When driving by or walking near Fisherman’s Beach, onlookers might see three to six boats actively fishing. 

For Mike Gambale and John Ingalls, it’s a way of life. Generation after generation of fishermen have taken to the waters in Swampscott. The two called the group of fishermen a tight-knit family. 

It’s a different scene than 130 years ago. 

“The sad part is that this harbor was loaded with commercial fishermen back in the day,” Ingalls said.  “The problem has become that – and I don’t want to sound like I don’t care about nature – they won’t let us dredge because of eelgrass.”

Today, the Fish House still stands as a memory and memorial to the past. It’s the oldest active fish house in the country, and Friday, May 16 marks the 40th anniversary of the building’s listing on the National register of Historic Places.

“What makes the Fish House unique is the way that it gives us a moment in history, and it still hangs on here,” said Richard Smith, who is a part of the Historical Commission. “This is a relic of the evolution of Swampscott. The town really began as a fishing station in the early 17th century.”

The beach used to be lined with shacks. Fishermen stored their gear and nets. The Swampscott Dory, a flat-bottomed fishing boat, was designed to be launched off the beach. The lobster trap was invented there too. 

In the 19th century, plein air artists took their easels to the shore and painted the local fishermen and the waters.

“It was very picturesque,” Smith said. “If it lasted another 50 years, there probably would have been a preservation movement that said ‘oh don’t ever tear that down.’”

But the fishing shanties that dotted the Swampscott coastline didn’t fare too well with tourists. And so, in 1896 the Swampscott Fish House, designed by architect Henry Warren, was built at 391 Humphrey St. to provide a place for the fishermen. 

Today, the beach is mostly used for fishers along with some bathers.

“We’ve always been for respecting the community,” Gambale said. “I’m an advocate for keeping this place clean and this facility for everyone, anyone who wants to come to swim and bathe in.”

The Fish House is still used and kept up by the fishermen as well. There are 17 lockers, filled with tools and gear to be taken out to the sea. 

Gambale is known for the pristine condition he keeps his locker. There’s plenty of room to walk around, even as he’s preparing for lobster season. Traps are to one side. A whole shelf of cleaners stands on the other. In the back are freezers for Gambale’s fresh catches. 

A normal fishing day for Gambale usually starts around 4:30 a.m. He’s the first one out, Ingalls bragged. 

Around the corner of the Fish House is Ingalls’ storage, a bit smaller in size because he’s not out as often as Gambale. But there’s still everything he needs: hooks, coolers, ropes and more. 

Ingalls takes to his boats a bit later than Gambale. It’s closer to 7 a.m. when he’s ready to fish. 

The Fish House still has markings from its past too. There’s a pulley system when fishermen had to store their dories upstairs. There are windows that used to also hold a barometer for the seamen to know what pressures to expect for the day. 

And while the color of the building is back to its original brownish paint, Ingalls remembers painting the walls of the Fish House red during the summer while growing up.

Looking forward though, climate change is a leading challenge to the Fish House. Just a few yards away from the building, the three or so steps down to the beach in reality is part of a larger stairwell that now is covered by erosion and rising sea levels.

“There’s a real vulnerability to the Fish House because of climate change,” Smith said. “At some point we’re going to have to do something. What’re your options? You can try to make a building more waterproof. You could put a barrier around it, or you could raise it or relocate it.”

Gambale and Ingalls, however, don’t seem too worried. They mentioned the support they receive from the Department of Public Works as well as the ongoing efforts to fill out the sand. 

Ingalls also noted that while the Fish House may “need a little TLC,” the fishermen did find the perfect place to set up “where the waves really don’t get to it.” 

“We just want to keep the building maintained, and we’re trying to,” Gambale said. “In 1886, if the fishermen at the time didn’t have the wisdom or the insight to protect themselves, to protect their rights, this wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be here. So I want it to be here for a million generations after us.”