1878Gloucester was selected as the summer headquarters of the United States Fish Commission.Economy and Industry, Maritime & Fishing Industry
Professor Spencer Fullerton Baird and his colleagues at the U. S. Fish Commission office arrived in Gloucester on July 9 and rented cottages on Western Avenue and an office on Fort Wharf. Throughout the summer, scientists pursued dredging expeditions, sometimes with the help of Gloucester fishermen. The work continued until November 1880, with Gloucester contributing 924 specimens to the Commission.
During this summer, a storm signal station was built. This proved useful to fishermen as it warned them of possible storms.
Proctor Brothers. The Fishermen’s Own Book : Comprising the List of Men and Vessels Lost from the Port of Gloucester, Mass., from 1874 to April 1, 1882, and a Table of Losses from 1830, Together with Valuable Statistics of the Fisheries, Also Notable Fares, Narrow Escapes, Startling Adventures, Fishermen’s off-Hand Sketches, Ballads, Descriptions of Fishing Trips and Other Interesting Facts and Incidents Connected with This Branch of the Maritime Industry. Proctor Brothers, 1882.