Motif #1 WEDDING PROPOSAL and other Rockport, MA Local Custom Tips

Thankfully Rosalind said "yes" to Tomas' proposal of marriage posted boldly on Motif #1 when they arrived from Ireland on a bright Saturday in October. Their tour made a brief stop in Rockport, where he had arranged for a banner to pop the question for him. We watched at a distance as he knelt before her... and we could hear her glee as she realized the banner was for her... and the moment was so joyous she could hardly contain herself. They reported heavily beating hearts and Rosalind... total surprise.
Joining them later, we all had a quick but fun visit before they had to board the tour bus and push off to the next stop. The tour guide was so tickled when Tomas told her the story that it all had to be told to the busload of tourists before they got underway. Everyone was tickled by the story.
We're hoping we see them again on another trip to the US or if we should pass through Dublin or Wales. Don't you just love happy endings?

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It seems that many years ago the men of Rockport spent lots of time in the taverns with way too much rum. There were brawls and families disrupted....women frustrated in trying to sober their husbands. All of that stopped when Hannah Jumper decided to take matters in hand. One day she organized the women and children of the town to assemble at an appointed hour. They descended on the town with fervor....emptying every home and tavern or their rum...tossing it into the bay and vowing that the town of Rockport would be a dry town forever! That was in the 1800's and the town is still dry today. You can bring your bottle of wine into a restaurant to enjoy with your dinner....but you'll find no alcahol for sale anywhere within the town limits of Rockport. Many folks make the short drive to Gloucester for their celebrating. Rockport remains quiet and very dry indeed. We went to a town mtg. once when we were visiting. The crowds were enormous because some restaurant owners were trying to change the laws. TV cameras rolled and reesidents took their turns testifying....the booze was defeated...soundly. This is a town where everyone votes directly without a councilperson to represent them. It was quite an experience to see a truly old fashioned town meeting.
UPDATE: On my 2008 visit, I learned that the liquor laws were finally changed to allow you to have a drink with dinner. Don't want to order food? Sorry. No drink. The ghost of Hannah wants no nonsense in Rockport. :-)

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It's called passive recreation and hundreds of people love doing it. You walk to the end of the peninsula where you can see the boats in the cove and the ocean beyond. Restful, beautiful, refreshing, and soulfull.
The coast is full of granite rock...hence the name. There is a granite quarry about 2 miles north of the town.

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