Ernest L. Blatchford (1868-1947) was born and raised in Gloucester and for many years was manager of the Gloucester office of the New England Fish Company, located at the foot of Duncan’s Point. The position gave Blatchford a second-floor office overlooking Gloucester’s busy Inner Harbor and firsthand exposure to the city’s fishing industry during the waning days of sail. Blatchford was also a member of the Cape Ann Camera Club and used his photographic skills to capture the gritty yet often beautiful face of Gloucester’s working waterfront, the vessels that plied the harbor’s waters, and people who made their livings in the fisheries.
Down to the Sea featured a selection of photographs made by Ernest Blatchford during the early 20th century documenting Gloucester’s fishing industry. Accompanying the images were objects from CAM’s maritime and fisheries collection that complemented Blatchford’s photographs and allow visitors to learn more about the processing of fish, the ancillary vessels working in Gloucester Harbor during the early 20th century, and the outfitting of fishing vessels a century ago.
View the entire Ernest Blatchford Photo Collection in our Library & Archives Digital Collections.
To watch a Gallery Talk led by KD Montgomery, Executive Director of the Essex Historical Society & Shipbuilding Museum, please visit: CAM Talk: Gloucester & Essex Shipbuilding Connections.
Image Credit: Schooners Rita A. Viator, Edith Silveira and others tied up in Gloucester Harbor, 1907, photograph by Ernest L. Blatchford (1868-1947). Gordon W. Thomas Collection of the Cape Ann Museum Library & Archives, Gloucester, MA. Museum Purchase/Gift, 1979 [2794].
Fridays at 2:00 p.m. Downtown Campus 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA Free with General Admission Sign up with Visitor Services at the Front Desk Space is limited What can a house tell us […]
Downtown Campus
Saturday, September 12, 2026 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Carlson Education Center, CAM Green 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 CAM Members $35, Non-Members $45. Registration Required. Discover the power […]
CAM Green
Sunday 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. White-Ellery House, CAM Green 13 Poplar St, Gloucester, MA 01930 Free and open to the public. This is a drop in program and space […]
CAM Green
Sunday, September 13, 2026 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Auditorium, Downtown Campus 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 Registration Required CAM Members $5, Non-Members $15 (includes General Admission). Tickets do […]
Downtown Campus
Thursday, September 17, 2026 and Thursday, September 24, 2026 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. CAM Education Room Downtown Campus 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA CAM Members $5, Non-Members (Adult) $25 […]
Downtown Campus
Join us for Cape Ann Museum’s Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea Symposium spanning two days. Thursday, September 17, 5:30 p.m. Friday, September 18, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Downtown […]
Downtown Campus
Join us online for Cape Ann Museum’s Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea Symposium spanning two days. The in-person program is now oversubscribed due to tremendous community interest. To accommodate […]
Online
Due to popular demand the keynote lecture on Thursday, September 17th has been moved to the Kyrouz Auditorium at Gloucester City Hall. The full day on Friday, September 18th remains […]
Gloucester City Hall
Fridays at 2:00 p.m. Downtown Campus 27 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, MA Free with General Admission Sign up with Visitor Services at the Front Desk Space is limited What can a house tell us […]
Downtown Campus
Saturday, September 19, 2026 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Livestream Ticketing Options: CAM Members Free, Non-Members $10. Registration Required The in-person program is now oversubscribed due to tremendous community interest. […]
Onlilne
Due to popular demand we were able to open a select number of seats for this lecture! Saturday, September 19, 2026 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Downtown Campus Auditorium 27 […]
Downtown Campus
![Marsden Hartley (1877-1943). Summer Outward Bound, Gloucester, 1931, oil on board. Collection of Cape Ann Museum. Gift of the estate of Robert L. French, 2009 [Accession # 2009.51.9].](https://www.capeannmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Marsden-Hartley-Dogtown-600x400-1.jpg)
Sunday, September 20, 2026 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Babson Boulder Parking Cherry Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 CAM Members $15, Non-Members $25. Registration Required On Cape Ann, the name “Dogtown” […]
Babson Boulder Parking
27 Pleasant Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-283-0455
Buy Tickets to visit the newly renovated Museum and the special exhibition Avery, Gottlieb & Rothko: By the Sea.
13 Poplar Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
Our CAM Green Campus is open seasonally beginning July 10th, Friday – Sunday.
