Magnolia is a small village in Gloucester, Massachusetts, located on the Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts town line in the southwestern part of the city. Straddling the town line between the two communities is Surf Park,[1] a two-acre swath of land that has scenic views of Kettle Cove.
Magnolia has its own library,[2] restaurants, and shops. Another feature of Magnolia is its beach, which goes by the official name Gray Beach[3] and is a part of Coolidge Reservation. Union Congregational Church[4] is located in Magnolia, as is Hammond Castle.[5] The village has its own Women's Community Club, which has been in existence for over 60 years.[6]
After the Civil War, Bostonians began to summer in Magnolia. For example, Rev. James Freeman Clarke, well-known Unitarian minister, author, and social reformer of Boston's Church of the Disciples, after searching the North Shore for the best possible summer resort purchased land in Magnolia in 1879 and built a house he called "Septingle" because it had seven open fireplaces. It was constructed on a cliff overlooking the rocky shore and the curving beach on its left. Clarke often walked on that beach for relaxation or sat on the long piazza of his house while working on one of his many books. Everywhere he saw Scarlet lilies and red wild roses, green bushes and vines, and heard gulls in the sky and the ever constant surf. The center of Magnolia was but a short stroll along a footpath, and trains from nearby Manchester made it convenient to get to Boston. Here he and his family enjoyed the summers of the 1880s.[7]
The Oceanside and cottages
At the dawn of the twentieth century, Magnolia was well known as a vacation destination. The Oceanside Hotel and Casino, before it burnt down, attracted several big names in music and film. John Philip Sousa and Lucille Ball were among those known to vacation in Magnolia. During the Victorian era many wealthy businessmen and their families built large mansions along Shore Road, which were staffed by newly arrived immigrants to Massachusetts. They served the transient summer residents and visitors as servants, cooks, housekeepers, gardeners and clerks in the posh branch stores of firms from New York City, London, Paris, and Palm Beach that lined both sides of Lexington Avenue. Some of them were able to save their money and opened local businesses such as the Magnolia Hand Laundry that was located on Field Road.[8]
^Pp. 345-46, Arthur S. Bolster, jr., James Freeman Clarke, Disciple to Advancing Truth, Beacon Press, 1954
^Pg. 10, Alan Seaburg, At the Fair The Boston Immigrant Experience, Foreword by Philip A. M. Taylor, Department of American Studies, Hull University, England, 1990. ISBN0-9625794-0-8 [8]
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magnolia, Massachusetts.
Magnolia community website
City of Gloucester
April 11, 2024
magnolia, massachusetts, magnolia, small, village, gloucester, massachusetts, located, manchester, massachusetts, town, line, southwestern, part, city, straddling, town, line, between, communities, surf, park, acre, swath, land, that, scenic, views, kettle, co. Magnolia is a small village in Gloucester Massachusetts located on the Manchester by the Sea Massachusetts town line in the southwestern part of the city Straddling the town line between the two communities is Surf Park 1 a two acre swath of land that has scenic views of Kettle Cove MagnoliaVillageAerial view of Magnolia village in 2016MagnoliaCoordinates 42 34 30 N 70 42 45 W 42 57500 N 70 71250 W 42 57500 70 71250CountryUnited StatesStateMassachusettsCountyGloucester MassachusettsTime zoneUTC 5 Eastern Zip Code01930Magnolia has its own library 2 restaurants and shops Another feature of Magnolia is its beach which goes by the official name Gray Beach 3 and is a part of Coolidge Reservation Union Congregational Church 4 is located in Magnolia as is Hammond Castle 5 The village has its own Women s Community Club which has been in existence for over 60 years 6 Contents 1 History 2 Historical sites 3 References 4 External linksHistory edit nbsp Hammond CastleAfter the Civil War Bostonians began to summer in Magnolia For example Rev James Freeman Clarke well known Unitarian minister author and social reformer of Boston s Church of the Disciples after searching the North Shore for the best possible summer resort purchased land in Magnolia in 1879 and built a house he called Septingle because it had seven open fireplaces It was constructed on a cliff overlooking the rocky shore and the curving beach on its left Clarke often walked on that beach for relaxation or sat on the long piazza of his house while working on one of his many books Everywhere he saw Scarlet lilies and red wild roses green bushes and vines and heard gulls in the sky and the ever constant surf The center of Magnolia was but a short stroll along a footpath and trains from nearby Manchester made it convenient to get to Boston Here he and his family enjoyed the summers of the 1880s 7 nbsp The Oceanside and cottagesAt the dawn of the twentieth century Magnolia was well known as a vacation destination The Oceanside Hotel and Casino before it burnt down attracted several big names in music and film John Philip Sousa and Lucille Ball were among those known to vacation in Magnolia During the Victorian era many wealthy businessmen and their families built large mansions along Shore Road which were staffed by newly arrived immigrants to Massachusetts They served the transient summer residents and visitors as servants cooks housekeepers gardeners and clerks in the posh branch stores of firms from New York City London Paris and Palm Beach that lined both sides of Lexington Avenue Some of them were able to save their money and opened local businesses such as the Magnolia Hand Laundry that was located on Field Road 8 Historical sites edithttps web archive org web 20110629043453 http www hammondcastle org common index php com HAMM amp div AA amp nav AA amp page A91References edit Surf Park http magnolialibrary org bare URL Coolidge Reservation Manchester by the Sea MA the Trustees of Reservations Archived from the original on July 5 2011 Retrieved December 2 2013 Union Congregational Church Magnolia MA Archived from the original on September 6 2011 Retrieved July 11 2011 Home 1 dead link Pp 345 46 Arthur S Bolster jr James Freeman Clarke Disciple to Advancing Truth Beacon Press 1954 Pg 10 Alan Seaburg At the Fair The Boston Immigrant Experience Foreword by Philip A M Taylor Department of American Studies Hull University England 1990 ISBN 0 9625794 0 8 8 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magnolia Massachusetts Magnolia community website City of Gloucester Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Magnolia Massachusetts amp oldid 1167333350, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
