We love when visitors share their experiences of the Cape Ann area!  Recently Mark Rothschild, an avid Cape Ann explorer, wrote an article on A Day in Dogtown.  Here’s a peek at his experience…

(Photo Credit: Mark Rothschild)

Lisa and I got married in Gloucester, MA, and have been spending part of each summer there for 30 years. Each year I have systematically explored the beauty of the Cape Ann area and have been amazed by how there is always new territory worth investigating. With that said, there was one area in the back of my mind that I had heard about over the years named Dogtown. I knew what it was but had no idea how to get there. I had also heard that if I found it, I could easily get lost, which did not originally interest me, having already experienced this in Mljet, Croatia. Today, I would like to introduce you to this hidden treasure of local historical significance.

Cape Ann is a peninsula that protrudes into the Atlantic Ocean. In 1693, respectable citizens began populating an area that was further inland. While the land was not conducive to growing crops, given its rocky soil, this territory became an attractive location for providing protection against pirates. It was also the only land route that travelers could use between Gloucester and Sandy Bay, later becoming known as Rockport. By the mid-18th century, approximately one hundred families were living here.

Read the full article about A Day in Dogtown on markrothschildphoto.com.

You can also read more about Cape Ann and view Mark’s photography of the area on his Cape Ann Page.