History

Chill with the coolest guys in town in the heat of Summer! Enjoy a cool visit to Cape Pond Ice Company, icing Gloucester's fleet since 1848. We were featured in Sebastian Junger's account of The Perfect Storm. This tour highlights the history of the ice industry, with vintage film of natural ice harvests. See first hand 300-pound block ice being made (up to 350 tons per day), fishing vessels taking on ice and ice sculptures being carved in the historic icehouse on Gloucester's working waterfront. Wear warm clothing and shoes!  Signup with the library! 

Join The Trustees of Reservations on a misty evening in early Spring, vernal pools are hopping! The swales we find tucked amongst the dunes are coming alive, host to a variety of creatures waking from a long winter’s nap and ready for action! We’ll hike out under cover of darkness to spy on – and listen to – this celebration of awakening. Bring a flashlight or headlamp, and wear boots!  We’ll have nets and buckets for up-close observations, but our specimen collecting is strictly catch-and-release.

Did you know the celebration of Christmas was once illegal in Massachusetts? Please join the folks at Rebecca Nurse Homestead for a celebration of the fall harvest and see what all the fuss was about! Activities will include Colonial living history demonstrations, kid's crafts, a special holiday themed exhibit, seasonal refreshments - including everything from gingerbread to hot wassail!

Celebrate Discovers Day with indoor hands-on activities, a discovery desk, and an investigation station at Ravenswood Park in Gloucester. Explore outdoors with a discovery detective pack, hike-n-seeks, quests, and more!