Essex Exploration_Part II

1.       Essex Ship Building Museum and shipyard and Burnham‘s Ship Builders on the opposite shore for an interesting seascape. (Museum Hours:  Summer and Fall  June-Oct- Wed through Sunday 10-5, Winter and Spring -Nov-May- Sat and Sunday only - 10-5.)

2.       Old Graveyard dating from 1680 with wonderful  lichen decorated headstones and old buildings.

3.       Essex river basin vista’s and optional boat tours available through the marshes.

4.       Home to the Birth of the Fried Claim at Woodman’s and some shops and other restaurants.

5.       View of Hog's Island (Choate Island)  and Clammer's Beach . Hog's island is a 135 acre site for myriad birds and mammals with grasslands and a spruce forest, planted in the early 20th century. Reached via 133 with a right on Harlow Street (after the Red Barrel restaurant) from Gloucester, left onto Conormo Point Road (at the Essex Conference Center and Retreat).  For a view of Hog's Island, make a left on Robbin's Island Road (narrow road with no parking). Great at low tide and sunset and of course in the fall.    Or continue on Conormo Point Road, along Pingree Park on the Left and Clammer's Beach on the right.  

Introduction and Essex Exploration, Part I

Welcome to the Photography and Painter's Guide to the North Shore of Massachusetts Blog.
The goal of this new blog is to guide photographers and painters to the North Shore of Massachusetts from Manchester to Newburyport, including all of Cape Ann. It will include locations, seasonal and weather photography guidelines, equipment suggestions and references as well as art history notes by my husband Roger Salisbury (pastel and oil painter).
Please sign up for this weekly blog to follow along. Suggestions are always welcome.

I am starting in Essex, which is now getting ready for its fall magic show.

ESSEX
Take exit 14 off Route 128 straight into Essex or from Gloucester via Route 133 (Essex Avenue in Gloucester but Eastern Avenue in Essex). Essex Avenue becomes Main Street in town however. Stay on the right fork (Route 133 and not Route 22 left fork) Out of town going West, the street name is again changed , now to John Wise Avenue.
Note that the first Europeans settled in Essex in 1634 and were know as Ipswich's Chebacco Parish. Grist and saw mills as well as boat building and eventually agriculture and fishing plus clamming flourished.
Photo Highlights:
1. Motif #2- the Mabel Burnham House on Eban’s Creek is great all seasons of the year with its reflections and marsh setting. The marsh on the other side of the bridge is also worth a click or two. (at the Farnums fried claims parking lot).
2. Numerous Antique shops, with assorted junk and collectables on the sidewalks, make great still life portraits. Park the car and wander.