History

Get a bird’s eye view of Gloucester and Cape Ann! Climb the interior of City Hall’s clock and bell tower to experience the wow factor of looking over our beloved community, while learning about the history of Gloucester’s most significant architectural building that has defined our skyline for over 150 years. And be sure to see the magnificent collection of WPA murals in the building.

Falconry is the sport of hunting with a trained bird of prey. It is also the demanding art of training a predatory bird that is by nature wary of people to hunt cooperatively with a human partner. Although the sport has a 4,000 – year history, its glory days were indisputably the medieval period.  While this presentation centers around live birds used in falconry, it is not a flight demonstration but a history-rich look at an ancient sport. Focusing on the medieval period, it explains the characteristics of the birds of prey used, how the sport reflected the lifestyle of the time, and the historical reasons behind falconry’s rise and fall.

Enjoy a panoramic view of Salisbury, Newburyport, and the Isles of Shoals and much of Cape Ann  while learning about the history of the Plum Island Lighthouse. Send an email to friendsofpilight@gmail.com to request a 15-minute tour of the light on tour days, you’ll get an email back from our kind volunteers with availability. Please be aware that we reserve the right to have to cancel tours due to weather, unanticipated maintenance or other various factors. Rain dates are not available.

Schooner Adventure in Gloucester Massachusetts offers free sailing for kids in 2023!* Sail into history on Gloucester's flagship vessel, a National Historic Landmark and icon of the American fisheries. Enjoy an engaging sail on historic Gloucester Harbor, America's oldest fishing port.  Help the crew raise the sails, take a turn at the helm, learn about Adventure's legacy and restoration, or sit back and enjoy the iconic sites of Gloucester Harbor.