This Week in Marblehead History: 1976

Every week, Marblehead Patch digs through the Marblehead Messenger microfilm archives at to find out what was happening on this week in local history.

In 1976:

July 4 Finish Date Set for Ft. Sewall: Restoration, stabilization and landscaping work now underway at Fort Sewall is expected to be finished by July 4 and maybe even as early as June 20 Arts Festival event at the park. Selectmen last week okayed two new security measures for the historical site, but sent the bicentennial commission back to the drawing board on their plea for a gate-like chain link fence at the fort's entrance.

Bee Sting Fatal to Lifelong Beekeeper: Arthur Stacey, who would have been 63 last Friday, had a lifelong hobby of beekeeping and he devoted many enjoyable hours to it. Stacey had bronchial asthma which required regular treatment and he had, unknown to him and his family, developed an allergy to bee stings. It was the combination of those two things that led to tragedy.

'Rocky The Raccoon' Saved: Rocky Raccoon, found last week crumpled by a car on Rockaway Street, is being nursed back to health by Dog Officer Robert K. Orne and assistant William Purdin. Purdin held little hope for the animal when originally found. "I thought he would be dead by the time he got back here." "Rocky" now manages to take a few tipsy laps around his cage and will be released as soon as he can fend for himself.

Police Break Up Party of 500 on Green Street: Police from four communities accompanied by K-9 patrol dogs were pelted periodically with rocks and bottles as the dispersed a Saturday night Green Street party attended by an estimated 500 to 600 persons. Four were arrested but two others handcuffed and under arrest, police said, escaped and were still being sought on Monday.

It Looks Like Another Bad Year for Jellyfish: Those marine coelenterates if jellylike substance having umbrella-shaped bodies with trailing tentacles- sometimes called jellyfish - are coming back. And you'll be sorry to hear, they're probably going to be as bad this year as they were last summer, which was terrible. For fisherman it will be especially bad news as they pull their nets heavily laden with the slimy, ugly things that require so much extra labor for them.

Foes to Hit Plea for Parking Ban: Strong opposition is expected at tonight's Selectmen's hearing at 9 p.m. on a plan to create a fire lane on lower Washington Street by eliminating parking on the right side of the street, from Franklin to Mechanic Street.

Do you recognize any of these names, locations or events? Let us know in the comments section.