Mother Ann (rock formation)
Mother Ann is a rock formation located near the Eastern Point Lighthouse in Gloucester, Massachusetts, United States. When viewed at the correct angle, the formation appears to be the silhouette of a reclining Puritan woman.[1] It is also believed locally that the formation represents the royal mother of King Charles I, Anne of Denmark, after whom Cape Ann is named.[2]
The formation may have been named by Captain William Thompson of Salem in 1891, and has since been compared to New Hampshire's Old Man in the Mountain.[3] A nearby whistling buoy is known as "Mother Ann’s Cow".
The Mother Ann formation inspired several local writers, including Providence author H.P. Lovecraft and poet . Lovecraft may have used the Mother Ann formation as the basis for the setting of his short story "The Strange High House in the Mist" (1926).[4]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Garland, Joseph E. (2004). Gloucester Guide: A Stroll Through Place And Time. The History Press.
- ^ Cook, Joel (1900). America, Picturesque and Descriptive, Volume 3. H.T. Coates & Co.
- ^ "Glousceter Harbor: Eastern Point: Location, History, and Legends". Gloucester Harbor. North Shore Community College. 2009-07-06.
- ^ "HPLA - Guide to Lovecraftian Sites in Massachusetts". HPLA. 2003-12-31.
Coordinates: 42°34′48″N 70°39′51″W / 42.58000°N 70.66417°W
- Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Rock formations of Massachusetts
- Landforms of Essex County, Massachusetts
- Essex County, Massachusetts geography stubs