Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) announced that Mystic Seaport will receive more than $149,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museums for America grant program to support the restoration of the 1908 wooden steamboat Sabino. Mystic Seaport will provide matching funds of more than $154,000 to complete the project. Courtney toured the Sabino this morning with Mystic Seaport President Steve White and Shipyard Director Quentin Snediker to view the restoration plan.
“The Sabino, a National Historic Landmark vessel, is an important historical artifact encapsulating part of the maritime history of New England. It is one of the last remaining wooden, coal-fired, operating steamboats in the country—providing a unique experience to visitors and tourists. This grant will help preserve that historic value for generations to come. I congratulate Steve White and the Mystic Seaport team on the most recent in a long line of successful restorations and exhibits that have rightly earned national recognition,” Courtney said.
“We are grateful for the support from the IMLS and the recognition of the importance of the work we do to preserve and share America’s maritime heritage through projects such as the Sabino restoration. Public support is crucial to our ability to fund this kind of work and carry out our mission,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White.
This year, IMLS received 521 applications for Museums for America grants. Of those, 202 projects were selected, totaling $20,207,105 in grants. Institutions receiving the awards are matching them with $29,946,584 in non-federal funds.
The 57-foot steamboat Sabino was built in Boothbay, Maine, by W. Irving Adams and was first operated on the Damariscotta River but spent most of her career ferrying passengers and cargo between Portland and islands in Casco Bay. This project will maintain the vessel’s historical integrity, and perpetuate knowledge, skills, and professional licensing necessary to operate a unique technological artifact of maritime history and culture.
