The Stacy Boulevard site for the Gloucester Fishermen’s
Wives Memorial was selected by the Gloucester Fishermen’s
Wives Association for the prominence of the location
and the view it afforded of vessels entering the harbor.
The City of Gloucester granted approval for the site
in December of 1994. In June of 1998, the large boulder
base for the statue was installed and in September
of 1999, Ann Gilardi Johnson was commissioned to design
the approximately 2635 square foot site around the
boulder. 
The design of the site proceeded after careful consideration
of the concerns of the sculptor, the Gloucester
Fishermen’s Wives, and the comfort of the
potential visitors to the Memorial. The challenge
facing the designer was to create a concept that
integrated the sculpture with the site and views
of the harbor while mitigating the narrowness of
the site, the noise from the traffic passing the
site, and the near constant wind generated by proximity
to the ocean. A series of design plans, and finally
a study model, was produced as part of an interactive
process between the designer, sculptor, and the
Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association.
By December of 1999, the final design concept was
complete. In January of 2000 the design concept
was introduced to the public in a presentation at
City Hall.
Ms. Johnson designed four seat walls of native Rockport
granite to form an oval–shaped enclosure around
the memorial statue and memorial paving stones.
The seat walls were designed in direct response
to the desire of the Gloucester Fishermen’s
Wives for a space that would allow visitors to contemplate
both the beauty of the sculpture and the beauty
of the ocean. The site design provides four entries
reflecting the compass points and the fact that
the site is a gateway to Gloucester at the entrance
to the harbor and the junction of route 127 and
133.
Massachusetts’ granite from Chelmsford was
selected for the engraved paving stones, which were
funded by the donations from families and friends
of fishermen, mariners, and may others. Carpets
of flowers on either side of the pathways provide
color and further memorialize the faith, diligence
and fortitude of the wives and families of fishermen
and mariners.
Through the generosity of many donors, the Gloucester
Fishermen’s Wives purchased all the materials
for the construction of the site while the City
agreed to fund the construction. Public bidding
for construction proceeded in the summer of 2000
and ground was broken in November.
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Contributions towards
the maintance of the memorial are welcome. Please
send your tax deductible contribution to:
GFWM, Inc.
P.O. Box 116
Gloucester, MA 01930
(make checks out to GFWM, Inc.)
For more information about the memorial, or to learn
how to inscribe a granite pathway stone, call or
email Jeanne Gallo
at (978) 283-6049.
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