Tour My Town

Massachusetts This charming old coastal town north of Boston is the home of the famous Gloucester schooners and the birthplace of the fried clam, as Rene Syler learned in a recent visit. Read her report ... Ellen Attridge invited The Early Show to tour her hometown of Essex, Mass., and we were happy to take her up on it. Co-anchor Rene Syler took a look, as the "Tour My Town" series continued. If you'd like to visit as well, there are plenty of sources of information about this quaint, old seaside town. Visit Mass. online. Capeannvacations.com is a great source. The town's official Web site is loaded with resources. Burnham Boat Building was featured in Rene's story. So was Woodman's restaurant. Visit the Web site of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum. And check out Agawam Boat Charters. LOCATION:Essex, Mass. is about 25 miles north of Boston, and is bordered by the towns of Beverly, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Rockport, Topsfield, and Wenham. HISTORY:Shipbuilding was the primary industry in Essex, as attested to by the construction of over 4,000 schooners. Many of the schooners built in Essex were constructed for its neighbor, Gloucester. Essex was founded in 1819. Today, Essex attracts thousands of visitors to its many antique and specialty shops, fine dining establishments, and beautiful scenery. Tours of the river by boat and kayak continue to ensure its prominence in the life of the Town. FACTS:Covering 14.18 square miles, Essex has 3,267 people, some 230.39 people per square mile.