Seaside Massachusetts town where "Widow's Bay" was filmed revels in its success
Well-written humor and moments of horror helped propel Apple TV's "Widow's Bay" to a record 14 Emmy wins on Monday. But while the series is set in a fictional New England island community, many of its recognizable sights can be found just an hour north of Boston in Rockport, Massachusetts.
Much of the series was filmed around Cape Ann, in Gloucester and primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport, using existing historic facades and transforming other parts of the historic seaside town into the fictional Widow's Bay.
"It was filmed primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport and I think it really sets the tone, of if Widow's Bay was a real place that it might look just like [this]," said Maureen Barillaro, co-owner of the Dreamhouse Gallery and Boutique just feet away from buildings seen throughout season 1 of the series.
Her shop is filled with artwork made by her husband, Joe, who also worked on "Widow's Bay" as a scenic painter. The boutique now also includes merchandise with references to the hit series.
"We knew that it was something really special and interesting," Barillaro said of its filming last spring. "But to have it come here really brought a lot of excitement to everybody in town," she added. "We've already seen people coming here to Rockport because of 'Widow's Bay.'"
Fans have been recognizing familiar locations from the series. Emily Russo has been visiting Rockport for years with her family and said watching the show gave her a new perspective on a place she already knew well.
"It's amazing because we've been coming here since we were little and so has my dad and his parents, so we recognize a lot of the scenes," Russo said. "It used to be just like a little artist getaway and now it's becoming more touristy, but 'Widow's Bay' certainly puts it on the map."
Town officials are welcoming the added attention that's highlighting their historic town.
"We're really excited about the fact that this show has really taken off," Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira said.
Vieira said the show offers another opportunity for people to discover Rockport beyond the fictional curses portrayed in the series.
"We have immense beauty here in Rockport, and any way we can get people to see and experience what Rockport has to offer, it's a great thing," he said. "We've seen a lot of folks start to ask and when they come by, they say well where is the filming location, where can we go and see where 'Widow's Bay' was filmed and we direct them downtown. I've seen some flyers downtown for tours focused on 'Widow's Bay' so it is something that is gaining momentum in the area."
