What the Locals Know
Searching through her grandfather’s attic, local graphic designer Seania McCarthy discovered a clipping about a deserted village in the heart of Cape Ann called Dogtown Common (or Commons). A prosperous farming and mill community in the 1600s and 1700s, it was finally abandoned, literally, to the dogs in the mid-19th century. Now she, partner Dee […]
Searching through her grandfather’s attic, local graphic designer Seania McCarthy discovered a clipping about a deserted village in the heart of Cape Ann called Dogtown Common (or Commons). A prosperous farming and mill community in the 1600s and 1700s, it was finally abandoned, literally, to the dogs in the mid-19th century. Now she, partner Dee McManus, and McManus’s dog, Cooper, give hiking tours of the area, complete with tales of former villagers. Hidden among the trees, in addition to old cellar holes, are huge boulders carved with quirky inspirational messages such as “Never Try Never Win” that were commissioned by a philanthropist during the Depression. 978-546-8122; walkthewords.com
