Event to Feature Centennial Society of 100-year-old Vessels, Antique Boat Parade

Mystic, Conn. (July 10, 2015) —Mystic Seaport will hold its 40th annual Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous at Mystic Seaport Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26.

The event showcases high-quality antique vessels, including cruisers, sailboats, and runabouts. Approximately 50 classic vessels will create a colorful gathering along the Museum’s waterfront all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Visitors are invited to see the displayed vessels Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An award competition will recognize excellence in restoration, authenticity, and workmanship.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Rendezvous, the Mystic Seaport Centennial Society will be introduced. Gramp, an inductee into the first class of these 100-year-old vessels, will be featured this year. Designed by noted naval architect William Hand and built in 1915 by L. West and George Bonnell of Port Chester, NY, Gramp is an excellent example of the fast and seaworthy “Hand v-bottom” launches and runabouts that were plentiful in the decade before World War I.

The Museum will celebrate the anniversary on Saturday night, July 25, with “Docktails & Dancing” from 7 to 10 p.m. Guests will enjoy drinks, desserts, and dancing to live music by Rock and Soul Revue next to the water at Lighthouse Point. Tickets are $24 per person for members and $30 for non-members. A cash bar will be available. Tickets may be purchased by calling 860.572.5365.

The Rendezvous concludes Sunday at 12:30 p.m. with the traditional parade of the classic vessels down the Mystic River. Each boat will be announced on the shore at Mystic River Park as it passes through the iconic Mystic River Bascule Bridge. The boats then make their way down river to Fishers Island Sound in what has become a highlight of the Mystic summer season.

Mystic Seaport would like to give special thanks to Grundy Insurance and Dodson Boatyard of Stonington, CT, for their generous sponsorship of this event and their donation of time and expertise.

For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/event/antique-and-classic-boat-rendezvous-2/.

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The state-of-the-art Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $25 for adults and $16 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit  https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/  and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Special Event: “The Hunt for the Australia”, a Civil War Scavenger Hunt Sure to Delight All Ages

Mystic, Conn. (June 25, 2015) – Mystic Seaport and the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission will host one of the final Civil War encampments of the 150th anniversary July 18-19.  More than 200 uniformed reenactors from several states will set up camp on the Museum’s Village Green to carry out infantry drills, conduct artillery demonstrations, and engage in mock battle. Visitors will be able to see a wide variety of displays and speak with naval and civilian reenactors.

A highlight of the event will be a Civil War scavenger hunt with a Civil War theme, “The Hunt for the Australia.”

“This event offers visitors something extra, a real twist,” said Matt Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University and co-chair of the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission.  “Everyone loves a good mystery, and we’re providing an amazing story of a Confederate ship, the Australia, that was captured by Union forces and brought to Mystic. Inside the hold is a secret list that Confederates can’t allow to be found.”

The result: Rebel prisoners with a top-secret mission, a prison break, and a battle for control of the seaport.

“The Hunt for the Australia” will be a fun challenge for the entire family. Visitors will be tasked to track down the hidden clues, find evidence, interview soldiers and sailors, and locate the secret list. Special prizes will be awarded. “The scavenger hunt is something different,” says Warshauer, “and will add to our already outstanding Civil War exhibits and the truly authentic roles that our many reenactors perform.”

Dr. Glenn Gordinier, the Robert G. Albion Historian at Mystic Seaport, notes the Australia is a real vessel on exhibit at the Museum and may be the only surviving southern blockade runner still in existence. “These were ships that ran the Union blockade to provide supplies to the South during the war,” explains Gordinier. “Her present condition is mostly a skeleton of a ship, which makes her perfect for a mystery scenario.”

The Commemoration has been a four-year anniversary that is wrapping up this summer. Connecticut has been one of the most active states in the nation, holding hundreds of historical events and talks, all of which have highlighted Connecticut’s unique, historical importance during the Civil War. Warshauer states that “Connecticut has been a leader in recognizing New England’s role in the war and Mystic Seaport is a perfect place for us to begin the close of the Commemoration. It is one of the most important and fun history sites in New England and its 19th-century village is ideal for a Civil War event of this magnitude. There may never be another encampment quite like this one.”

The Civil War Encampment is made possible by a grant from Connecticut Humanities and the generous support of Travelers Insurance.

The encampment will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and is included in Museum admission. For more details on the event see the links below.

Links:
www.ccsu.edu/civilwar
mysticseaport.org/event/civil-war-encampment/

About the CCWCC
The CCWCC was created by Governor M. Jodi Rell in 2010 and directed to coordinate activities across Connecticut to commemorate the state’s involvement in the Civil War.  The Commission is co-chaired by Dr. Booker DeVaughn, president emeritus of Three Rivers Community College, and Dr. Matthew Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University. Members of the Commission include history and humanities professionals from across the state.

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum is located one mile south of exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $25 for adults and $16 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About Connecticut Humanities
Connecticut Humanities, a non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, provides opportunities to explore the history, literature and the vibrant culture that make our state, cities and towns attractive places to live and work. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.

Event is the Largest gathering of Wooden Boats and Watercraft on the East Coast 

Mystic, Conn. (June 17, 2015) — The largest gathering of wooden boats and enthusiasts in New England will converge at Mystic Seaport for the annual WoodenBoat Show Friday through Sunday, June 26-28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The WoodenBoat Show, hosted in a partnership with WoodenBoat Publications, offers something for all wooden boat enthusiasts and maritime history buffs. More than 100 traditional and classic wooden boats of every type will be on display, from hand-crafted kayaks to mahogany runabouts, to classic daysailers and schooners.

In addition to taking in the historic ships and beautiful boats, visitors can find everything they need to outfit their boat and learn new skills at demonstrations and workshops throughout the weekend. More than 100 exhibitors will offer items for sale including maritime art, antiques, tools, books, nautical gear, and much more.

Throughout the weekend, Mystic Seaport staff and guest experts will be conducting demonstrations of a variety of boat-building skills, including planking, fastening, caulking, laminating wood, and repairing plywood. Visitors can also try their hand at rowing or sailing a small boat at the Museum’s boat livery, or in one of the boats participating in the John Gardner Small Craft Workshop, which is run concurrently with the Show by the Traditional Small Craft Association.

Those interested in the construction of smaller boats can stop by the Family BoatBuilding activity in the Museum’s Shipyard, where families and teams will work to build their own pre-purchased kits, including stand-up paddleboards and remote-controlled sailboats, during the weekend. The kits are opened at 9 a.m. Friday morning and tools are put down around 3 p.m. Sunday, leaving, in most cases, a boat awaiting only final finish work. Some boats will be launched at the Show.

Other highlights include “I Built it Myself,” a display of home-built boats; a Concours d’Elegance, including Judges’ Choice, Innovation, and People’s Choice Awards; children’s toy boatbuilding; and all of the Mystic Seaport exhibits.

Museum admission provides access to both the WoodenBoat Show and Mystic Seaport. Admission is good for two days upon ticket validation

The WoodenBoat Show is produced by WoodenBoat Publications, Inc., which includes WoodenBoat magazine, Professional BoatBuilder magazine, the WoodenBoat Store, the WoodenBoat School, and the WoodenBoat Show. The WoodenBoat Show is an annual festival celebrating the design and craftsmanship of wooden craft.

More information can be found at www.thewoodenboatshow.com.  Tickets can be purchased in advance at mysticseaport.org/event/the-woodenboat-show/.

About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The state-of-the-art Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $25 for adults and $16 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free. For more information, please visit  https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/  and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.