July 9th The Historic Tarr-Wonson Building in Gloucester

This was right as we pulled out of the dock on the lighthouse tour today-  It is supposedly one of the more photographed buildings in America-  interesting story behind it as well.  It has been purchased, and they have started to rehab it, but have a long way to go.  

Tarr and Wonson Paint factory

The Tarr and Wonson Paint Manufactory buildings have been fixtures in Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts since they were constructed in 1874. Located on the tip of Gloucester's Rocky Neck, the company was best known for developing an innovative copper paint used on the bottom of boats to prevent barnacles. When the company closed in the 1980s, the building complex became a symbol of Gloucester’s long-standing fishing industry, which has been struggling over the past several decades. In 2008, the Ocean Alliance purchased the Tarr and Wonson buildings to house its new headquarters and future state-of-the-art whale research facility. Historic New England is partnering with the Ocean Alliance to capture and share the history of this important local site. Staff will collect oral histories from former paint factory employees, artists, and local residents to develop an exhibition illustrating the impact of the paint factory on twentieth-century Gloucester.