Maritime Marion: Making of America (Arcadia)

For many, the sea is a temperamental and dangerous mistress, and Marion's affair with her is no different, for this town has experienced both great gain in wealth and horrific loss of life and property by her hands over the centuries. In Maritime Marion, Massachusetts, readers take a remarkable journey across four centuries of struggle and prosperity as a simple coastal hamlet evolves into a celebrated nautical center for shipbuilding, fishing, and racing. This unique volume, containing over 100 black-and-white illustrations, chronicles the many aspects of maritime life, from trade to recreation, including the once-prominent whaling industry, the various local saltworks, the traditions of Tabor Academy, the influence of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, and the prestige of the Beverly Yacht Club. However, one of the greatest pleasures and customs of any seacoast community is its storytelling, and Maritime Marion recounts several of the town's most interesting and puzzling tales, such as the mystery of the Mary Celeste's lost crew, the tragedies of numerous hurricanes, the fate of the British warship HMS Nimrod, and the experiences of the first lighthouse keepers on Bird Island.