One of my favorite things to do while wandering in various cities and towns, is to look at the art in it. Most of the time this means the statues that populate areas (we seem to have a ton here in the northeast) or the graffiti that hides in the open.

This weekend, we went wandering through Gloucester, MA, a small town north of Boston in the Cape Ann area of Massachusetts.  Homeport for the Gorton’s Fisherman and featured in many movies, Gloucester has art scattered throughout its streets.

Not surprisingly, most of the artwork is in some way related to the sea. Fish, crabs, and buoys are everywhere including on the walls of the alleys. Tucked in here and there, these murals and images bring the ocean into every corner of the town.

Unfortunately, not all of the artwork is whimsical…because of its reliance on fishing, Gloucester’s fishing industry has suffered greatly throughout the years.  It is calculated that roughly 10,000 men have lost their lives while sailing out of Gloucester since the 1700s.

By the 1920s, the town wanted to memorialize all those who had been lost at sea.  Leonard F. Craske, an English sculptor, was selected to design the statue which is called either “The Fishermen’s Memorial” or “Man at the Wheel.” Standing 8 feet tall, this bronze statue shows a captain in the midst of a battle with an epic storm. Surrounded by plaques with the names of fishermen who have died throughout the years, this is a somber reminder of how deadly the sea can be.
Just down the street is another memorial, this one with a bit more hope surrounding it: the Fishermen’s Wives memorial. Dedicated to the families that have supported these men in life and mourned them in death, the trio face the ocean with hope and anticipation.  Though the fishing industry is once again contracting, these statues will remain symbols of this community.