Annisquam, Massachusetts
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Annisquam is a small village on the northern coast of Massachusetts. It is located on Cape Ann, a much quieter sister to Cape Cod, which lies almost directly south. Annisquam itself is a neighborhood of the city of Gloucester, a commercial fishing port that was once the largest of its kind on the U.S. East Coast.
Though only a few miles away from downtown Gloucester, Annisquam is first and foremost a residential neighborhood, as Annisquam's businesses include only a restaurant and marina (called "The Market"), a small hotel (The Brynmere), a Real Estate Company (Annisquam Villiage Realty), a library and the Annisquam Yacht Club. Because of its limited tourist appeal, few non-residents find a reason to come to Annisquam, effectively cutting it off from the outside world. This isolation makes Annisquam a beloved spot for those seeking peace and quiet; as a result it has developed a large population of Northeast city-dwellers who come to Annisquam for the summer in an effort to get away from the crowds of either the city or more conventional summer destinations.
Perched at the mouth of the Annisquam River on Ipswich Bay is the Annisquam Lighthouse. Perhaps the village's most historic edifice, the lighthouse has been in the same spot since 1801, having undergone significant repairs in 1850. The Annisquam light stands adjacent to one of the neighborhood's three beaches, aptly named "Lighthouse Beach." Like the two other beaches, Cambridge Beach and Old Wharflot, Lighthouse beach is private, open only to those who join the Squam Rock land trust that maintains the beach and surrounding area.
The town has not always been such an idyllic retreat. In the late 19th century it was home to active granite quarrying and an associated railroad. The large holes created by the removal of rock have partially filled with fresh water.
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Annisquam is a small village on the northern coast of Massachusetts. It is located on Cape Ann, a much quieter sister to Cape Cod, which lies almost directly south. Annisquam itself is a neighborhood of the city of Gloucester, a commercial fishing port that was once the largest of its kind on the U.S. East Coast.
Though only a few miles away from downtown Gloucester, Annisquam is first and foremost a residential neighborhood, as Annisquam's businesses include only a restaurant and marina (called "The Market"), a small hotel (The Brynmere), a Real Estate Company (Annisquam Villiage Realty), a library and the Annisquam Yacht Club. Because of its limited tourist appeal, few non-residents find a reason to come to Annisquam, effectively cutting it off from the outside world. This isolation makes Annisquam a beloved spot for those seeking peace and quiet; as a result it has developed a large population of Northeast city-dwellers who come to Annisquam for the summer in an effort to get away from the crowds of either the city or more conventional summer destinations.
Perched at the mouth of the Annisquam River on Ipswich Bay is the Annisquam Lighthouse. Perhaps the village's most historic edifice, the lighthouse has been in the same spot since 1801, having undergone significant repairs in 1850. The Annisquam light stands adjacent to one of the neighborhood's three beaches, aptly named "Lighthouse Beach." Like the two other beaches, Cambridge Beach and Baby Beach, Lighthouse beach is private, open only to those who join the Squam Rock land trust that maintains the beach and surrounding area.
The town has not always been such an idyllic retreat. In the late 19th century it was home to active granite quarrying and an associated railroad. The large holes created by the removal of rock have partially filled with fresh water.
