WOODMANS OF ESSEX

The Fried Clam and the Start of a Yankee Tradition

Wondering how our New England seafood restaurant came into being?

IT BEGAN BACK IN 1914 when "Chubby" and Bessie Woodman opened their roadside clam shack on the causeway in Essex, MA.  At that time, the TV hadn’t been invented, the average yearly salary was $750, and a gallon of milk cost 32 cents.  WWI was just beginning, Babe Ruth was a rookie for the Red Sox, the fried clam hadn’t been created, and it took all day on a beach to cook a New England clambake.

Present management are 3rd and 4th generation family members.  Approximately 80 year round employees and up to 200 seasonally, at least 25 employed for over 30 years!