers set
up homes in the middle of Cape Ann. They learned, however,
that the land was full of granite rock and not a place
to farm. They began to move on to more likely areas.
Fishermen moved into these homes and then they, too,
moved to settlements closer to the sea. A few people
lingered on, however, many of them women. They obtained
dogs to protect them. Thus, the name "Dogtown". Dogtown has now gone back to nature.
Beach roses, blueberries, holly, bayberry and many other
types of plants and trees have taken over. Still to be
found, however, are cellar holes along the paths. Much
of Dogtown was donated to the City of Gloucester by Roger
Babson. Mr. Babson was a local philanthropist, having achieved
a large fortune on Wall Street. In Dogtown there are many
boulders, on which he had stonecutters inscribe such words
as "Courage" and "Industry". Many people use Dogtown
for walks, blueberrying, biking and cross country skiing.
It is easy to get lost so please do not go into this
area without a map. They can be obtained from local visitor
centers. Dogtown is located off of Cherry Street.
As with any other park or beautiful place, please
respect these areas and leave nothing behind except your
footprints. |
Playgrounds
Benjamin
Smith Playground
Located on East Main Street, the Playground over looks
Cripple Cove. There is a parking lot adjacent to the playground.
Gordon Thomas Park
This small Park on East Main Street has a few benches on which to sit and enjoy
the view of the Head of the Harbor.
Solomon Jacobs Park
Located at Harbor Loop, adjacent to the Coast Guard Station, benches offer a
place to sit and watch inner harbor activity .
Fort Playground
Newly refurbished, this is a beautiful spot to watch all the outer
harbor activity.
West Parish Playground
This playground is located at West Parish School on Concord Street and
is the newest city playground and includes a "science park".
Stage Fort Park
The playground is adjacent to the Visitor Welcoming Center. There
are picnic tables near the playground on which to sit and enjoy a lunch. The
Gloucester Rotary is undertaking a major project of improvement at the playground. During
the season during the day, parking lot fees are charged. |
