CAPE ANN CHAPTER

The Cape Ann Chapter was organized April 13, 1976 and chartered April 26, 1977. The chapter holds its meetings on the 2nd Wednesday of January, March, May, and November.

The chapter is named for the English colony at Cape Ann which was first founded in 1623. It was the fourth colonizing effort in New England after Popham Colony, Plymouth Colony and Nantasket Beach. Two ships of the Dorchester Company brought 32 in number with John Tylly and Thomas Gardner as overseers of a fishing operation and the plantation, respectively. This colony predated Massachusetts Bay charter and colony. For that reason, members of the colony were referred to as "old planters". The first Great House in New England was built on Cape Ann by the planters. This house was dismantled on the orders of John Endecott in 1628 and moved to Salem to serve as his "governor's" house. When Higginson arrived in Salem, he wrote that "we found a faire house newly built for the Governor" which was remarkable for being two stories high.

By 1634 the name of Cape Ann was already established, as it is mentioned and depicted on maps in William Wood's New England's Prospect first published in that year.

If you are interested in Membership in the chapter which meets in the Palm Springs area, provide your name and email address with your potential ancestor to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.