RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Massachusetts >> Essex County >> Rockport >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Rockport, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Rockport and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Rockport:
    • 42.655651, -70.620322
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Rockport
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Essex County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Essex County
    • Since Rockport is near Rockingham County and also Middlesex County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Rockingham County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Middlesex County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Rockport

Communities Also Named Rockport ...

We found 28 communities that are also named Rockport.

Within Massachusetts, the name Rockport is unique.

Beyond Massachusetts, we know of 28 communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these 28 communities, 26 are located in the United States and two are in Canada.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Arkansas
      • Hot Spring County
      • This Rockport is located in Hot Spring County and lies 1,321 miles [2,125.9 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hot Spring County community of Rockport.
    • California
      • Mendocino County
      • This Rockport is located in Mendocino County and lies 2,725 miles [4,385.5 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Mendocino County community of Rockport.
    • Colorado
      • Weld County
      • This Rockport is located in Weld County and lies 1,752 miles [2,819.6 km]<1> to the west of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Weld County community of Rockport.
    • Florida
      • Hillsborough County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Florida community of Rockport [Hillsborough County].
    • Illinois
      • Pike County
      • This Rockport is located in Pike County and lies 1,079 miles [1,736.5 km]<1> to the west of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pike County community of Rockport.
    • Indiana
      • Parke County
      • This Rockport is located in Parke County and lies 883 miles [1,421.1 km]<1> to the west of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Parke County community of Rockport.
      • Spencer County
      • This Rockport is located in Spencer County and lies 924 miles [1,487 km] to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Spencer County community of Rockport.
    • Kansas
      • Rooks County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Rockport [Rooks County].
    • Kentucky
      • Ohio County
      • This Rockport is located in Ohio County and lies 938 miles [1,509.6 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Ohio County community of Rockport.
    • Maine
      • Knox County
      • This Rockport is located in Knox County and lies 130 miles [209.2 km]<1> to the northeast of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Knox County community of Rockport.
    • Michigan
      • Alpena County
      • This Rockport is located in Alpena County and lies 657 miles [1,057.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Alpena County community of Rockport.
    • Mississippi
      • Attala County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Mississippi community of Rockport [Attala County].
      • Copiah County
      • This Rockport is located in Copiah County and lies 1,304 miles [2,098.6 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Copiah County community of Rockport.
    • New Brunswick
      • This Rockport lies 369 miles [593.8 km]<1> to the northeast of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
    • New Jersey
      • Sussex County
      • This Rockport is located in Sussex County and lies 224 miles [360.5 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sussex County community of Rockport.
      • Warren County
      • This Rockport is located in Warren County and lies 253 miles [407.2 km] to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Warren County community of Rockport.
    • Ohio
      • Allen County
      • This Rockport is located in Allen County and lies 699 miles [1,124.9 km]<1> to the west of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allen County community of Rockport.
      • Cuyahoga County
      • This Rockport is located in Cuyahoga County and lies 580 miles [933.4 km] to the west of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cuyahoga County community of Rockport.
      • Monroe County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Ohio community of Rockport [Monroe County].
    • Ontario
      • This Rockport lies 291 miles [468.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Carbon County
      • This Rockport is located in Carbon County and lies 289 miles [465.1 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Carbon County community of Rockport.
    • South Dakota
      • Hanson County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the South Dakota community of Rockport [Hanson County].
    • Tennessee
      • Benton County
      • This Rockport is located in Benton County and lies 1,036 miles [1,667.3 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Benton County community of Rockport.
    • Texas
      • Aransas County
      • This Rockport is located in Aransas County and lies 1,786 miles [2,874.3 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Aransas County community of Rockport.
    • Utah
      • Summit County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Utah community of Rockport [Summit County].
    • Washington
      • Skagit County
      • This Rockport is located in Skagit County and lies 2,450 miles [3,942.9 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Skagit County community of Rockport.
    • West Virginia
      • Wetzel County
      • This Rockport is located in Wetzel County and lies 555 miles [893.2 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wetzel County community of Rockport.
      • Wood County
      • This Rockport is located in Wood County and lies 621 miles [999.4 km] to the west southwest of the Rockport that is located in Essex County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wood County community of Rockport.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Rockport ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Bass Rocks
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Bass Rocks is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bass Rocks
  • Dogtown Commons ‑ Historic
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Dogtown Commons is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown Commons
    • Former names for Dogtown Commons:
    • Common Settlement
    • Dogtown
    • Dogtown Commons has also been known as:
    • Dogtown Village
  • Eden Square
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Eden Square is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden Square
  • Five Pound Island
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Five Pound Island is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Pound Island
  • Lands End
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Lands End is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lands End
  • Lanesville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lanesville is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesville
  • Ocean View
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Ocean View is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocean View
  • Pigeon Cove
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Pigeon Cove is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon Cove
  • Riverview
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverview is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
  • Riverview Landing
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverview Landing is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Landing
  • Rocky Neck
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rocky Neck is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Neck
  • Stonehaven ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Stonehaven is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonehaven

How Far From Rockport to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Rockport to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Rockport and extending to:

  • Salem, which is the Seat of Essex County, lies 16 miles [25.7 km]<1> to the southwest. If you could walk a straight line from Rockport to Salem, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of a day to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take five to six hours.
  • Boston, which is the State Capital of Massachusetts, lies 30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest (SW). The buggy would take just over a day and walking would take most of two days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 423 miles [680.8 km] to the southwest (SW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take most of a day, a buggy would take 17 days and walking would take 24 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,474 miles [8,809.5 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,181 miles [9,947.4 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,057 miles [6,529.1 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rockport) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Rockport could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<3>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Rockport, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Rockport to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Rockport. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.6557, Longitude: -70.6203       In this case, the coordinates for Rockport have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 303.666 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 299.274 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 300.219 degrees.