Page 68 – Mystic Seaport Museum

WoodenBoat Show Sails into Mystic Seaport June 28-30

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 6, 2013

Event Hosted in Partnership with WoodenBoat Publications

Mystic, Conn. (June 6, 2013) — 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 28-30, 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 sailboats and schooners.

A special feature this year will be six newly-built whaleboats for the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan. The boats are part of a 10-boat national project to construct replica whaleboats to be carried onboard the ship on her 38th Voyage in 2014. Organizations from around the country are building the 28-foot long open boats for Mystic Seaport. The boats at the show will be from the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia; New York City’s Rocking the Boat; Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway of Vineyard Haven, MA; Beetle Boat Shop of Wareham, MA; the New Bedford Whaling Museum; the Great Lakes Boat Building School in Cedarville, MI; and The Apprenticeshop of Rockland, ME. The Apprenticeshop builders plan to sail and row their boat from Maine to Mystic over the course of five days.

During the weekend, the Morgan will be located on the Museum’s lift dock over the Mystic River in preparation for her launch on July 21. Visitors will be able to view the exposed hull and go on board.

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 vendors will offer items for sale including maritime art, antiques, tools, books, nautical gear, and much more.

Those interested in the construction of smaller boats can stop by the Family BoatBuilding tents, where families and teams will work to build their own boat during the weekend. Purchased 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 events include the return of “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.

A tribute dinner to honor Steve White of Brooklin Boat Yard and Taylor Allen of Rockport Marine will be hosted by WoodenBoat magazine in the Museum’s Boat Shed at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Tickets for the dinner may be purchased until the morning of June 24 by calling the WoodenBoat Store at 800.273.7447 or online at the WoodenBoat Store (http://www.woodenboatstore.com). Dinner tickets are $40 and seating is limited for this event.

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 and ticket sales can be found at www.thewoodenboatshow.com.

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 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, the oldest American commercial vessel still afloat. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

News

New Mystic Seaport Website

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 4, 2013

We are pleased to announce the arrival of a new Mystic Seaport website. With help from all areas of the Museum, the site has fresh photos, an enhanced calendar of events, more news and My Trip–a personal organizer for planning your next visit. Here’s a quick tour:

New home page image gallery.
Extra-deep main menus, so you can explore the whole Museum just by pointing at them on any page.
Quick access to the information you need to plan your visit: Today’s Schedule and all the logistics–Directions, Hours and Admission.
My Trip, a personal visit planner. As you’re browsing the website, you can use the “Add to My Trip” buttons to save locations and events that you don’t want to miss. Come back to My Trip at any time to view, print or share your plan with others.
The events calendar. The news from Mystic Seaport. And, maritime history news from around the world.
Connect, a constantly updated view of Mystic Seaport on the web–in the news, on blogs, on Twitter and Facebook.

We hope you enjoy the new site, and we look forward to seeing you at the Museum.

Charles W. Morgan News News

Ric Burns to Speak at Launch

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 4, 2013

Ric Burns, the award-winning documentary filmmaker, will deliver the keynote address at the launch of the Charles W. Morgan at Mystic Seaport on July 21, 2013. The National Historic Landmark ship has been undergoing a comprehensive restoration since November, 2008. She will be launched and returned to the water in a public ceremony that begins at 2 p.m.

Burns is best known for his acclaimed series New York: A Documentary Film, a sweeping chronicle of the city’s history, which garnered several honors, including two Emmy Awards and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award. Burns’ career began with the celebrated series The Civil War, which he produced with his brother, Ken Burns, and co-wrote with Geoffrey C. Ward. In 1991, Ric founded Steeplechase Films and has since written and directed a number of award-winning films for PBS, including Coney Island, The Donner Party, The Way West, Eugene O’Neill, and Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film. Burns most recently finished Death and the Civil War, a film based on the best-selling book This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by acclaimed historian and Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust. In 2010, Burns wrote, produced, and co-directed for American Experience a film about the history of the whaling industry, Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World.

Mystic Seaport President Steve White said, “We are honored to have Ric Burns serve as the keynote speaker at our launch ceremony. His extensive knowledge of American history and the role whaling plays in it will help us articulate the importance of the Charles W. Morgan in our nation’s maritime experience.

The Morgan is the oldest American commercial ship still in existence. The 113-foot vessel was built and launched in New Bedford in 1841 and had a whaling career that lasted 80 years and 37 voyages that spanned the far reaches of the globe. The ship came to Mystic Seaport in 1941. More than 20 million people have walked her decks since she arrived.

The launch is a key milestone in her restoration, which has been carried out at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at the Museum. Once back in the water, work will continue with the installation of her spars and rigging, additional interior carpentry, and preparation for her 38th Voyage to begin in May, 2014. The Voyage will take the ship back to sea on a tour to historic ports in New England, including New London, Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, Provincetown, and Boston. Each port visit will include an interactive dockside program designed to inspire excitement and interest in America’s maritime heritage. The ship will also sail through the whale-watching grounds of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to recognize the changing relationship of mankind to the whale.

Charles W. Morgan News News

MORGAN Shed Removal

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 4, 2013

Have you visited the Shipyard to see the Charles W. Morgan lately? Now is a good time. Last month the plastic cover was removed from the scaffolding and now the majority of the shed has also been removed, providing optimal viewing of the whaleship before she returns to the water on July 21.

Though removing the plastic cover and shed took many hours, you can watch the process in a little over a minute thanks to the skill of our Film & Video Department. You’ll also see a majority of the Morgan‘s hull being painted, too. Enjoy!

Charles W. Morgan News News

The Shutter Plank

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 4, 2013

Final Spike — Shipyard staff member Sean Patrick Kelly drives the final golden spike on the shutter plank.

Shipwrights at Mystic Seaport installed the final plank on the hull of the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan on Friday, May 10. Known as the shutter plank because it “shuts in” and completes the hull, the achievement is traditionally a moment of celebration in the shipbuilding process.

The 20-foot long plank of yellow pine was placed on the port side quarter of the hull near the waterline. It was steamed for several hours prior to installation to make it flexible, lifted into position, and spiked in place. Each member of the Shipyard crew working on the restoration signed the plank.

The last spike used to fasten the plank was gold-plated to mark the occasion. F. M. Callahan & Son of Malden, Mass. donated the plating. Company president Eric Jackin presented the 10-inch long fastener to the Museum in an informal ceremony Friday afternoon.

”This moment is a milestone in the continuing voyage of the Charles W. Morgan. The shutter plank is just one small part of the ship’s fabric, but it is emblematic of all the parts, and of all the people, that are coming together to take the ship back to sea for her 38th Voyage in 2014,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White.

Crowd — Visitors and Museum staff watch as the shutter plank is maneuvered into position.

The Morgan has been undergoing a comprehensive restoration in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard since November 2008. The project addresses significant structural issues in the hull below the waterline and in the bow and stern. While the shutter plank marks the end of principle hull restoration, Museum shipwrights must finish caulking, fairing, and painting the hull prior to launch.

The ship is scheduled to be launched on Sunday, July 21 at 2 p.m. in a public ceremony in the Shipyard. Once back in the water, the Morgan will remain berthed at the Museum’s lift dock through the completion of the project. The shipwrights need to build and restore many peripheral details, build and restore spars, and restore and install the rig. With rare exception, the ship will remain accessible to visitors to board and explore.

Once the restoration is complete in late May 2014, the Morgan will embark on a ceremonial 38th Voyage to historic ports in New England to celebrate the importance of America’s maritime heritage. After a period of refitting and sea trials based in New London, Conn., the ship will sail to Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, Provincetown, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and Boston. She will also participate in the centennial celebration of the Cape Cod Canal.

News

Collections Research Center Solar Installation

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date June 3, 2013

In November of 2011 Mystic Seaport entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Altus Power to construct a solar array on the roof of the Museum’s Collections Research Center building. Over the past 18 months Altus Power has been working to secure the approvals and permits necessary to construct the system. By December of last year all of the approvals were in place. Construction began in January 2013 and was completed in April 2013. The system was inspected and approved by Connecticut Light & Power and came online May 21, 2013.

The system consists of 963 solar panels connected by over 4 miles of wire. The system has a design capacity of 200 kilowatts. This equates to about 20% of the annual electrical demand of the Collections Research Center.

How it Works

Every minute, enough of the sun’s energy reaches the earth to meet the world’s energy demand for one year. Solar modules are comprised of a number of solar cells. Light is absorbed by the semi conductors located inside the solar cells and converted into electrical energy. This process generates direct current (DC) electricity which is routed to an inverter. The inverter converts the electricity generated by the solar modules into alternating current (AC). AC is the form of electricity used in lighting and heating and cooling systems.

In many instances the power generated by the system exceeds the building demand and the excess power is sold back to the power company. Since the electrical requirements of the Rossie Mill are so high, our generation capacity will never exceed our demand. Therefore all of the electricity we generate will be consumed on site.

We have installed a real time system monitor in the Treworgy Planetarium. Please feel free to stop in on your next visit to Mystic Seaport and witness the system at work.

Press Releases

Mystic Seaport to Host 34th Annual Sea Music Festival June 6-9

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date May 23, 2013

Musicians from Around the Globe Gather to Celebrate Maritime Traditions

Mystic, Conn. (May 23, 2013) — Musicians from around the world will come to Mystic Seaport to celebrate the musical traditions of the Golden Age of Sail at the 34th annual Sea Music Festival, Thursday through Sunday, June 6-9.

The weekend’s festivities include concerts, a storytelling stage, instructional workshops, folk dancing, and a scholar’s symposium. The Festival is the premier sea music event in North America.

In addition to the Mystic Seaport Chantey Staff, scheduled performers include the Sicilian group AcquAria, Kapriol’! from The Netherlands, and Australia’s Danny Spooner. Sara Grey, recognized as one of the finest traditional performers ever, will appear with her son Kieron Means, and the group OCEAN Celtic from Washington DC, will entertain with their unique blend of Celtic and folk based on the research of two members who work at the Library of Congress Archive of Folk Culture.

A special appearance will be made on Thursday night by the Polish group Sasiedzi (“the Neighbors”), a quintet that carries on a sea chantey craze that first emerged in that country under Communism. Overall, more than 20 individuals and groups will perform at the Festival.

Returning this year is a storytelling stage co-sponsored by the Connecticut Storytelling Center and an evening sea music “contra dance,” a style of partnered folk dancing traditional to New England. The storytelling stage will feature gifted storytellers from throughout the region, who will entertain the audience with original stories and folktales from a wide range of sources. The Museum’s Wendell Building will host the stage on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The contra dance will be held Saturday evening from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Mystic German Club’s Frohsinn Hall, located directly across the street from the Museum’s main entrance on Route 27. There is an $8 admission fee for the dance.

In addition, the annual Music of the Sea Symposium, hosted in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the University of Connecticut at Avery Point, will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 7-8. The Symposium, which features presentations of themed papers by some of the country’s leading maritime music scholars, explores the interaction between sea, music and song. The Friday session will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at McAllister Hall Auditorium on the Coast Guard Academy campus and is free to the public. The Symposium continues Saturday from 9:30 a.m.to 12 p.m. at the Greenmanville Church on the grounds of Mystic Seaport. Museum admission is required. For further details and a list of Symposium presenters and topics, visit mysticseaport.org/smfsymposium.

All workshops and daytime concerts in the Festival are included in regular Mystic Seaport admission. Museum admission is good for two days upon ticket validation (visit must be made within one week of purchase date). Special tickets are required for evening concerts and can be purchased by calling 860.572.0711, or at the Museum’s main entrance. Weekend passes are also available. College students will be admitted into the Festival for the youth rate upon presentation of a current student ID.

For more information, including ticket packages, musicians’ bios, and a schedule of performances, visit mysticseaport.org/seamusicfestival.

This event is made possible by the Friends of the Sea Music Festival, who raise funds each year to generously support sea music at Mystic Seaport.

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 $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-17. Museum members and children 5 and under are admitted free.

News Press Releases

Civil War Reenactors to Set Up Camp

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date May 15, 2013

Visitors can Watch as they Conduct Drills, Demonstrate Artillery, and March in Parade

Mystic, Conn. (May 15, 2013) — Most people don’t know it, but a major part of the Civil War was fought along the East Coast, as the Union tried to blockade the South to cut off its trade with Europe. On June 1 and 2, you can see a reenactment of how those Union sailors lived and how they prepared for battle when you come to Mystic Seaport for a Civil War Naval Encampment – the first ever in Connecticut.

More than 150 uniformed reenactors from several states will set up camp on the Museum’s village green to carry out infantry drills, conduct artillery demonstrations, and march in a dress parade. Visitors can talk with them about life in the Union Navy 150 years ago.

“You’ve never seen anything like this,” said Matt Warshauer, professor of history at Central Connecticut State University and co-chair of the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission. “This Mystic Seaport encampment is a one-of-a-kind event that will help everyone learn about the role of Union ships and Union sailors in winning the war by blockading the South and carrying out naval operations.”

During the encampment, visitors can see two Civil War vessels at Mystic Seaport: The Hunley, a replica of the Confederate submarine that was the first to sink another warship, and the Australia, believed to be the only surviving schooner of the type Confederates used to run those Union blockades.

At 1 p.m. on both days, visitors will see a Civil War homecoming, as reenactors disembark from the steamboat Sabino, the last wooden coal-fired steamboat still in operation in America. A welcoming crowd will greet the sailors at the pier, and they’ll proceed to the village green to hear speeches from reenactors portraying President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells, and Connecticut Governor William Buckingham.

“We all know about the great land battles of the Civil War, like Gettysburg and Antietam,” said Warshauer. “But not many people know how the Union Navy helped win the war. And there are some great stories to hear. For example, Warshauer said, in 1865, Admiral David Dixon Porter landed over 2,000 sailors and marines to storm the sea face of Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, N.C.

“Admiral Porter’s sailors were armed only with pistol and cutlass, and his naval force was outgunned and repulsed. But the attack succeeded because the rebel defenders thought the seaside landing was the main thrust, so they rushed to that side of the fort. They never saw the much larger Union army approaching down the peninsula until it was too late.”

“The Navy is often forgotten when it comes to Civil War history, despite the critical – if not decisive – role played by the fleet,” said Chuck Veit, president of the Navy & Marine Living History Association and a member of the U.S. Naval Landing Party. “The Mystic Seaport encampment is one of the nation’s very few living history events devoted to the Navy.”

The reenactors come from all over the East Coast, representing the U.S. Naval Landing Party, the Tidewater Maritime Living History Association, the USS Lehigh, the USS Port Royal Marine Guard, the 8th, 11th, and 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and the Connecticut 2nd Heavy and Light artilleries.

Mystic Seaport has joined with the Connecticut Civil War Commemoration Commission (CCWCC) to host this event. It’s the third major encampment held by the CCWCC. More than 5,000 people attended a similar event at New Britain’s Stanley Quarter Park in 2011, and 5,000 more attended another such event at Manchester’s Wickham Park in 2012.

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

The encampment will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Museum admission is required, although admission is good for both days with validation.

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 Connecticut Humanities

Connecticut Humanities (CTH) is a non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that funds, creates and collaborates on hundreds of cultural programs across Connecticut each year. Connecticut Humanities brings together people of all ages and backgrounds to express, share and explore ideas in thoughtful and productive ways. From local discussion groups to major exhibitions on important historical events, CTH programs engage, enlighten and educate. Learn more by visiting www.cthumanities.org.

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 $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free.

Press Releases

Mystic Seaport Installs Final Plank on the Charles W. Morgan

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date May 10, 2013

Museum Reaches Milestone in Restoration of the National Historic Landmark Vessel

The Morgan is the oldest commercial vessel in the United States and the last whaleship of a fleet that once numbered more than 2,700. During her 80-year whaling career the ship sailed on 37 voyages that spanned the globe. Retired in 1921, the ship had a brief movie career and then became a historical attraction in the New Bedford area. Needing a new home, the ship came to Mystic Seaport in 1941 where she has remained as the flagship of the Museum’s watercraft collection. She was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967.

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 $24 for adults and $15 for children 6-17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

Press Releases

Maritime Gallery to Open 34th Annual Spring Exhibition and Sale April 21

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date April 17, 2013

Modern Marine Masters to Feature Leading Contemporary Maritime Artists

The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is proud to open its 2013 season with the 34th Annual Spring Exhibition and Sale, Modern Marine Masters, on Sunday, April 21. The exhibition celebrates the timeless beauty of the sea and ships with contemporary art created by award-winning artists from around the globe.

On display will be original paintings, drawings, sculpture, scrimshaw and models from more than 50 of today’s leading maritime artists.

Each of these contemporary masters continues the tradition of preserving and celebrating the art of the sea by transferring his or her experience into a vivid and visual expression, one that may evoke a mood, record an important moment in maritime history, or capture the timeless challenge of the sea.

More than 75 works of art will be exhibited and available for purchase. Featured artists include Neal Hughes, Sergio Roffo, Russ Kramer, Cindy Baron, Len Mizerek, Don Demers, Patrick O’Brien and Loretta Krupinski.

“This invitational show represents some of the most exciting maritime art being created today and is a must-see for lovers of art that portrays the maritime experience,” said Jeanne Potter, director of the Maritime Gallery.

Modern Marine Masters will be open through June 9, 2013. The entire exhibition can be viewed online at mysticseaport.org/gallery.

The Maritime Gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, please call the Maritime Gallery at 860.572.5388 or email gallery@https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/.

About the Maritime Gallery

The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport is the nation’s foremost gallery specializing in contemporary marine art and ship models. For more than 30 years, the Gallery has been privileged to exhibit the works of leading international maritime artists. Located at historic Mystic Seaport, the Gallery overlooks the beautiful Mystic River attracting art lovers and collectors from around the world. For more information, please visit mysticseaport.org/gallery.

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