Premier Maritime Scholars Aid in the Morgan Restoration Project

Fourteen of the nation’s leading maritime scholars, historians, and advisors visited Mystic Seaport January 12-13, 2012 to assist in development of exhibit and programming for the Charles W. Morgan and her groundbreaking 38^th Voyage. Set for the summer of 2014, the much-anticipated voyage of the last wooden whaleship in the world will include visits at historic ports of call along the northeastern seaboard.

Mystic Seaport Shipyard Director Quentin Snediker (in yellow) discusses the Morgan project with scholars.

The two-day charrette was made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Bridging Cultures Grant and was awarded to the Museum for its “In the Wake of the Whalers” program. Feedback from NEH reviewers has been quite positive for the program and its four key humanities themes: 1) The Cultural Crossroads of Globalization (cultural crosspollination), 2) Profit from the Deep (economic endeavors), 3) The American Sailor: Making an Icon (American identity), and 4) Thar She Blows: From Whale Hunt to Whale Watch (changing perceptions of the natural world).

Snediker and scholars visit the Morgan's hold.

Visiting scholars worked with Museum staff in the development of the program’s sub-themes, confirming that they are consistent with the best recent scholarship in the fields of maritime history, literature, art, and history of science.  Mystic Seaport plans to match each subtheme to the best delivery system to maximize audience impact and understanding. Ultimately, the Museum will ensure that intellectual and research-grounded content is consistently strong across all formats and outcomes. Charrette results will move the Museum forward towards implementation of its final onsite, online, and onboard programming concepts.

Consulting scholars, historians, and advisors included:

• Jeff Bolster, Associate Professor of History at the University of New Hampshire
• D. Graham Burnett, Professor, History Department and Program in History of Science at Princeton University
• Stuart Frank, Director Emeritus of the Kendall Institute and Senior Curator at New Bedford Whaling Museum
• Lisa Norling, Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Minnesota
• Joe Roman, Conservation Biologist
• Helen Rozwadowski, Associate Professor of History and Maritime Studies Coordinator at the University of Connecticut
• Tim Runyan, Special Project Assistant in the Maritime Heritage Program for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration
• Elizabeth Schultz, Professor Emerita in the Department of English at the University of Kansas
• Nancy Shoemaker, Professor of History at the University of Connecticut
• Julie Winch, Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts, Boston
• Revell Carr, Assistant Professor at the School of Music, Theater and Dance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Karen Jamison Wizevich, Ph.D. in Architecture/Museum Studies from Victoria University, New Zealand
• Jamie L. Jones; Professor of American Literature and Writing at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
• Jason Mancini, Senior Researcher at Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center.

For more information regarding the Morgan’s restoration, or to find out how you can help support the project, please visit www.mysticseaport.org/charleswmorgan.

‘Tis the Season to be Jolly…Especially at Mystic Seaport!

Once the calendar flips to December, too many of us flip out over what to buy for whom, how to keep the real meaning of Christmas in focus, how to make the season special in some unique way. Well, my friends, Mystic Seaport has the answer to all those dilemmas.

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First of all, let’s tackle the gift question. The Museum’s Maritime Gallery has a wonderful sale of discounted Maritime Miniatures by Maritime Masters going on through December 23 (5% discount for members and a 10% discount for Gallery patrons). A painting would be a beautiful and unique surprise for someone special on your list.

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Right next door, the Museum Store is a one-stop shopping reservoir of gifts for all ages, both upstairs and downstairs. Check out the new “ornament of the year,” a small light-weight version of a deck prism, common on ships of old.  It would be a perfect addition to your own tree or as a unique hostess gift. The heavier paper weight in either the prism style or new rectangular design is a cool gift for men or women.  Redundant as it may be, ‘unique’ is really the best description of all Museum Store merchandise.

Deck prisms come in a variety of colors.

Want a gift that keeps on giving year ‘round? Then Mystic Seaport membership is the way to go. With unlimited free Museum admission for a year plus numerous members-only perks, opportunities and advantages, this is a great gift anyone would love to find in their Christmas stocking. Different levels of membership include individual, dual, family or grandparent, and all are tax-deductible.

Give the gift of Membership!

Perhaps you aren’t looking for a tangible gift, but rather a holiday experience to share with your family and friends. Here are a few ideas that will guarantee you wonderful memories for years to come:

• Lantern Light Tours – A New England holiday tradition that captures the essence of the holiday spirit in a dramatic, 19th-century  way. Tickets available at www.mysticseaport.org/tickets.
• Christmas by the Sea – Discover what a 19^th-century Christmas was truly like.
• Community Carol Sing - Sunday, 3 p.m. December 19:  Free admission to Mystic Seaport with a canned good donation for charity. Join the Mystic Seaport carolers and brass quartet in songs of the season.  Great fun and camaraderie!
• Prepare to be awestruck by the splendor of the winter skies in a special, free  Treworgy Planetarium show, “The Star of Bethlehem.”

So there you have it. Mystic Seaport has solved all your holiday dilemmas.  Relax. Enjoy. And most of all, happy holidays!

Blog posted by Trudi Busey.

Meet Marelda Hart, Director of Lantern Light Tours at Mystic Seaport

This week the spotlight – or perhaps we should say, the lantern light – shines on Marelda Hart, Supervisor of Interpreters at Mystic Seaport. Marelda’s main focus right now is directing the Museum’s Lantern Light Tours for the fifth consecutive year. The tours are just one of many activities and events involving roleplayers and interpreters, and supervising such a diverse portfolio of people and events is a huge responsibility. It is Marelda’s combination of experience, optimism and open-door management style that makes it all work, with the Museum visitor ultimately the beneficiary.

1. How long have you worked at Mystic Seaport?
MH: Since 1984, although it wasn’t full-time until 1998. When I began working at Mystic Seaport, it was a far cry from the pediatric nurse practitioner I had been in California, but I was intrigued with all the new opportunities here at the Museum. After my first year in Interpretation, I developed my role-playing character of Dr. Marelda Louise Wiley, using my grandmother’s name. The research in 19th-century medicine was made possible by my knowledge of 20th-century medicine. The next year I joined Squad, which opened still more doors for me, like sailing several square-rig vessels and owning a passenger schooner. Since my very first day on the job, it has been a fun, exciting, educational journey for me.

Marelda Hart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. What’s the best part of your job?
MH: I’m going to copycat others who have said their co-workers are the best part of their job. It’s true; there’s an indefinable something. Both paid and volunteer staff seem to have a mutual fondness, passion and sense of caring for our Museum. It’s evident as well in the numerous interactions I have with different departments and department heads. I’ve concluded it’s a special kind of person who chooses to work at Mystic Seaport.

3. What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
MH: People can be both a delight and a challenge – often at the same time! I really do enjoy talking with all our talented, dedicated staff. There are three important steps I go through regularly when confronting different challenges: listen, formulate a solution and find a way to implement the solution. I keep an open mind, an open ear and an open office door. As a result, any discussion regarding discontent, concerns or problems usually ends on a positive note. Also, insufficient time to do everything is always a challenge.

4. What’s the funniest or most notable on-job experience you’ve had?
MH:  I never could have imagined in California, when I got my pilot’s license and became certified as a PNP, that I would eventually work in a maritime museum! It’s notable for me that I have the good fortune to work in an environment that fulfills my love of history, drama and the sea. Speaking of drama, with Lantern Light Tours on the horizon, I do recall something that happened in one of our previous years. Each year a ginger cookie is offered to the public as part of the story. This one year, unfortunately, an elderly woman who was being escorted by her son, tripped and fell and was taken by ambulance to the hospital to be checked out for any serious injury. Her son managed to rejoin the group and asked worriedly, “Did I miss the cookies?” It’s the little things that mean a lot, I guess!

5. What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
MH: My dog, Barnacle, insists on going for walks, but when he’s not badgering me to take him, I enjoy reading, photography, writing poetry and quilting. I have five children – three daughters and two sons – and three granddaughters, two of whom are junior firefighters with their dad in the Dunn’s Corners Fire Department. There are just not enough hours in a day to do all the things I love to do!

Marelda was interviewed by volunteer, Trudi Busey. Photo by Dennis Murphy.

The Holidays…They’re on our Doorstep.

It seems as though we just kissed summer goodbye, but already the parade of holidays has begun. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas – all marching in double time toward a new year. I wish it would all slow down!
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But alas – each year it seems pumpkins and corn mazes, school plays about  pilgrims and Indians sharing a feast and artificial Christmas trees for sale make their debut earlier and earlier. As CBS news commentator Walter Cronkite used to say, “…and that’s the way it is.”

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 A little true confession here; I’ve bought into it! For weeks now, mums and pumpkins have graced my front stoop; we’ve already told family members we’ll host Thanksgiving dinner this year and, much to my own chagrin, I  found myself checking out the price on a small artificial Christmas tree at Lowe’s.

Mystic Seaport is really into it all as well with Nautical Nightmares currently inviting folks to spooky evenings of drama, but also offering a lighter side of Halloween with a pumpkin carving contest, an early eve Jack-O’-Lantern Walk and a trick-or-treat event in our Museum village.

Are you ready for our spooky Nautical Nightmares?!

 If you’re not hosting Thanksgiving dinner at home, you might want to consider making a reservation for Latitude 41°’s grand buffet. A stroll along the waterfront before or after your meal would be delightful on a cool crisp Thanksgiving Day, don’t you agree?

 Next up…Lantern Light Tours. This annual event is a favorite with families and really lights up the holiday spirit. This year’s presentation, “The Carpenter,” promises to be another crowd pleaser. And just a heads up – tickets sell out fast, so make your plans now to assure getting yours.

Experience a 19th-century holiday at Mystic Seaport.

 And new this year, Christmas by the Sea at Mystic Seaport. The splendor of the season will be found throughout our village with unique maritime decorations that set the tone for old-fashioned merriment. The month-long festivities invite you to try your hand at candle dipping; to print a holiday greeting on a 19^th century printing press; to listen to the songs of the season performed live by the Museum’s chantey staff and much more. Your little ones can make a toy of long ago in St. Nicholas’ workshop and create their own gingerbread house.

I really do enjoy the holiday season, and yes, I’m just about ready to embrace it. How about you? We invite you to get into the holiday mood, 19^th-century style, this season at Mystic Seaport.

For event dates and pricing, please visit the Museum’s website at www.mysticseaport.org.

 Blog written by Trudi Busey

For Every Season There’s a Reason to Visit

The calendar says autumn has arrived, but with the recent gorgeous, warm, sunny days at Mystic Seaport, summer has definitely been duking it out with fall and coming up the winner.

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Days like this need to be savored, and that’s exactly what 2^nd and 3^rd graders from St. Joseph’s School in New London were doing late last week.  For them, it’s the beginning of a new school year, and one of their first study assignments is the history of whaling. How great that they were actually able to board the historic Charles W. Morgan to learn first-hand about whaling and life at sea for her sailors.
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Sabino’s whistle can be heard blowing on grounds, signaling a down-river cruise. She’ll be steaming along until October 11 and then will hibernate until the spring of 2011. Early fall days can be beautiful on Mystic River’s sparkling waters. Take a ride while you still can.

Sabino offers visitors cruises through Columbus Day Weekend.

Ditto for a horse and carriage ride with famed horses Duke or Little John hoofing it around Museum streets for your enjoyment.

Enjoy autumn's scenic beauty while taking a horse and carriage ride.

Yes, fall weekdays at Mystic Seaport are chock-full of indoor and outdoor activities, but just wait until the weekends roll around. Special events coming up include:

• Argia Twilight Cruise with Sea Music  – October 7, Saturday-5:30-7:30 p.m. 
• Chowderfest – October 9-11, Saturday-Monday (more than just chowder)
• Fall Beer Tasting & Talk– October 16, Saturday -5-7p.m. (new brews from local breweries)
• Nautical Nightmares – October 15-31  (tickets on sale now)

And how about living vicariously as adventurers talk about their personal experiences and challenges chasing their dreams and dealing with unique situations?  The Adventure Series at Mystic Seaport is your ticket to an exciting afternoon (1:30 p.m.) or evening (7:30 p.m.) program. The series begins the third Thursday in October and continues every third Thursday through April.

Summer may be officially over, but for me, autumn at Mystic Seaport has a special charm of its own. Come  visit and I’m certain you’ll agree.

 For more information on the above-mentioned events, visit www.mysticseaport.org.

 Blog written by Trudi Busey.

A Golden Pearl

The first woman to row alone across the Atlantic Ocean and to ski over land to the South Pole.  The president of a university. A chaplain, an attorney, a former employee of Muhammad Ali and the author of a book Oprah named in 2009 as one of her top “25 Books You Can’t Put Down.” No, surprisingly, I’m not referring to six different remarkable people. They’re all the accomplishments of one person. Yep, one person. And she will speak at Mystic Seaport this Sunday.
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Tori Murden McClure, author of A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, the 2010 “One Book, One Region” for eastern Connecticut, will speak at Latitude 41° Restaurant at Mystic Seaport Sunday, September 19, at 5 p.m.  Free and open to the public, McClure will discuss and read excerpts from her riveting memoir that details how, in 1999 at the age of 36, she traveled 2,962 miles in 81 days and became the first woman and first American to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

2010 "One Book, One Region" selection for eastern Connecticut

A true-life tale packed with nautical adventure, McClure’s story is indeed the ideal read for any nautical buff (and just in case any of you buffs are reading, some specs: McClure’s vessel, the American Pearl, was 23-feet long, four-feet high, six feet wide and about 1,800 pounds). But A Pearl in the Storm is more than just another autobiographical maritime exploration. Much more. As with all physical adventures, unexpected twists and turns of the heart come along for the ride. Moments of pain, humor, love, failure and success join together to paint a complex portrait of both a physical and personal journey. The memoir’s website summarizes A Pearl in the Storm best saying, “The book is an intricate blend of comedy, history, tragedy, and romance. This is the memoir of an explorer in the truest sense. She sets off in search of intellectual riches, and instead she finds love.”

 

Tori Murden McClure

Spalding University, the historic Kentucky institution where McClure was recently appointed president, aptly has “What do you want out of life?” scrawled across the top of its website. Join us Sunday evening as McClure shares how she personally answered this question.  You just may receive the inspiration you need to then answer it for yourself.
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For more information about the event, please visit www.mysticseaport.org. To learn more about eastern Connecticut’s “One Book, One Region,” please visit www.onebookoneregion.org.

Blog posted by Erin Richard.

Going to the Dogs — Mystic Seaport Style

When I read that ‘so and so’  is Grand Marshal of a parade coming to a town near me, I immediately envision someone very distinguished looking, riding in an open convertible, smiling and waving to the crowd as the car passes by.

On Friday, August 27 from 5-7 p.m., Mystic Seaport is having its first-ever dog parade, but the Grand Marshal  won’t be waving to the crowd.  Instead he’ll be wagging his tail and possibly woofing a greeting as he passes by.  His name is Rufus , and this Bull Terrier is well-deserving of his status in the parade.

Awarded  the 2006 Westminster Best in Show Champion medal, Rufus holds a total of 700 titles in all. This winning dog has since used his fame to raise money for multiple animal and human charities in addition to bringing a touch of cheer to humans as a Certified Therapy Dog.

On August 27^th, Rufus will be leading a multitude of fellow canine parade participants, some of whom have already had their own ‘moment of fame’ by being selected as Sea Dog of the Week in Mystic Seaport’s  photo contest.  For the parade, all dogs can compete for prizes in the categories of Best Dressed, Best Nautical Theme and Judge’s Choice. Rufus will be head judge along with fellow judge Lee Elci, dog owner and radio personality on 104.7, WXLM.

We humans don’t need to beg for this treat. All we need to do is register our costumed dogs at 5 p.m. if they are to participate in the parade. Otherwise, we can just come, with or without our pooch, and watch from the sidelines. The parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Admission to this after- hours event is FREE! And, everyone that comes Friday night will receive a coupon for reduced admission on the weekend.

What a fun way to kick off Dog Days weekend at Mystic Seaport.  ‘See you at the parade….and at all the other special events and demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday.  These animals are amazing in what they can do. No wonder dogs are considered man’s best friend!

This entry was written by Museum volunteer Trudi Busey. Trudi no longer has a dog, but she is known to spend time dog sitting for friends and family.