Harold Bell was born in Gloucester on August 17, 1914, to Molly Broder Bell and Morris Bell.  He graduated from Gloucester High School at the age of 16 in 1931.  He went to the University of Maine at Orono, for a year to study Forestry. He transferred to Yale University in New Haven Conn, and received a degree in economics in 1936. 

During the middle of the Depression Mr. Bell and his older brother bought the controlling shares of Cape Ann Manufacturing, a local company that made oilskins for fishermen. The company later became Mighty Mac. 

In 1939 he married Elizabeth “Betty” Dexter daughter of Marion Smith Dexter and Bayard Putnam Dexter of Orange, Mass.  They had six children Peter Dexter, John (former Mayor of Gloucester), Diana, David Christopher Smith ( J.J.), Holly, and Timothy Foster.  Mrs. Bell died at the Oakwood Nursing Home in Manchester By the Sea September 1, 2001 and Harold passed away at his home January 1, 2007 of a heart attack. 

Harold Bell played an integral part in the in the story of 20th century Gloucester. Part owner with his brother of Mighty Mac, Co-founder of the Cape Ann Symphony, trustee of the Cape Ann Savings Bank, active in the restoration of the West End, past president of Addison Gilbert Hospital, Harold was the worthy recipient of many awards for community service.  

It was his tenure as President of the Cape Ann Museum from 1979 - 2003 that capped his contribution to the cultural life of Gloucester.  Bell was a worthy successor to Alfred Mansfield Brooks (1940 - 1950) and E. Hyde Cox (1956 -1978). His personality, vision, political and fund-raising skills all produced a dramatic physical expansion of the museum. 

The acquisition of the former New England Telephone and Telegraph building in 1989 allowed for additional space for a maritime exhibition hall that included Howard Blackburn’s sloop Great Republic. On a lower level it gave room for a library and archival repository. In 2001, another gallery, the 20th century gallery, was built.  In that same year, work began on the Sculpture Garden and the Moose Hall was purchased for further expansion.  Harold Bell’s vision of an expanded museum was funded by an intensive membership drive (from 821 members in 1979 to over 2000 by 2004) as well as success in attracting grants and financial gifts. 

During his tenure years, the museum continued to acquire paintings and sculptures including a personal donation by Harold of a Fitz Henry Lane painting, Brace’s Cove.  It was also his friendship with Barbara Errkila that resulted in the permanent exhibit of the granite industry. 

The records and articles cover the tenure of Harold Bell’s presidency of the Cape Ann Museum, 1979 -2003.  It was his specific wish that they be given to the museum.  Some of the information comes from the years of his predecessor E. Hyde Cox (1956 - 1978) 

Box #1 

Folders 

1. Exhibition Catalogs: (3) Augustus Buhler 1983, Training the Eye and Hand, Fitz Hugh Lane 1993/94, Folly Cove Designers 1982, The Sculpture of Walker Hancock 1989, Max Kuehne 1997, George Demetrios 1996, Harbor Views (essay) 1992
2. Exhibition Catalogs: The Ipswich Painters at Home and Abroad 1983, (2) Frank Duveneck 1987, Mary Magna Maletskos 1995, Mother of Grace 1999, Rosamond Smith Bouve 1992/93, Stepping Out of the Frame 1994/95, On The Beach 1981
3. Exhibition Catalogs: Stephen Parrish 1985/86, Alfred Wiggin 1980, Corbino on Cape Ann 1995, Milton Avery on Cape Ann 1995, One Hundred Recent Acquisitions: Bernard Danenberg Galleries 1969, American Luminism: Coe Kerr Gallery 1978, Fitz Hugh Lane, Museum of Fine Arts 1972
4. Catalogs: Gloucester 1991, A Selection of Marine paintings by Fitz Hugh Lane 1965, Twatchman in Gloucester, Ira Spanierman gallery 1987.

Book: Gloucester Joe by Alan Crane 1943

Catalog: Paintings by Fitz Hugh Lane, National Gallery of Art Washington 1988

Catalog: Stuart Davis,  Salander, O’Reilly Galleries 1990 

Box #2 

Folders 

1. Correspondence re: Brace’s Rock, purchase by H. Bell, loans to museums for exhibitions 

2. Green Folder: Correspondence Folly Cove Design

Green Folder: Correspondence of E. Hyde Cox re: Fundraising, exhibits, Davis House

Correspondence: re: Charles Hopkinson 

3. Green Folder: Correspondence with exhibit of Milton Avery

Green Folder: Fund raising 

Green Folder: Judith McCulloch resume

Green Folder: A. Piatt Andrew

Green Folder: Martha Oaks Curator of CAHA 1980’s 

Box #3 

Folders

1. Correspondence re: George Harvey 1981, Bio re  George Harvey, Correspondence re Walker Hancock 2002, correspondence re: Nell Blaine 1993, correspondence re: Brace’s Rock, Lane painting 1970’s, Booklet: Braque, Memo: Disaster Plan for CAHA 1992, Guidebook: Davis House, Report: “The Old Fort and Ten Pound Island” Stephanie Buck 

2. Correspondence Mike Robbins re. Lane paintings, Essay: 100 Years on Cape Ann, Prospectus: Power Fishing Dory, Prospectus: Museum Cape Ann Maritime History, Project: Folly Cove Designers, Bio: re James McClellan, Correspondence: Sculpture Court 2004, Correspondence: Robert Pirie (gift), Essay: Bike Tour Inner Harbor. 

3. Essay: The Story of the Smoking Room Tabu, Essay: The Gloucester Summer of Great American Artists, Misc. Photos of Sterling Hayden, Cape Ann Festival of Arts, misc. correspondence, Report city owned art work 

Box #4 

Folders

1. Institute of Museum Services 

2. Application-volunteers 1986, Ipswich Painters 1993, Our Lady of Good Voyage, Correspondence: National Park System for 250,000 grant 1991 

3. Correspondence: James O’Gorman 1988-94, Folder Sea Serpent 1980, folder correspondence with Nelson Goodman re: works of Charles Hopkinson and Katherine Sturgis 1996, correspondence re: Babson Historical Association 1977, correspondence: sons of George Demetrios 1996, correspondence re: Talk by E.Hyde Cox on Emily Dickinson 

4. Henry Ferrini: Prospective on Gloucester 2000, Reports on annual meetings 1980’s/90’s, wrapped magazine “Antiques” April 1980 showing Brace’s Rock 

Box #5 

Folders 

1. Folder re: Yale and Paint Factory 2006, Brochure: Comenos Fine Arts: Artists of Cape Ann 1990 Series 1, manila envelope/writing paper CAHA 

2. Correspondence with Chris Rhodes re: sale of property (Federal and Elm) 1998, Lists of Cape Ann Artists (1) in museum (2) not in Museum, folder re: teacher material for CAHA, folder re: Long range planning for CAHA 1980’s, Folder re: Fitz H. Lane Symposium 1988 

3. Book: Museums For A New Century, 1986, article Blackburn Sloop 1992, article: Self Portrait Fitz H. Lane 1916, folder: Policy statements Collection Committee, folder Guidebook duties for museum personal 

Box #6 

Folders 

1. Folder re: Sale and proposed development of Brown Building 1996, notes: evaluation of CAHA 2006, Planning study for fund raising, folder: Fitz H. Lane Symposium 1988 

2. Folder re: Building plans and expenses 1990/01 

Video tapes: Shores of Light, Gloucester’s Adventure, Poet and the City: Charles Olson, Breakthrough: A Portrait of Aristides Demetrios 

Box #7 

Folders 

1. Correspondence re: Frank Duveneck exhibit, review of Marsden Hartley exhibit 1985, Review of Stephen Parrish exhibit 1985.

2. Folder: membership drive and party, article Paul Kenyon on CAHA 1979, instructions: cleaning silver, Invitation to CAHA membership for H. Bell, Stories of hardships of Gloucester fishermen, Deed of gift Walker Hancock 1987, misc. correspondence, art galleries, guide lines for user fees 1982

3. Misc. correspondence, letter Hyde Cox to Joe Garland (no date), correspondence: Elizabeth Bryden re: 7000 gift for Al Duca statue, proposal: Howard Blackburn exhibit, list of paintings on loan 1987, list of wall paintings, Obit: Walker Hancock Gloucester times December 31, 1998, prospectus: Cape Ann Museum, Museum (CAHA) aims/management plan 1981/82

4. Elizabeth Alling: History of CAHA and the Babson/ Alling House, manuscript: Hyde Cox  Davis House (museum), “195 years of  Banking in Gloucester” by Henry McCarl, partial manuscript pages E. Hyde Cox, Various pamphlets on CAHA, History of the painted seine boat oars, Bio of A. Piatt Andrew. 

5. Article on Cape Ann Manufacturing Co. ( Mighty Mac), article “Gloucester” by Molly Ziergiebel, pamphlet: History of CAHA 1952, article “White Houses and Gardens” by Alfred Mansfield Brooks, Retirement speech by A.M. Brooks 6/5/51, correspondence: Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Box #8 

Folders

1. Correspondence: Barbara Erkkila Granite Industry 1995, Application for grant, Kresge Foundation 1991, narratives: History of CAHA 1991, Grants received 1980’s/1990’s, donated gifts 1980’s/1990’s 

2. Correspondence: Construction of gallery addition 2001, correspondence: re: War Memorial (Walker Hancock) 2000, correspondence re: Stephen Salisbury Tuckerman (1830-1904), gifts to CAHA 2000

3. CAHA publications for exhibits 

1981: On the Beach 

1983/84: The Artist as Historian by Augustus W. Buhler 

1998: Bernard Chaet: Cape Ann Landscapes 

1986: 2 copies Stephen Parrish 

1980: The Portraits and Landscapes of Alfred J. Wiggin 

1985: 2 copies Annual Report 

1989: Gloucester at Mid Century: The World of Fitz H. Lane 

1983 Photographs by Eben Parsons 

1989: The Sculpture of Walker Hancock 

1986: William Meyrowitz and Theresa Bernstein 

1994: Stepping Out Of The Frame  

1994: Training The Eye and The Hand, Fitz H. Lane (2copies) 

1998: Fish Stories 

4. Pamphlets: Brookgreen Gardens, design for sculpture garden, Environmental site assessment Moose Lodge, Blue folder: Collection and evaluation of Hyde Cox by Landry Appraisers, inventory of furniture evaluation by Skinner 

5. E. Hyde Cox: manuscript Davis House, negatives, article “So Seedy”, Early history Gloucester University of Exeter 1998, “The Legacy of Cape Ann” Judith McCulloch 1994, Correspondence: Laura Estabrook Poirier 1998