a bombing, suspected by police to be the work of strikers or someone invested in the strike, destroyed one of the company buildings inhabited by a John Nelson and six other workers who refused to join the strike. Fortunately, the workers were uninjured. Three Finns were arrested under suspicion of the crime. They later fled Rockport to avoid trial. Eventually, the Finns and their fellow strikers would win the right to a nine-hour work day and time-and-a-half for overtime work, and assurances that the company would not discriminate against any of the over 2,000 workers who participated in the strike. During the early years of the twentieth century, quarry workers would strike for other rights with the support of their unions, notably in 1902, 1908, and 1916. The quarries eventually closed down operations in the Great Depression. Two explanations are possible for the closing of the quarry—the introduction of new building materials such as poured concrete and quarry workers' continued movement for higher wages into the 1920s. Swedish and Finnish workers continued to work in the quarries until their closure, and have left a distinct mark on the cultural heritage of Rockport. Modern Rockport Today Rockport is primarily a suburban residential and tourist town, but it is still home to a number of lobster fishermen and artists. Its rocky beaches and seaside parks are a favorite place for tourists from the Greater Boston Area and Rhode Island among other places. Geography The town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 60.14%, is water. Rockport lies at the far eastern end of Cape Ann and is surrounded on three sides by water. There are three islands, Straitsmouth Island, Thacher Island, and Milk Island, which lie off the coast of Rockport and are part of the town. The town's shore is mostly rocky north of Lands End, but is somewhat less so south of there, as three of the town's six beaches are on this 1-1/4-mile stretch of shoreline. Rockport Harbor and Old Harbor, both near the center of town, provide deeper water in which boats may dock, which provides ocean access to the fishing community. The town's highest point is atop Pool Hill, which is surrounded by the town forest. The town's other protected areas include Halibut Point State Park & Reservation, the Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge, and the Knight Wildlife Reservation on Milk