Gloucester in Essex County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)

Salting Fish

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 23, 2017

1. Salting Fish Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

“In Its heyday as a salt fish producer; Gorton's… kept dozens of wharves and acres of flake yards busy with the unloading, filleting, salting, drying, boning, cutting, grinding, smoking, boxing, packaging, and canning of the millions upon millions of pounds of fish brought back from the North Atlantic banks by their fleets of handsome Gloucester schooners…"
Joseph E. Garland author/historian

Here, workers split cod freshly unloaded from the schooner Evelyn M. Thompson, on April 19, 1212; you can see her bow on the right. The fish were then salted and left on the flakes to dry.

Erected by Gloucester Harborwalk. (Marker Number 6.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 42° 36.702′ N, 70° 39.871′ W. Marker is in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in Essex County. Marker is at the intersection of Rogers Street (Massachusetts Route 127) and Porter Street, on the right when traveling east on Rogers

Salting Fish Marker (<i>tall view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 23, 2017

2. Salting Fish Marker (tall view)

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Street. Marker is located along the sidewalk, near the parking lot entrance at the south side of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 25 Rogers Street, Gloucester MA 01930, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Cape Ann Granite (within shouting distance of this marker); Admiralty Anchor (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Captain Howard Blackburn (about 400 feet away); Captain Alfred (Centennial) Johnson (about 400 feet away); Porter Anchor (about 400 feet away); James Tappan (about 500 feet away); Rocky Neck (about 700 feet away); Samuel Sawyer (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gloucester.

Regarding Salting Fish. Marker is a composite plaque mounted on a 4-foot tall granite pedestal.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Gloucester Harborwalk

Also see . . .
1. Gloucester Harborwalk 6: Salting Fish.
This link presents many photographs of the fishing, salting and drying process. (Submitted on March 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Gorton's of Gloucester.
The company traces its roots to a fishery called John Pew & Sons. William Pew, son of John Pew, picked up fishing after serving as a Colonial soldier in the French and Indian War. While most people moved West after the war, Pew turned eastward and arrived in Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1755. The father-and-son

<i>Cleaning Fish Gloucester, Mass.</i> image. Click for full size.

Postcard published by the Hugh C. Leighton Co., Portland, Me., circa 1908

3. Cleaning Fish Gloucester, Mass.

fishery business emerged as an official commercial company, John Pew & Sons, in 1849. When nearby Rockport's chief industry, the Annisquam Cotton Mill, burned down, Slade Gorton, the mill's superintendent, was out of a job. At his wife's urging, he began a fishing business in 1874 known as Slade Gorton & Company. In 1906, Slade Gorton & Company, John Pew & Sons, and two other Gloucester fisheries merged into the Gorton-Pew Fisheries. (Submitted on March 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

<i>Drying Fish, Gloucester, Mass.</i> image. Click for full size.

Postcard published by the Detroit Publishing Co., 1906

4. Drying Fish, Gloucester, Mass.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2018. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 209 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3, 4. submitted on March 26, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.