What even is Cape Ann, after all?

The piece explores a long-running local dispute over what Cape Ann “is,” after the author says a woman at a party told them they don’t live on Cape Ann. The conversation hinges on local geography: “the island” refers to the easternmost stretch of Massachusetts’ North Shore, technically separated from the mainland by saltwater, and includes Rockport, Gloucester (half), and all of Rockport plus other areas. The author later visits the newly renovated Cape Ann Museum and finds a display claiming Cape Ann proper is an island, then confirms at the museum desk that Cape Ann consists of Rockport, Gloucester, Essex, and Manchester-by-the-Sea. The article questions whether a “cape” can be an island and whether the bridges and canals—like the Blynman Canal linked to Gloucester Harbor—make it truly insular, comparing the logic to Cape Cod.