Among Massachusetts’s forgotten places, Dogtown, Massachusetts stands out for its historical significance. This abandoned settlement, once full of promise and activity, now serves as a haunting reminder of how communities rise and fall. Its quiet streets echo with the footsteps of those who came before.
County: Essex
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 42°38’20 N 70°39’15 W
Elevation: Not available
Time Zone: Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Established: 1693
Disestablished: 1830
Comments: Historical surveys confirm that dogtown (also Dogtown Commons or Dogtown Common or Dogtown Village) is an abandoned inland settlement on Cape Ann in Massachusetts.
Remains: Present-day visitors will observe once known as the Common Settlement, the area later known as Dogtown is divided between the city of Gloucester and the town of Rockport. Dogtown was first settled in 1693, and according to legend the name of the settlement came from dogs that women kept while their husbands were fighting in the American Revolution. The community grew to be 5-square-miles, and was an ideal location as it provided protection from pirates, and enemy natives. By the early 1700s, the land was opened up to individual settlement as previously it had been used as common land for wood and pasturing cattle and sheep. It is estimated that at one point 60 to 80 homes stood in Dogtown at the peak height of its population. In the mid-1700s as many as 100 families inhabited Dogtown which was stable until after the American Revolution.
Current Status: The former settlement is now after its abandonment, Dogtown was a mostly cleared open field with abundant boulders around. Nearby residents looked towards this land as a way to graze their farm animals. These animals were kept in private lots into the 1920s when the last of the plots were abandoned. In the decades that followed what was once open land eventually became a dense forest.
Remarks: The abandonment of Dogtown reflects broader economic and social changes that swept across Massachusetts during this era. Today, it stands as a testament to the resilience required of early settlers and the impermanence of human establishments.
Dogtown stands as one of Massachusetts’ most enigmatic ghost towns, with a rich history that blends colonial settlement, economic decline, social marginalization, and folklore. This abandoned community, located in the heart of Cape Ann, offers a fascinating window into the complex social dynamics of early New England and the evolution of communities over time.
Origins and Early Settlement
The area now known as Dogtown was originally established around 1641 as the “Commons Settlement” or simply “The Commons.” Located in central Gloucester, this highland settlement spans approximately five square miles (3,600 acres) stretching from the Riverdale section of Gloucester into neighboring Rockport, including what is now the Goose Cove and Babson Reservoirs.
The early settlers chose this inland location strategically. By establishing their community several miles from the coast, they gained protection from the pirate raids and Native American attacks that frequently threatened coastal settlements during the 17th century. The rocky, elevated terrain also provided natural defensive advantages, making it an attractive location despite the poor quality of the soil for agriculture.
Rather than attempting to grow crops in the rocky soil, the early inhabitants of the Commons Settlement primarily raised livestock, including cattle and sheep. The surrounding pine forests provided both shelter and building materials for the growing community. By the mid-to-late 1700s, the settlement had grown to include approximately 75 homes housing upwards of 100 families, making it the most prosperous area in Cape Ann at that time.
Decline and Abandonment
The decline of Dogtown began in the late 18th century and accelerated in the early 19th century due to a combination of factors. The end of the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and the War of 1812 eliminated the threat of coastal attacks and British bombardments that had originally made the inland settlement advantageous. As these threats disappeared, many residents began to relocate to the harbor areas of Gloucester, which offered better economic opportunities.
Economic factors played a significant role in Dogtown’s abandonment. Gloucester Harbor had deepened and expanded, making it more attractive for trade ships that previously might have bypassed the area. New roads connecting major cities were built, but these bypassed the Commons Settlement, further isolating it as neighboring Gloucester grew rapidly. The development of quarries and lumber mills in the region offered employment opportunities that drew many families away from the settlement.
As wealthier families moved away and their houses stood empty, the social character of the community began to change dramatically. The abandoned homes attracted vagrants and social outcasts who began squatting in the vacant buildings. Eventually, only those who couldn’t afford to relocate—primarily widows and single women—remained as permanent residents.
By 1828, all but one resident had left Dogtown. The last inhabitant, Cornelius Finson, a freed slave, remained for another two years until 1830, when he was forcibly removed and taken to a poorhouse in Gloucester. By 1845, all structures in the settlement had been razed, marking the complete physical abandonment of the community.
The “Witches” of Dogtown
One of the most intriguing aspects of Dogtown’s history is the reputation it gained in its declining years as a haven for alleged witches. As the community dwindled, several women who remained behind became the subject of local suspicion and folklore. These women, who lived independently in a time when this was unusual, included Luce George, Molly Stevens, Judy Rhines, Peg Wasson, Thomazine “Tammy” Younger, and Molly Jacobs.
Thomazine “Tammy” Younger was particularly notorious, earning the nickname “Queen of the Witches.” She lived in a small house on Fox Hill near Alewife Brook (now Cherry Street), where she reportedly entertained “buccaneers and lawless men,” made rum and butter, held card games, and read fortunes. Tammy supported herself by selling butter and begging for fish at the harbor. Local legend claimed she could bewitch oxen carrying supplies over the bridge near her house, commanding them not to move until their owners paid her a toll.
Other women in Dogtown were similarly accused of supernatural abilities. Tammy’s aunt, Luce George, and another resident, Peg Wasson, were said to have cursed piles of wood on passing carts, preventing them from staying on the cart unless a portion was given to them. A particularly colorful tale about Peg Wasson claimed that she once flew over a camp of soldiers disguised as a black crow. When the soldiers shot the crow down with a silver sleeve button (after regular bullets failed), Wasson allegedly fell down at home with an injured leg, from which a doctor extracted an identical silver button.
While there is no historical evidence that these women actually practiced witchcraft, they did represent a marginalized group in early American society. As noted by historian Elyssa East in her book “Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town,” there were two types of women primarily referred to as witches in 18th and early 19th-century America: midwife/folk healers and social outcasts who were often destitute and accused of possessing unusual powers. Many of Dogtown’s women fell into these categories, particularly the latter, though some were also legitimate healers.
Origin of the Name “Dogtown”
The origin of the name “Dogtown” has been the subject of some debate among historians. One common explanation, documented by Gloucester Daily Times editor Charles E. Mann in the 1890s, suggests that the name derived from the dogs kept by widows in the settlement for protection after their husbands had died or been lost at sea. Mann interviewed elderly residents who remembered the community and published his findings in a volume titled “In the Heart of Cape Ann or the Story of Dogtown.”
An alternative explanation suggests that the name referred to the social status of the settlement’s later inhabitants—the “dogs” of society who had been marginalized and forced to live on the fringes. This interpretation aligns with the community’s evolution into a haven for outcasts and those unable to integrate into mainstream society.
A third theory, more prosaic but perhaps equally plausible, is that the name came from the packs of dogs that were left behind when the last residents moved away or died. These feral dogs roamed the abandoned settlement, giving rise to the name that persists to this day.
Physical Remains and Current Status
After Dogtown was abandoned in the mid-19th century, the land was initially used as open pasture. Until the early 1900s, locals from surrounding towns maintained private lots on the field as grazing plots for their livestock. Over the following century, as these agricultural uses declined, the area was largely left untouched and gradually transformed from open field to the dense forest that characterizes it today.
The most visible remnants of Dogtown’s past are the cellar holes where houses once stood. Approximately 40 of these depressions in the landscape can still be identified, marking the locations of former dwellings. In the 1920s and 1930s, local businessman and philanthropist Roger Babson took an interest in preserving Dogtown’s history. He documented the settlement’s historic sites and marked the cellar holes with numbers to indicate who had lived in each home.
Babson also initiated one of Dogtown’s most distinctive features during the Great Depression. In an effort to provide work for unemployed stonecutters, he commissioned them to carve inspirational messages on dozens of the glacial boulders scattered throughout the area. These “Babson Boulders” bear simple motivational phrases such as “HELP MOTHER,” “SPIRITUAL POWER,” “KEEP OUT OF DEBT,” “BE CLEAN,” and “COURAGE.” Today, visitors can follow a boulder trail that leads past most of these inscriptions, creating a unique outdoor museum that blends history, art, and landscape.
In 1935, Babson donated his 1,150 acres of Dogtown land to the city of Gloucester, and it was turned into a public park. Today, most of the land is protected by the towns of Gloucester and Rockport as a municipal watershed, with development banned in the area. The site is crisscrossed with paths and trails that make it popular for hiking, jogging, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
Dogtown has left a significant imprint on the cultural landscape of Massachusetts. The settlement’s unusual history and the legends surrounding its inhabitants have inspired numerous books, articles, and artistic works. Marsden Hartley, a modernist painter, created a series of works based on Dogtown’s landscape in the early 20th century, capturing its rugged, primeval character.
The site has also attracted literary attention. In addition to Charles Mann’s early documentation, more recent works like Elyssa East’s “Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town” have explored the complex history and enduring mystique of the abandoned settlement. The area’s reputation was further complicated by a brutal murder that occurred there in 1984, which East’s book also examines, considering how this modern tragedy interacted with the site’s already haunted reputation.
For modern visitors, Dogtown offers a unique combination of historical interest, natural beauty, and folklore. The site’s trails provide access to both the numbered cellar holes and the Babson Boulders, allowing hikers to connect with both the human history and the distinctive geology of the area. Despite occasional reports of hikers getting lost—attributed by some to the lingering influence of Dogtown’s “witches”—the area remains a popular destination for those interested in Massachusetts history, ghost towns, and outdoor recreation.
Today, Dogtown stands as a testament to the transient nature of human settlements and the way communities evolve in response to changing economic, social, and environmental conditions. What began as a strategic inland settlement during a time of coastal danger transformed into a thriving community, then declined into a refuge for society’s outcasts, before finally being reclaimed by nature and preserved as a unique historical landscape. Its story continues to fascinate visitors and scholars alike, offering insights into New England’s past and the complex interplay between history, legend, and landscape.
Sources:
1. Boston Hidden Gems. “Boston History: Dogtown.” https://www.bostonhiddengems.com/blog/dogtown-ma
2. Historic Ipswich. “Dogtown, its History and Legends.” https://historicipswich.net/2021/01/23/dogtown-its-history-and-legends/
3. History of Massachusetts Blog. “The Witches of Dogtown.” https://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-witches-of-dogtown/
4. East, Elyssa. “Dogtown: Death and Enchantment in a New England Ghost Town.” Free Press, 2009.
5. Mann, Charles E. “In the Heart of Cape Ann, or The Story of Dogtown.” Procter Brothers Publishing, 1896.
6. Discover Gloucester. “Step Into The Past In Dogtown.” https://discovergloucester.com/2022/09/29/step-into-the-past-in-dogtown/