Summer at Last, Community Newspapers,The Danvers Swamp Walk and Boats in Gloucester

Summer Has Arrived at Last

I expect that all of you who lamented during June and July about the lack of summer are now enjoying the middle of August. The long awaited summer has arrived and I hope that you are being careful of the current heat and high humidity. If you are looking for place to get a breath of comfortable air, I encourage you to head to one of the many historic waterfronts along the coast of this region. From Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead, Salem and Beverly to Gloucester, Rockport and Newburyport there are wonderful spots where a pleasant breeze and the great smell of salt air can be savored. We have it all on the coast of this region. Get out and sample the region. There may never be a better time then when it is hot and sultry.

A Special Thank You to the Community Newspapers

For a number of years, the Community Newspapers and particularly the Danvers Herald has been a special partner to the Essex National Heritage Commission. For about six years, I have been preparing a column on the activities of the Essex Heritage and the Editor of the Danvers Herald; Catheryn O’Hare has been printing my column in her paper and distributing it across the regional system to those other editors that had space to run our information. We certainly appreciate all of her efforts, and are grateful for the broad based support we have received all over the region. The Community Newspapers prints a great deal of local information and I suspect that is what a lot of their readers welcome. Danvers has also started a blog like this one to get even more local information out faster. Check their web site at www.wickedlocal.com/danvers to see what they are offering.

Danvers Swamp Walk

We certainly appreciate all of the work being dine by George Saluto of Danvers who is the moving force in an effort to raise funds to begin construction on a raised boardwalk trail in the Choate Recreational Area of town. The trail will open up an area of open space not now available to the folks in that community. George is trying to raise private funds to assist in the effort, and contributions to assist the project can be sent to the Danvers Town Hall, attention: Swamp Walk.

Gloucester Schooner Festival

Mark your calendars for the silver anniversary celebration of a Gloucester tradition. On Labor Day weekend a number of vessels from ports all along the east coast will arrive in the historic fishing port of Gloucester to celebrate this occasion. Leading the participants will be Gloucester’s own Thomas E. Lannon. The invited ships will compete on September 6^th in the Mayor’s Cup race. Provisions has been made for shuttles to get spectators to vantage points where they can view the majestic sailing ships. This seems to be a great take on a holiday weekend, and would be a wonderful way to spend part of what is usually thought of as the last weekend of summer.

Great Work by the Salem fire Department

We offer a special thanks to the Salem Fire Department for their quick and efficient response to the recent fire at the Ropes Mansion in Salem that certainly prevented a potential disaster. Their prompt action certainly saved one of the most famous historic houses in Salem and this region. We have much to preserve in this region, but a loss like that one could have been devastating.