Quarrying on Cape Ann
Between 1798, when Rockport granite was used to construct Fort Independence on Castle Island in Boston Harbor, and the 1920s when asphalt and concrete came into vogue, the granite industry thrived on Cape Ann. Millions of tons of granite were blasted out of the northeast part of the Cape, hauled down to the shores by horse and oxen and later by rail car, and shipped out along the eastern seaboard in sturdy stone sloops. While granite was used in Gloucester and Rockport early on, a far greater quantity was bound for construction projects in other areas. Raw, unfinished stone was sent along with paving stones, polished slabs, and finished pieces (like the Myles Standish monument in Duxbury, Massachusetts). In 1875 alone, the Rockport Granite Company shipped over 1,198,610 tons of granite paving blocks.
During the early decades of the 20th century, as the granite industry ground to a halt, quarries were left idle and soon filled with spring water. Today some are privately owned while others provide important sources of drinking water for the people of Cape Ann. Leslie D. Bartlett is the latest in a small but fascinating trail of artists who have found inspiration in the quarries of Cape Ann. Noteworthy among then are Leon Kroll, Walker Hancock, Gabrielle de Veaux Clements, Ellen Day Hale, George Demetrios and more recently, David Crowley. For these artists and for Leslie D. Bartlett, the quarries of Cape Ann remain deep pools of inspiration, timeless and tranquil.
Cape Ann Museum, October 2007
