At the beginning of the 20th Century, Cape Ann was a popular destination for tourists. Gloucester’s grand hotels were the subject of “The Summer Hotel Guide,” published in 1905. Images and text are available through Archive.org:
“This little book will rejoice in the thought that it has accomplished its mission if in interesting you in Gloucester, it has added another to the long list of friends of this quaintly beautiful seaport town. If it could speak it would say to you, ” Gloucester welcomes you to her shores, and invites you to enjoy with us the delightful climate and varied attractiveness which she offers.”
To Reach Gloucester, Gloucester, Massachusetts— the place you come back to — is situated on that rugged promontory known as Cape Ann, where cooling ocean breezes blow continually from off the broad Atlantic. It is thirty miles from Boston from which it may be reached by Train, Steamer, Trolley or Automobile. About sixteen trains daily leave the North Station, Boston, via the Boston & Maine Railroad, direct for Gloucester, the Express Trains reaching Gloucester in less than an hour.
The Steamer trip on the finely equipped steamers of the Boston & Gloucester Steamboat Company is a two-hour ocean sail along the beautiful North Shore, with a varied scenic view of which there is no superior. By Trolley the trip is delightfully varied on account of the ever changing panorama of beautiful scenery of sea and shore, country and city. Only one change of cars is required between Boston and Gloucester. An Automobile Trip to Gloucester is made over a fine stretch of State Highway and Ocean Boulevard.”
The Turk’s Head Inn was at the intersection of South Street and Thatcher Road in Rockport, with a sweeping view of Loblolly Cove and the twin lighthouses on Thacher Island. The original right section burned in 1905 and was replaced by the rectangular structure. The inn closed around 196, and was destroyed by fire three years later.
Historic Ipswich 
I grew up in Pigeon Cove and remember very well Turks Head Inn in Rockport. By the 1960’s it was no longer in very good shape and finally burned. I also remember seeing the Hesperus Hotel in Magnolia when I was young, shortly before it burned. One hotel that survived and is still in use is the Emerson Inn in Pigeon Cove.
Read a 1923 diary entry of Nina Winn of Arlington (the entries are posted to arlingtonlist.org by local historian Richard Duffey) about her summer vacation at the Colby Arms in East Gloucester. Does anyone have any info on the Colby Arms?
Nice to see this information. One hotel not included was the Bass Rock on Beach Road in East Gloucester.
What about the Turks Head Inn in Rockport?
Thank you…. it would be wonderful to see a current perspective of ALL the Beauitful inn’s, b&b and hotels that are continue to welcome visitors from all over the country and the world, here on Cape Ann…?…!!
Thanks for work you’ve done to pull this all together. This is a great place to vicariously experience the grand-hotel age of the North Shore. It’s a shame there’s not a lot of evidence left of it.
The comment regarding the Rockaway is not quite accurate. As near as we can tell, the images you show are of the original Hotel and the original annex. We believe the original annex was torn down in 1905 to create the new annex which does still exists as condominiums today. The gabled roofline was build to mimic the hotel’s gabled roofline. The Hotel itself partially burned down, was rebuilt and then was torn down and used to sit in the area now occupied by the newer condo Townhouse’s driveway.
I would love to know more about the name “Scandal Hill” as I’ve not been able to find any reference to it elsewhere (but I do love it). If anyone is interested, there’s a book on Amazon set in the last days of the Rockaway, called “In a Place Like No Other” by Ed Touchette.
In response to the question by Robert Publicover, the answer is yes, In 1902, the
Fosters sold the boarding house to William Alexander Publicover who created the Hotel. We have some historical documents showing him selling the rights to Fremont St. to the town.
There’s a good history here:
Click to access Trail%20Site%2011_Rockaway.pdf
There are some additional historical photos, mainly from old post cards. Do a google image search with the hotel’s name and the word “Postcard”.
Thanks again – excellent page and great historical resource!
Do you know anything about one of the first hotels in Gloucester, a Grahamite (vegie?) temperance hotel run by Rev. George C. Leach and wife Elizabeth (Allen) 1843 ff, a stop on the Underground Railroad?
I understand that the Leach hotel was at 23 Brattle St. in Boston. Please let me know about the Gloucester hotel. Elizabeth was the sister of the Rockport Universalist minister, John Allen. An abolitionist, he moved on from Rockport to Brook Farm, and other communal ventures. Please get in touch.
Does anyone have any information on the the boarding house in Magnolia ma called “El. Unico”? There is a photo online twitch the caption
Thank you so much for those pictures. You have completed a genealogical question. My gr gr grandmother’s niece was from St. Louis, but the MO record said she died in Gloucester. I could not find Gloucester, Missouri any where. Finally, the MA death records showed her dying in Gloucester, MA, and a social column said she and her family summered at the Ocean Side in Magnolia. Thank you,
I can now rest. 😉
Thanks so much for including Harbor View House. I remember my childhood summers skipping over the rocks along the shore, and gleefully running along that marvelous veranda! Memories of my grandparents and parents and me enjoying two weeks together each summer in Gloucester while staying there came flooding back when I saw your photo. Lots of tears fell for its loss! Memories of feeding the gulls while waiting for delicious dinners at Headlands” Restaurant and visiting the lovely shops and galleries on Rocky Neck abound as well.
My Great-great grandfather Daniel William Fuller built the Hesperus in Magnolia and operated it until his fatal fall down a mine shaft in Leadville, Colorado in 1880. I would be interested in any and all info anyone might have about the Hesperus.
Precious archive photographies and stories, thank you!
Thank you for adding The Rockaway. It is my understanding that my grandfather William A. Publicover, Sr. ran it for several years and owned it by 1898. If that is not correct please point me toward the historical information. Thank you, Robert Publicover
I remember when I got out of the Navy in 1954 or shortly thereafter they was a firebug burning them all down. My stepfather took care of the boilers in the Ocean Side for a couple of years, and he used to bring home the best dessert that was left over from some of their meals. Time Marches On.
Fascinating! Having spent my whole childhood there I was unaware that there were so many grand hotels in Gloucester. I should buy all 3 of those books!
where is the Conomo hotel in all of this?
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.essexma.org/pages/essexma_selectmen/CPR/HISTORY.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwj98K64wI_RAhWE6CYKHQA8A4IQFggrMAM&usg=AFQjCNGMFF9qTU6rmY4meBm4_6LRACQ_3g&sig2=6NuAnrW8zgZqFPqH-vS1bg
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~macessex/ehardy/eh017.html
Just wondering why the Harbor View Hotel in east gloucester on Wonson cove wasn’t included.
It was a big one and home to many summer artists such as Gordon Grant and Tom O’hara (bellhop in the 20’s). Perhaps it was under construction or unbuilt. I was under the impression that it was built in the late 1800’s.
Per[
Thanks for the information–I added the Harbor View.
I remember the year I got out of the Navy I think it was 1955? There was an arson burning all the old motels and hotels that year if I remember correctly? I also remember when season my stepfather Elliot Lane ran the boiler at the Oceanside Hotel and always brought home some goodies from the bakery left over, I was so lucky to be born on Cape Ann in 1933 it was a paradise for kids I’m full of great memories and meeting so many of the artists that lived there
Do you have memories of the part of the Oceanside they called The Annex? It was the old Hesperous House Hotel?
Hello. My name is Ann Shaw. Would you have any photos/ information about The Chicataubut Inn that was on Long Beach? I believe it is now condos. Would love to know the history of it. Thank you, Ann
https://vintagerockport.com/2015/01/04/family-photos-of-long-beach-in-1920-and-1936/
Thanks Ann, I found some before and after photos and added them to the post.
Excellent! Thank you for your research and photos.
Love this! I know of so many of these (some are still standing). Thanks!
These are great. One mistake – Your “Moorland” photo is actually the Colonial Arms which was at the end of Niles Beach on Eastern Point.
Colonial Arms:
Built 1904 – by George Stacy
End of Niles Beach
300 rooms – booked solidly for 4 seasons
Burnt New Year’s Eve 1908
Beauport was being built next door – possible sparks from chimney started fire
I can send you images of both if you want, but can’t seem to attach them through this email system.
Thanks, I made the correction, added a photo of the Moorland and added your history of the Colonial Arms. I would appreciate any images you want to send–email historicipswich@gmail.com
I loved seeing these but kept expecting to see pictures of The Rockaway House Hotel on Rocky Neck.
Thanks, I added the Rockaway at the end of the story.
It’s there, a couple of entries just above.
Wish it was still the same as when we were all there 🙂