Water-filled granite quarry with ocean beyond
Halibut Point was formerly a granite quarry. The quarried granite was used for large commercial projects, including some buildings in Boston and various shoreline projects in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
Side view of the quarry
There were once four granite quarries on Cape Ann. The quarry workers went on strike in fall of 1929. After the stock market collapsed a month later, these quarries never operated again.
Visitors Center and Observation Tower
The visitors center contains a museum about flora and fauna, as well as granite cutting history.
The tower on the visitors center must have spectacular ocean views. It was not open during our morning visit, but I believe it's open in the afternoon. It was built during World War II.
The tower on the visitors center must have spectacular ocean views. It was not open during our morning visit, but I believe it's open in the afternoon. It was built during World War II.
Scoop used for granite operations
Remnants of the granite operations are scattered throughout the park.
There are also hiking trails along rocky shoreline.
There are also hiking trails along rocky shoreline.
View from pile of scrap granite
On a clear day, you can see Mt. Agamenticus in Maine from the top of this 70 foot high pile of granite debris. We had a fairly hazy day so we could see about to the New Hampshire border.
Hiking trail and granite overlook
That's the pile of granite forming the overlook.
The shoreline has mostly fairly flat rocks, with tidepools, barnacles and rockweed.
We did see a sunbather surrounded by books and a snorkeler in a wetsuit.
We did see a sunbather surrounded by books and a snorkeler in a wetsuit.
Halibut Point is dog-friendly. Dogs must be on leashes.Bailey would have loved it - but since it was so hot, we left him at home.
Water for humans and for dogs!
We stopped for lunch at the Lobster Pool Restaurant, very close to the park.
To my New Hampshire tastebuds, the fried clam plate we shared had great clam taste and texture, but the fries were a little too greasy.But with views like this, who's complaining??
Related posts:
Mixing Elements (more pictures from Halibut Point)
8 comments:
okay, you went to an eatery with Lobster in its name and had...fried clams??? What's that all about! :-)
They sounded pretty good too, really. Where they the real deal or just the necks? Not a frie eater at all, so they all stay on the plate or Gene eats them. I will admit I am obsessed with New England seafood. If I had my druthers I would move back east just for that. Cape Ann is lovely.. Not to far from the Beverly homestead so we do get over there and sometimes via boat. Hope torm Bill doesn't cause too much havoc around the area. Maybe it's been downgraded.
Oh, I'm wondering if some of the granite block foundations that some of the old houses in the area have might have come from that quarry.
Your corner of the world is absolutely lovely. I long to feel your cool breeze. God knows we haven't had one a while. Do you get oysters there or is that a Pacific NW haul?
Wow - looks like a beautiful park!! I think I'll add it to our "places to go" list!!
What a lovely place to have lunch! And the scenery is beautiful.
Thanks for visiting Halibut Point with me (virtually at least).
From talking to the ranger at the park, I think the granite they cut was mostly extremely large blocks that were used commercially. But granite foundations had to come from somewhere - so I think that they came from local quarries too. So it's quite possible that houses near that quarry would have used granite from that quarry.
We don't have many native oysters anymore in New England. I live near Great Bay, a large estuary, and the University of NH is experimenting with different ways of restoring the oyster population. They're working mainly in the Oyster River - named because oysters were once very abundant there.
From what I remember, there are a lot of oysters in Chesapeake Bay - so they're on the east coast, just not in NH. (And I'm guessing not in Maine because I don't see them on menus like I do clams, lobsters and mussels.)
Colleen, it's definitely worth a visit. Apparently on Saturdays they demonstrate how they used to cut the granite in the quarry. Their website has a list of programs that they do at the park.
If any of you have cool breezes to spare, send them this way!! Our heat and humidity are amazing right now.
It does sound like the storm Bill won't affect us much if at all - although they are predicting high surf and beach erosion on Sunday.
Sue
Love the pics as usual.....just beautiful views.
What great pictures. It's so nice to see pictures of the place you've been. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Good Morning.
This place you visited reminds me of my home town Norrköping in Sweden. In Kolmården just outside the city there is a quarry. Its not in use anymore. They took out marble there. Kolmårdsmarble was quite popular for many years ago.
There is a another well known place in Kolmården know. Its Kolmårdens Zoo. Its the biggest in Sweden.
http://www.kolmarden.com
Beautiful pictures, and ite nice too se that they thing of dogs to.
But in the heat its better for them to stay at home. Here we had a few dogs who died in cars this summer just beacuse the owner didnt think.
The birchtrea is old and verry tall. I like them so much. But not at the moment. They are spreding the seeds al over. It will soon start to growe birchtrees all over the house. Its millions of them...
But know Im going to take me a look outside. The sunrising is soo beautiful.
So I Whis you a verry nice sunday.
Synne.
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