Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | Fall/Winter 2020

Reimagining Figureheads

Restoring Estella A.

MYSTIC SEAPORT

MUSEUM

MAGAZINE FALL/WINTER • 2020

Navigating COVID-19

SUMMER 2020 AND BEYOND

Meet the New President and Senior Vice President

The Sea As Muse

Farewell Susan Funk

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CONTENTS

26-29 MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM MAGAZINE is a publication of Mystic Seaport Museum PRESIDENT STEPHEN C. WHITE INTERIM EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT CHRIS GASIOREK CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DAVID PATTEN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT LAURA HOPKINS EDITOR DAN MCFADDEN editor@mysticseaport.org DESIGN SUSAN HEATH

FA L L

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W I N T E R

CONTRIBUTORS CLAIRE CALABRETTA ELYSA ENGELMAN CHRIS FREEMAN CHRIS GASIOREK KATHERINE HIJAR BRIAN KOEHLER MIRELLE LUECKE SHERRI RAMELLA QUENTIN SNEDIKER JOHN URBAN PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTINA CONNETT BROPHY JAMESTOWN-YORKTOWN FOUNDATION JOE MICHAEL MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES PLIMOTH PATUXET

2020

IN THIS ISSUE SEASCAPES............................................................... 4 A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN.................................. 5 ADVANCEMENT NEWS............................................. 6-9

12-13

MUSEUM NEWS ...................................................10-19 MEET THE NEW PRESIDENT AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT................................. 10-11 NAVIGATING COVID-19....................................12-13 FAREWELL SUSAN FUNK..................................14-15 THE SEA AS MUSE............................................... 20-21 FIGUREHEADS REIMAGINED................................22-23 SAILOR MADE.......................................................... 25 RESTORING ESTELLA A........................................26-29

ON THE COVER: Visitors enjoying the Museum grounds on a sunny day this past summer. To read about how the Museum adapted to COVID-19, turn to page 12.

FROM THE COLLECTIONS..................................... 30-31 GIFT IDEAS........................................................32-33

CONTACT US

VISITOR INFORMATION: 860.572.5315 ADMINISTRATION: 860.572.0711 ADVANCEMENT: 860.572.5365 MEMBERSHIP: 860.572.5339 PROGRAM RESERVATION: 860.572.5331 MUSEUM STORE: 860.572.5385 MARITIME GALLERY: 860.572.5388 VOLUNTEER SERVICES: 860.572.5378 PLEASE GO TO THE MUSEUM’S WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION ON SPRING AND SUMMER SCHEDULES. ADDRESS: 75 GREENMANVILLE AVE. P.O. BOX 6000 MYSTIC, CT 06355-0990 WWW.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG

FOR MUSEUM EVENT INFORMATION VISIT US ON THE WEB AT

22-23

WWW.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG/EVENTS

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3

SEASCAPES

REFLECTIONS

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Back in June, I think we all hoped that by this time life would be almost back to normal. Clearly that has not happened, but the Museum has persevered remarkably well, and I am so proud of what our staff and volunteers have accomplished under adverse conditions.

When one has the chance to lead an organization for a decade or more, there is no doubt that one will experience a range of definitive institutional or historic phases.

If you’re lucky, like I am, you’ll experience the full arc from challenge to accomplishment punctuated by indelible memories. My arc began 12 years ago in January 2009, and I recently revisited my first two Seascapes articles from that time, which speak to some of the very same challenges we experience now during the pandemic. Fortunately, in between these difficult bookends, our time together was exceptionally positive.

I think of Phase 1 of my tenure as the REAWAKENING period. As the country emerged from the recession in 2009, a vision began to crystalize that would lift the Museum up from those dark days and restore faith in our ability to complete the big idea. As you know, the Charles W. Morgan restoration was well underway, and when we began to think of its role post-restoration, a 38th Voyage became the ultimate goal. Every department within the Museum bonded together around the belief that we could succeed in completing what was once thought unimaginable. The 38th Voyage reawakened the Museum and thus began the rebuild not only of a ship, but also of our institutional identity.

Phase 2, the TRANSFORMATION period, was actually a vision that I inherited, but was delayed by the recession.

The vision for transformation was to dramatically modify the North End of our campus in an effort to create an all-weather, all-season Museum in response to the reality of declining attendance at outdoor history museums. In 2006, the Board recognized the need to rethink the pre-

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sentation of the Museum for contemporary audiences and the result of that thinking, championed by the passion and generosity of trustee Wade Thompson, ultimately led to the design of the McGraw Gallery Quadrangle anchored by the Thompson Exhibition Building. On this section of campus, where the Museum began in 1929, stood tired and outdated exhibition spaces that prevented the Museum from attracting exhibitions from leading institutions. The revitalization of the North End changed that and to Mystic Seaport Museum came exhibitions that included The Vinland Map; Ships, Clocks, & Stars; and J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate. In addition to attracting stellar visiting exhibitions, however, one of the core objectives of this project was to create galleries that could showcase the depth and breadth of the Museum’s own collections. To that end, I am very pleased that this winter all six galleries will feature our collections and the talents of our staff.

Phase 3, is clearly the REIMAGINING period. As I wrote in my Seascapes column last spring, just as we were basking in the glow of the Turner exhibition, we closed the Museum for 70 days in response to the pandemic and worked hard to reimagine what a Museum might look like under such extraordinary circumstances. Fortunately, we are blessed with a large outdoor campus, and we turned a challenge into an opportunity to leverage some of the Museum’s assets in engaging and safe ways. The Museum work force, reduced to a fraction of its normal self, willingly embraced the challenge and helped the public engage with maritime history by spending more time in boats. The Mystic River proved to be a safe and coveted place to be during the warmer months of the pandemic, and record numbers of people took to the water in our fleet from the Boathouse or in the spacious launch Liberty. Participatory activities on the Green allowed families to “reconnect outdoors” after weeks of isolation. Interactive activities turned into themed weekends and months, and by summer’s end, we felt like we were somewhere close to normal.

In the spirit of reimagining, we are also on the eve of welcoming a new president to the Museum. New leadership will provide new opportunities for new reimagining, always good for the growth and development of a thriving organization.

I am enormously proud of the team with which I’ve had the pleasure and opportunity to work for the last dozen years. Trust and mutual respect has been high, along with an enduring commitment to our mission and core values.

Mystic Seaport Museum is fortunate to have some of the finest people I know as its staff, trustees, and volunteers.

I ask that you all support each other and the new leadership, and look to the future with optimism despite the distractions that abound. We are closing in on the end of our 90th year; 2020 will be remembered for its challenges, for overcoming adversity, and for doing the hard work that museums must do to build thoughtful and meaningful communities.

Stephen C. White President

THANK YOU STEVE! A LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Our energetic and always cheerful President, Steve White, is

taking his hard-earned and well-deserved retirement in mid-December. Steve’s 12-year tenure has been remarkable and covered some extremely challenging times for Mystic Seaport Muse-

um. These difficulties were generated by externalities, two major

Black Swan events: the onset of the Great Recession following the

collapse of Lehman Bros. in 2008 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic this past winter. Steve helmed the Museum through these challenging periods with vision and creativity with the help

of the talented, passionate, and hardworking team he shaped and led so effectively.

The accomplishments of his tenure, in addition to getting

through the two big storms, are impressive: completion of the Charles W. Morgan restoration and the subsequent 38th Voyage,

the construction of the Thompson Exhibition Building and creation

of the McGraw Gallery Quadrangle, and the curatorial triumph of the J.M.W. Turner exhibition just ahead of the COVID-19 shutdown.

The bookends of Steve’s tenure were heavy-weather seamanship, but most of the voyage was from high to high.

The response to COVID-19 is still underway, but a major oper-

ational restructuring was implemented to accommodate restric-

tive state regulations regarding travel and group gatherings. Innovation and change followed, leveraging more technology and a reduced workforce, the latter a change regretfully but com-

passionately put into place. Steve will be passing the baton with

our institutional assets stronger than ever. All in all, it is an outstanding set of accomplishments and exceptional stewardship of

the Museum. A heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Steve from

the Board and the entire Mystic family! Best wishes for your next stage in life!

Michael S. Hudner Chairman, Board of Trustees

A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S

Museum Honors Tom Whidden

By Sherri Ramella

On October 23, the Museum’s 15th annual America and the Sea Award Gala honored Thomas A. Whidden, President and CEO of North Technology Group, 2004 inductee into America’s Cup Hall of Fame, and 2017 inductee into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.

This highest honor of Mystic Seaport Museum was established in 2006 to celebrate those who embrace the scholarship, exploration, adventure, aesthetics, competition, and freedom that the sea inspires.

have spent my life racing sailboats and making products that make those boats perform their best. For me to be recognized alongside other abundantly accomplished previous honorees, for doing what I most love, by the most prominent maritime museum in the United States, is a dream come true.”

COVID-19 did not stop us from celebrating—safely of course! A small group of Whidden’s family and friends gathered in person in the River Room of Latitude 41° Restaurant in keeping with Connecticut’s COVID-19 guidelines. From there, the event was livestreamed to more than 200 guests joining virtually from Martha’s Vineyard to New York to Florida to Los Angeles.

Guests joined from their living rooms, their boats and docks, and in small groups from their yacht clubs.

Whidden was presented the award by fellow Hall of Fame Sailor and 8th America and the Sea Award Recipient Gary Jobson, and congratulations came from around the world with remarks from singer/songwriter/sailor Jimmy Buffett; from New Zealand, New York Yacht Club’s America’s Cup contender American Magic Skipper Terry Hutchinson; from Switzerland, Sir Lindsay Owens-Jones, L’Oréal Honorary Chairman and owner of Magic Carpet 3; from France, Peter Dubens, Managing Partner of Oakley Capital and Chairman of

Whidden, who grew up in Connecticut and spent his childhood sailing on Long Island Sound, has had an extraordinary career both on and off the water as an accomplished tactician for Dennis Conner in eight America’s Cup campaigns, winning three, and as a revolutionary sailmaker, bringing sailmaking from the manufacturing of paneled sails in a vast network of sail lofts to the current centrally managed, technologically driven, manufacturing system.

Thanks to the remarkable vision of Whidden, North Sails has become a leader in the industry, with every America’s Cup winner and every Volvo Ocean Race winner choosing to race with North Sails since 1992 and 1993, respectively.

In his wonderfully modest, graceful demeanor, Whidden remarked on receiving the award, “What a wonderful honor it is to be this year’s recipient. I

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North Sails Technology; and locally, Christopher J. Culver, Vice Commodore, NYYC; and Jes Staley, CEO, Barclays.

Whidden offers this advice to today’s youth, “Don’t be afraid to dream big and to follow your passion in life. Don’t do it for the money, and don’t do it because your parents told you to. Do it for yourself.

You’ll be amazed how it could work out, and how happy you will be.”

The virtual event generated $538,384 through sponsorships, single tickets, live and silent auctions, and a virtual paddle-raise appeal. The Museum would like to express a heartfelt thank you to the gala committee, the Board of Trustees, and the myriad supporters who gave in honor of Tom Whidden and to further the mission of Mystic Seaport Museum.

A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S

THE MUSEUM SINCERELY THANKS THE FOLLOWING GALA SPONSORS

Past recipients of the America and the Sea Award include American businesswoman and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt; groundbreaking America’s Cup sail-

GOLD

or Dawn Riley, philanthropist and environmentalist

Robb Aley Allan

David Rockefeller, Jr.; boat designers Rod and Bob

J. Barclay Collins II

Johnstone and their company J/Boats; author and

Betsy and Hunt Lawrence

historian Nathaniel Philbrick; maritime industrialist

Joanne and Michael T. Masin

Charles A. Robertson; Hall of Fame sailor and author

Travelers

Gary Jobson; WoodenBoat Publications founder Jon

SILVER

Wilson; former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman;

Irene and Charles Hamm

oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle; America’s

Cayre and Alexis Michas

Cup sailor William Koch; President and CEO of Crow-

Laurie Olson and Maria Fasulo

ley Maritime Corporation, Thomas Crowley; historian

Betsy and Tom Whidden

David McCullough; and legendary yacht designer Olin

…and our 8 Bronze sponsors

J. Stephens II. Sherri Ramella is Advancement events manager.

“Don’t be afraid to dream big and to follow your passion in life. Don’t do it for the money, and don’t do it because your parents told you to. Do it for yourself. You’ll be amazed how it could work out, and how happy you will be.”

Photo courtesy Lindsay Gimple FALL / WINTER 2020

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A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S

Federal Grants to Support Collections, L.A. Dunton Work Mystic Seaport Museum was the recipient of two significant federal grants awarded over the summer. The National Park Service Save America’s Treasures program awarded the Museum $102,000 to support collections access and preservation, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded $167,303 for the restoration of the fishing schooner L.A. Dunton.

The Save America’s Treasures Program grant will help preserve and make accessible at-risk primary source material and artifacts inadvertently hidden for decades in the Museum’s curatorial accession files, and to provide urgently needed conservation measures.

These files, which date back to 1930, contain an extraordinary and significant body of material. Routine staff use and a recent careful evaluation have revealed a substantial quantity of important, but largely undiscovered, primary source material. Some files became receptacles for items related to accessioned objects in the Museum’s permanent collection. At the time of the original cataloguing and processing of objects, and in subsequent years, ancillary items deemed unworthy of accessioning, but worthy of keeping, were maintained as supporting material in these files.

The proposed project will enable the Museum to thoroughly mine these files for material of considerable historic value, accession it, process it, ensure its preservation, scan or photograph it, and make associated images and information available to a broad range of in-house and outside users through the Mystic Seaport for Educators website, www.educators.mysticseaport.org and on the website’s dedicated collections pages.

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The target date range for this project are the files for the years 1930-1960, a period during which professional collections management and archival staffing at the Museum was limited.

The IMLS grant will support preliminary work on the Dunton’s restoration. The project will involve removal of the vessel’s interior joinery, cataloging and storage of the joinery for future re-installation, and documentation of the entire process. Interior joinery consists of forecastle and aft cabin accommodation and fish hold structures. Removal clears the way for major structural hull work.

The work will be performed by the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard with the support of two students from the IRYS School of Technology & Trades, who will join the project team for a 12-week internship.

The restoration, which will preserve the vessel’s design and structural integrity, was set to begin this fall, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to begin the full restoration in the fall of 2021.

Launched in Essex, MA, in 1921, the Dunton is a National Historic Landmark vessel and one of the last surviving examples of its kind.

A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S win the Bermuda Race three times in a row, this aboard his Spark-

man & Stephens yawl Finisterr e.

He also served as Dick Bertram’s navigator in several famous pow-

er boat racing victories aboard Moppie and Brave Moppie. Later in life, he switched to powerboat cruising

further

expressing

his

perspective that it’s “not the type

of boat, it’s not the size of boat…

Just the fact that water’s around you is what’s important to me.”

Mitchell’s

books

about

the

Bahamas and Caribbean inspired

others to head their boats south.

His work still inspires today. Consider his words heard in the Muse-

um’s recorded oral histories: “To desire nothing beyond what you

have is surely happiness. Aboard

Legacy

The of Carleton Mitchell

By John Urban

a boat, it is frequently possible to author

achieve just that. That is why sail-

ell donated his personal papers,

of lives… the fact of being afloat,

books, and more than 20,000 pho-

that’s free and pretty much able

um. Like the Museum’s Rosenfeld

for a time, weather permitting, is

In

1996,

yachtsman,

and photographer Carleton Mitch-

ing is a way of life, one of the finest

including

log-

the fact of being able to live a life

tographs to Mystic Seaport Muse-

to control your destiny, at least

Collection,

what counts.”

lection

correspondence,

the

provides

Mitchell an

Col-

historical

When

many

people

think

of

account while also being a source

Mystic Seaport Museum, the first

of the Museum’s effort to reach

vessels, the village, and exhibi-

have created the presentation Far

remarkable collections that in-

ing images from Mitchell’s photos.

art, ships plans, books, and arti-

ell was asked what he wanted to

es – An Earlier Time is an illus-

was “sail and write about it.” Even-

can come together to provide a

photography, which led to seven

books and articles, photographs,

for publications such as National

plans.

Illustrated.

a

his sailboat combined with an

the Museum.

blue water racer, including the

John Urban is director of major gifts and strategic partnerships.

of beauty and wonder. As part

thought likely centers on in-water

audiences online and at home, we

tions. Yet the Museum also holds

Away Places – An Earlier Time pull-

clude maritime photography, fine

As a young boy Carleton Mitch-

facts of all types. Far Away Plac-

do when he grew up; his response

tration of how these collections

tually, he added the element of

comprehensive account through

books and hundreds of articles

recorded oral histories, and ships

Geographic, Yachting, and Sports

Parties interested in scheduling

Mitchell’s love for cruising in

impressive run of victories as a

feat of being the only person to

presentation

should

contact

Chris Freeman or John Urban at

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MUSEUM NEWS

THE NEW MUSEUM PRESIDENT

W

ith 25 years of experience in museum work, Pe-

ter Armstrong comes to Mystic Seaport Museum from

MEET

PETER ARMSTRONG

the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF), where he was Senior Director for Museum Operations and Education.

A native of the United Kingdom, he moved to Virginia in 2014 to join JYF, where he made a priority to promote social issues still relevant at both Jamestown and Yorktown. His role included education, collections, exhibitions and interpretations as well as overseeing two major museums and their living history sites. He led the transition from the Yorktown Victory Center—a small museum with some living history areas—to the new, $50-million, state-of-the-art, American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, which opened in April 2017. Most recently in 2019, he oversaw the creation of the special exhibition TENACITY, which focused on the arrival of the first women to Jamestown, and Forgotten Soldier, which features the personal stories of enslaved and free African Americans who fought on both sides of the Revolutionary War. TENACITY was selected as one of the Smithsonian’s “10 Must-See Fall Exhibits” and included loaned documents never before displayed in America.

Peter came to this country from the U.K.’s National Museum of Arms and Armour, also known as the Royal Armouries. The Royal Armouries has three museums, the most famous of which is the Tower of London. During his tenure, Peter developed and promoted several major exhibitions, including Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill at the Tower of London. Prior to that position he was CEO of the Galleries of Justice Museum in Nottingham.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Member of American Alliance of Museums, Member of Virginia Association of Museums, and a Member of Museums Association UK. He has lectured across the globe on the theme of museums as agents of social change. Peter graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Performing Arts from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Peter lives with his wife Sue and their two rescued Labradors, while his three adult children reside in the U.K. He is now on the lookout for a soccer team that will have him in Connecticut.

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MUSEUM NEWS

THE NEW SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CURATORIAL AFFAIRS AND SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MUSEUM GALLERIES

MEET

DR. CHRISTINA CONNETT BROPHY D

r. Christina Connett Brophy joins the Museum as the Senior Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Senior Director of Museum Galleries from the New Bedford Whaling Museum (NBWM), where she was the Douglas and Cynthia Crocker Endowed Chair for the Chief Curator. During her seven years at NBWM, she demonstrated systemic strategic leadership, successful fundraising, increased branding and outreach, partnership development, and path-breaking initiatives that have impacted the museum towards a unified vision, national and international media recognition, an increase in visitation, greater connectivity with a diverse community, and a stronger and more sustainable financial position.

Christina has curated over 30 exhibitions and authored and/or edited all related publications in addition to maintaining key leadership on all associated fundraising. De Wind is OP! Climate, Culture and Innovation in Dutch Maritime Painting; Whales Today!; The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage Round the World; Thou Shalt Knot: Clifford W. Ashley; and the upcoming A Wild Note of Longing: Albert Pinkham Ryder and a Century of American Art. She has secured ground-breaking institutional partnerships, including the U.S. Navy, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to name a few, and worked extensively with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and others on developing exhibitions and pro-

grams on whale conservation and ocean health. She has lectured extensively in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and the United States on cartography, visual arts, maritime history, and other topics.

In addition to her time at NBWM, she has taught at both Rhode Island School of Design and University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and has extensive experience in major development roles, tangible asset management, and commercial art business management. She has a B.A. from Northwestern University, an M.A. from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and a Ph.D. from the Universitat de València in València, Spain, with specialties in visual culture, the history of art and cartography.

Christina was brought up living aboard St. George’s School’s semester-at-sea vessel R/V Geronimo captained by her father, tagging sharks and turtles from Halifax to Trinidad to Spain and all points in between, and later racing 420s at St. George’s School and Northwestern University. In addition, she had decades of family involvement in the America’s Cup, during which time she lived in New Zealand, Switzerland, France and Spain. In the years since, she has been sailing her own boats in and around Narragansett Bay, from a Cape Dory Typhoon to her current Dehler 34, Junkanoo. She and her husband Gary Brophy currently live in Rhode Island and will be relocating to the Mystic area in the coming months.

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MUSEUM NEWS

SAILING A MUSEUM THROUGH A PANDEMIC STORM

By Chris Gasiorek

Like many sailors, I am very connected to the weather, not just what it is, but how it is developing, how we can predict it (or not), and how it will affect my ship. Often when I read the news, I think about stories in a similar way and note how what starts as a small back-page story might someday change our world. That was certainly the case this winter as I started to see reports of a new virus emerging from Wuhan, China, and realized that not only was this going to affect Mystic Seaport Museum, but it might just consume our whole year.

Like a fire that starts slow and then explodes, so too did the national response to the Coronavirus.

Of course, this came to a head at a time in March when Museum president Steve White was at a conference in England, and faced the possibility of being stuck there or being quarantined upon return.

Decisions were made quickly to close the Museum to the public, send employees home, and develop plans to ensure the safety of our workers, our collections, and our facilities. A COVID-19 Task Force was set up, beginning almost daily meetings over scratchy conference calls (do we even remember a pre-Zoom world?) to outline the survivability of the Museum. Difficult decisions were made regarding staff levels while simultaneously making plans to offer digital programming and outreach to keep a connection with members and visitors.

Just as when planning the route of a ship through a storm that cannot be avoided, we needed to make difficult decisions that at times conflicted with other priorities. The guiding principles were simple, the details difficult:

• Protect our crew.

• Protect the Museum.

• Position the Museum for the post COVID-19 world.

Protecting the crew entailed the most difficult decisions. With near zero revenue and a state-mandated museum closure, the decision was made to keep all staff on payroll for the near term in hopes of a quick resolution to the pandemic. During this time, Museum management watched the government response closely and parsed the COVID-19 relief bills as they made their way through Con-

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MUSEUM NEWS

gress. Finding the right route for the Museum and its crew through the rocks and shoals of government support programs and increased unemployment benefits was an exercise in finding the best worst solution.

With no guarantee of reopening, and no way to forecast a return to normal attendance, the difficult decision was made to lay off a significant number of staff members.

Without any doubt, that was the lowest day of the pandemic experience.

From that point forward, the remaining staff began to work on how to reopen, as opposed to how to close.

What to open, when to open, what guidance to follow, social distancing, etc. were topics that joined the continuing discussions of PPP, lines of credit, government action, and how to keep the Museum afloat.

As we approached reopening day in late May, the question on everyone’s mind was, would visitors return to our Museum? While Disney uses the term “imagineer” for its theme park designers, all of our staff became instant “re-imagineers” as new models of operations and visitor services were developed and changed on the fly. A week of free admission to the grounds was the first step, and a high number of visitors attended. Building on the free concept, Liberty launch tours were made free, and Boathouse boat rentals were made free as well. Both of these proved to be extremely popular throughout the summer, culminating in long lines for both boat rentals and for the launch tours, something not experienced in recent years.

As visitor numbers increased through the summer, further activities were added as staff levels permitted. Events that could be held in a safe manner were reviewed and re-engineered for COVID-19, and this enabled us to maintain some of the regular events of summer such as the Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous, the Antique Marine Engine Expo, and the September antique car show.

As we now embark on our late fall and winter events under the cloud of rising COVID-19 numbers, it is a good time to look back at what we have learned this summerTHE POWER OF FREE Offering Boathouse rentals and Liberty waterfront cruises at no additional cost removed a barrier that was preventing us from fully sharing the magic of Mystic Seaport Museum with our guests. So many families stepped into a human-powered craft for the first time in their lives this summer and could experience Mystic and the Museum from a new vantage point and make a small but tactile connection to the seafaring world.

MAKING A “MYSTIC MOMENT” Reimagining our visitor interaction with less staff highlighted the need to continue to make a connection with our visitors. Whether it came from our roving interpreter, boathouse attendant, or volunteer at the informational Nav Station, our staff worked hard to ensure that each visitor had a “Mystic Moment.” In a year where we all feel the loss of personal interactions, this was an important way to make a connection.

THE DIVERSE TALENTS OF OUR STAFF Whether inventing an online class, tool sharpening over Zoom, or managers teaching the basics of rowing, the Museum’s staff stepped in and stepped up, truly showing the spirit of what we call “The Mystic Way.” As this stormy voyage continues we will have to keep our hatches battened down, prepare contingency plans and options for the winter and next year, all while looking forward to a new hand at the wheel with a new president coming aboard to build on Steve White’s steady leadership through this tough year.

As we approached reopening day in late May, the question on everyone’s mind was, would visitors return to our Museum?

Chris Gasiorek is interim executive vice president.

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Susan Stucke Funk: A Farewell after 40 Years

By Claire Calabretta

MUSEUM NEWS

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has im-

woman to

be appointed executive

During the Zoom tribute, acco-

vice president of Mystic Seaport

lades and reflections from far and

the Museum family at milestones in

her retirement. Funk’s devotion to

tributions as a leader, her trusted

social-distancing

Such

the Museum. One of the milestones

and friend, and her dedication to

recent drive-by parade on the Mu-

construction of the schooner Amis-

Chairman

tribute, attended by hundreds of

development of the accompanying

seum “share the same DNA.”

who gathered to honor the distin-

played a central role in planning

nisced about unauthorized climbs

ecutive vice president and chief op-

technology” at the Museum, plant-

W. Morgan under cover of darkness

after 40 years of dedicated service

become the Mystic Seaport for Ed-

Funk’s association with the Mu-

ing virtual museum. She devoted

pacted every aspect of our lives, in-

wide

characterized

Funk’s

con-

cluding how we honor members of

Museum, a position she held until

their lives during this time of strict

experiential learning grew along with

presence as a colleague, mentor,

was the case with the Museum’s

of her career was the Museum’s

the Museum’s core values. Board

seum grounds and a virtual farewell

tad in the Preservation Shipyard and

that Funk and Mystic Seaport Mu-

Museum staff, friends, and family,

website

low

guished career of Susan Funk, ex-

the earliest iterations of “education

to the crow’s nest of the Charles

erating officer, who retired in June

ing the seeds for what would later

and former staff recalled long-ago

ucators website and the still-evolv-

Fisher’s Island, fortified by beer.

herself to three strategic planning

rector of the Williams-Mystic Mar-

1977. In fact, she was the very first

ing the north end of the Museum

ed how Susan Stucke, a junior and

grounds due to her father’s urging

vision with the Thompson Exhibi-

College, learned about a new study-

protocols.

to the Museum.

seum began with the inaugural class

Exploring

Amistad.

of the Williams-Mystic Program in

processes,

member of the class to arrive on the

grounds and the fulfillment of that

that she be punctual. This was the

tion Building and the Collins Gallery.

first of many “firsts” for Funk. She was the first Williams-Mystic alum to join the program’s staff, the first

to become a full-time staff member at the Museum, the first president of

the Williams-Mystic Alumni Council, and the first recipient of the Susan

Stucke Funk Alumni Distinguished Service Award in 1997. Funk was an

early and tireless advocate behind

the Campaign for Williams-Mystic, which culminated in the construc-

tion of the James T. Carlton Marine Science Center and renovation of the student houses.

Funk held a record 12 different

job titles during her years at the Museum. In these various capacities, she came to know the Muse-

um as both student and teacher, leader and guide, captain and mate.

She interpreted exhibits, split fish, hoisted sails as a “squaddie,” tried her hand at boatbuilding, chaperoned teens onboard the schoo-

ner Brilliant, went to sea with Williams-Mystic, and participated in the Munson Institute. In perhaps her final “first,” Funk was the first

including

Funk

re-envision-

But of all the projects that bear her mark, the 38th Voyage of the Museum’s whaleship Charles W. Morgan and the suite of public programming that accompanied this epic voyage exemplifies the tenets of her 40-year career.

The program was honored with a prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman’s Award.

Michael

Hudner

Williams-Mystic

whaleboat

rowing

alums

mused Fel-

remi-

escapades

to

Dr. James T. Carlton, former di-

itime

Studies

Program,

recount-

American History major at Bates

away semester called the Williams

College-Mystic Seaport Program in

American Maritime Studies. Carlton recently located her application, dated January 7, 1977, in the program’s archival admissions files

and read from it during the Zoom tribute. In her application, the 20year old Susan Stucke wrote, “I am interested in pursuing museum

work as a career.” Carlton added, “Clearly, any dictionary definition of ‘focus’ should have Susan’s picture

next to it. While Susan’s friends and colleagues know her as a true poly-

math, few may know that she first planned to major in biology at Bates.

What marine biology lost, Mystic Seaport Museum and Williams-Mystic gained for more than four decades.”

At the close of Funk’s tribute,

Museum President Steve White un-

veiled a photo of the façade of the newly renamed Susan Stucke Funk

Children’s Museum, adorned with a hand-carved wooden sign proudly bearing the building’s new name, in

honor of her extraordinary contributions to this Museum.

Claire Calabretta is associate director in the Advancement Department.

FALL / WINTER 2020

| 15

MUSEUM NEWS

M

ayflower II, the 64-year-old histor-

ic reproduction of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to the shores of what would become Massachusetts in 1620, departed the Museum’s Preservation Shipyard on July 20 to begin the voyage to its homeport of Plymouth.

The ship had been undergoing an extensive restoration in the Shipyard since November 2016.

Designed by MIT-trained naval architect William Avery Baker for Plimoth Plantation, Mayflower II was built in Brixham, England, beginning in July 1955. Intended as a gift to the people of America from the people of England to honor the bonds of friendship formed during World War II, it arrived under sail to Plymouth, MA, on June 13, 1957, and since then has been a major exhibit of Plimoth Plantation. Millions of visitors have crossed the decks to learn about the Pilgrims’ historic journey and 17th-century maritime life.

For the restoration, skilled shipwrights from

Mystic

Seaport

Museum

worked

alongside Plimoth’s maritime artisans to fully restore the ship according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects. Nearly 70 percent of the ship’s timbers, planking, structural frames, knees, and beams were replaced, using six types of wood from eight states and from as far away as Denmark. Seaworthy once again, the ship was launched into the Mystic River and re-christened on September 7, 2019.

The ship’s first stop was New London, where Mayflower II docked at City Pier for about two weeks so the crew could conduct sea trials to test the ship’s performance and perform sail training to ensure safe operation while underway. The ship eventually returned to Plymouth for a grand homecoming. Although the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled a voyage to Boston, Plimoth officials say the ship will sail again.

16

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FALL / WINTER 2020

MAYFLOWER II SAILS AGAIN Photo courtesy Plimoth Patuxet

?

MUSEUM NEWS

“Why are

conversations about race so

difficult?”

MUSEUM HOSTS A FREEDOM FORUM Systemic racism and finding ways to fight it was the

build an effective, inclusive and sustainable commit-

Museum and Discovering Amistad the evening of Au-

ties?” The panelists were Danielle Chesebrough, first

of Courageous Conversations on Race, Privilege, Op-

assistant superintendent, Stonington Public Schools;

ington, the Town of Groton and the City of Groton,” the

Church, Groton. Troy Brown, Discovering Amistad board

community leaders from the local area to address the

questions such as “Why are conversations about

topic of a “Freedom Forum” hosted by Mystic Seaport

ment to eliminate systemic racism in our communi-

gust 20. Formally titled, “The Freedom Forum: A Series

selectwoman, Town of Stonington; Mary Anne Butler,

pression and Justice in America for the Town of Ston-

and Pastor Joseph Coleman, St. John’s Christian

event gathered more than 80 municipal officials and

member, acted as the Forum moderator and posed

issue

of

systemic

racism.

This was the first of what Discovering Amistad intends to be a series of Forums held

in different towns and cities across Connecticut.

The event began with key-

note remarks by Connecticut

Supreme

Court

Chief

“Stand up for what you believe. Because in the final analysis, we are one family, the human family.”

Justice Richard A. Robinson,

race so difficult?” and “Do you think about race every day?”

Panelists shared their thoughts

and experiences with the common acknowledgement that confront-

ing racism is a long journey and there is no easy answer. “We have

to have these conversations with each other to build a foundation of comfort and honesty,” said Butler.

who told the crowd, “It’s as if the country is at a cross-

“We have a lot to do, but I am glad we started.”

whether we are finally going to live up to America’s

graduate of the Amistad Academy reading quotes by

to the dustbin of history.”

for what you believe. Because in the final analysis, we

roads and what we do at this moment will determine

ideals of equality and true justice for all, or forfeit them

Justice Robinson’s remarks were followed by a pan-

el discussion with local leaders about the realities of racism, privilege, oppression and bias in our commu-

nities. The topic for discussion was “In the wake of

The event concluded with Antonia Wright, a young

the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who observed “Stand up are one family, the human family.”

To learn more about Discovering Amistad, please visit discoveringamistad.org.

centuries of oppression and a summer of events de-

manding justice and triggering protest, how do we

FALL / WINTER 2020

| 17

MUSEUM NEWS

Y E A R S

50

IN THE GARDEN WITH STEVE SISK

O

ne morning this October, a group of socially distant well-wishers gathered in the Claggett Boat Shed to honor Museum gardener Steve Sisk for his five decades of service.

Sisk’s first day at the Museum was June 1, 1970. He was 17 years old and his parents had to attest in writing that he was old enough to be hired. Sisk joined the staff as a gardener and has worked in that capacity ever since.

Sisk is a familiar face around the grounds, known for his cheerful hello and the particular care he provides to all of the plants in his charge.

“Steve is a remarkable worker, gardener, and friend,” Museum President Steve White told the assembled crowd, many of whom were not even alive when Sisk started at the Museum.

The Museum presented Sisk with a sea chest, hand-crafted by staff members. The woodwork was done by shipwright Trevor Allen, an intricate carving under the lid was designed

by Arleen Andersen and carved by Richard Froh and Jeff Rossie, and the knotwork beckets for the handles were produced by rigger Sarah Clement.

The sea chest was presented with “pleasure, pride, and affection,” said White.

And no, Steve Sisk is not retiring. You will continue to see him, rake in hand, caring for the plants across the campus as he has for the last 50 years.

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MUSEUM NEWS

THE TREWORGY PLANETARIUM LEADS THE WAY

By Brian Koehler

This past spring, planetariums across the country were among the many places of public gathering that were forced to close their doors. Following the difficult decision to close the Museum temporarily, the Education Department was tasked with the challenge of finding a way to continue to engage students, special-interest groups, and the public. April and May saw a rapid pivot to distance learning, as we converted our most popular school programs to virtual offerings for a wider audience. While working from home studios, we began to brainstorm towards the slow, gradual reopening of the Museum, and what role the Planetarium might play.

We knew that the initial phases of the Museum’s reopening would involve outdoor access only, with no indoor exhibit use. As we explored possible outdoor activities on the subjects of astronomy and navigation, we quickly realized that any programs we could offer would need to meet certain criteria: Could the activity be done while keeping visitors socially distanced? Could all materials be cleaned, and/or single-use recyclable? Could it occur in varying types of weather?

We tried quite a few activities this past summer, but by far, our two most successful offerings were “Scaling the Solar System” and “Build a Sundial.”

The former is the ultimate socially distant activity: spreading out the planets on a 200-foot-long, linear

space in front of the Planetarium building. The latter proved to be a truly green craft activity, with all of the materials in our pre-made sundial kits being recyclable. The activity yielded a working sundial that visitors could take home with them.

In July, the Planetarium was able to open our doors to a reduced capacity of visitors for live shows about the night sky. We now offer 2-3 shows each day, maintaining at least six feet of distance between family units on the benches in our theater, and thoroughly cleaning the room in between shows. Through our careful planning and vigilance, we have set a new standard for planetariums in the northeast.

At a recent virtual conference of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society, we learned that we are one of the only planetariums in the region to hold safe outdoor activities in the summer and live shows as well.

Many planetariums remain closed, but as they open, they are looking at the Treworgy Planetarium as a model for bringing people back — safely — to view the wonders of the night sky.

Brian Koehler is supervisor of the Treworgy Planetarium.

FALL / WINTER 2020

| 19

UPCOMING EXHIBITION

THE SEA AS MUSE

By Katherine Hijar, Ph.D.

A youthful nude woman, personifying Victory and

cast in silver, poses at the top of a neoclassical urn.

Her form and the array of the details that ornament this trophy reflect Gilded Age fashions in decorative arts, a

The value of this prize cup reflects the beauty of

the object, its scale and heft, and the cost of both the silver and the craftsmen’s labor.

Crafted by the Gorham Company, this cup is only

blend of ancient designs and modern interpretations.

one of approximately 500 silver trophies in the Mu-

skill was awarded by the New York Yacht Club in 1895

& Co., Black, Starr & Frost, and the International Sil-

This fine specimen of artistic talent and craftsmen’s

to commemorate the victory of the yacht Defender, its captain, and its crew.

seum’s collection, which includes works by Tiffany

ver Company. In past exhibits, treasures like this one have captured visitors’ imaginations as reminders of

superior vessels, captains, and crews. With the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation, a new

exhibit will highlight the decorative arts collection at Mystic Seaport Museum with an eye to understanding them as artistic expressions of forgotten craftsmen.

Until recently, we knew nothing about the crafts-

men who created this Astor Cup, or, indeed, about any of the trophies in the Museum’s collection. Re-

search in the Gorham archives at Brown University led to a remarkable discovery: the original manufac-

turing receipt for this cup, plus the surnames of the six skilled workers who transformed it from a 2-dimensional drawing into a 3-dimensional showpiece.

The receipt—known as a costing receipt—shows the

number of hours of work completed at each stage in the making of the trophy, along with the cost of materials and workers’ wages.

This find is, for historical researchers, almost akin

20 | FALL WINTER

2020

Opening Summer 2021 This find is, for historical researchers, almost akin to

discovering the legendary Holy Grail. Very few com-

pany records have survived into the present, and the records that do survive almost never include the

names of workers. While many similar receipts are preserved in the Gorham archive, this is the only one I saw that also had names attached.

Pieces like this one were special commissions.

The customer would have chosen various stock

components from the Gorham showroom or its catalogs, including the body shape, handles, and embellishments. Some features, such as the figure of

Victory, may have been designed, sculpted, and cast especially for this piece. The artist would have drawn

the final design, and having secured the customer’s

approval, the design then would have been sent to the manufacturing department.

Further research tells us just a little bit more

about the makers of this Astor Cup. For instance, we

know that the six men were all immigrants to the U.S. Adolph Erichsen and Carl Wikant immigrated to the

U.S. from Norway, George Shirley and James Holyoake from England, and James Pender and Robert Wacker

came from Nova Scotia and Germany, respectively.

When John Holyoake petitioned for U.S. citizenship, George Shirley served as a witness.

See this trophy and many more Museum treasures

when the exhibit, provisionally titled, Sea as Muse , opens in Summer 2021. In addition to trophies, the

exhibit will also highlight carved wood panels and furniture that Swedish immigrant Karl von Rydings-

vard created for Arthur Curtiss James’s yacht, the Aloha II, and works by English-born artists Clement J. Heaton and Frances Palmer.

Katherine Hijar, Ph.D., is the Luce Project assistant curator.

LEFT: Curator Katherine Hijar with the Astor Cup trophy, Tiffany & Co., 1893.

CENTER: The costing receipt for the 1895 Astor Cup awarded to the owner of Defender. Gorham Company Archive, John Hay Library, Brown University.

RIGHT: Astor Cup trophy awarded to the Defender, Gorham Manufacturing Co., 1895. 1961.895.

FALL / WINTER 2020

| 21

ON EXHIBITION

FIGUREHEADS REIMAGINED

By Elysa Engelman, Ph.D.

Dramatic. Mysterious. Memorable.

Museum members know these terms best describe the figureheads display. For more than 40 years, visitors have received a thrill after opening a door into the brick Wendell Building and spying a dozen or more human faces looming at them out of the darkness.

These statue-like wooden carvings, many larger than life-size, have long been displayed at intervals along the walls, like a maritime-themed chapel filled with colorful, carved saints.

Figureheads are always a crowd-pleaser. Perhaps it is the human faces, the ornate clothing, the confident poses. Or perhaps it’s because we know that if only they could speak, these figures would tell us amazing stories of the places, ports, and events they’ve witnessed, as moving statuary born on the bows of merchant, naval, and pleasure craft in the Age of Sail.

Each “silent pilot” led a ship into its voyage and back to port. Like a mascot for a sports team, a figurehead was often seen as a personification of the ship.

Whether meant to depict the ship’s owner or family member, a politician, legendary character, or celebrity, they were often carved to convey power, grace, or speed.

Several years ago, we saw an opportunity to reinterpret the long-term figureheads display. Thanks to Museum supporters, we now have a renovated 21st-century gallery, complete with a new HVAC system, new drywall, fresh paint, and modern lighting track and fixtures. The theater is now ready for the return of its silent troupe of actors. Funding from the Henry Luce Foundation is making possible an entirely new installation, curated by Katherine Hijar, Ph.D., and Mirelle Luecke, Ph.D. When you come to enjoy the new exhibit, you will see some new acquisitions, including a hippocampus carousel carving and a partially finished billethead, carved and gilded by staff member Rich Froh to demonstrate the stages of the carving process.

Alongside will be some old favorites, such as Two Sisters, Donald McKay, and Iolanda.

22 | FALL / WINTER

2020

But the differences will be instantly obvious. “We wanted to put visitors in a 19th-century frame of reference to see and understand the visual messages that 19th-century viewers would have instantly understood,” says Hijar. A large wall mural of a busy wharf in Liverpool with a row of wooden ships, each carrying its own figurehead, conveys how these were works of public art, more often viewed by passersby in port than at sea.

Close attention was paid to the angle of display based on historic sources and the proportions of each figure. Exhibits fabricator Alan Schaefer designed an ingenious steel display system, so each figurehead can be safely shown long-term at an angle carefully calibrated to approach their original position on the ship. As a result, instead of studiously ignoring the gaze of the visitor by looking up to the ceiling, they gaze out at us.

In most cases, the name of the original vessel for a particular figurehead has been lost. Instead, they are known by internal titles such as “Woman with Flowers,” or “Besuited Gentleman.” Curators Hijar and Luecke researched the clothing, hairstyles, and poses, finding theatrical antecedents for many, such as the “Woman with Beads,” whose costume, long hair, and rosary beads suggest she represents the French martyr Joan of Arc as she was portrayed on the Victorian stage. Images from fashion plates, photos, and maps accompany each figurehead to provide context and insight. The curators also analyzed the figures, carved by English and American carvers, who depict different cultures: Native American, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern.

The new exhibit is a fresh take on helping people understand and appreciate the craft of carving and figureheads as an important art form.

Elysa Engelman, Ph.D., is the director of Exhibits.

Dramatic Mysterious Memorable

Museum staff members Wilson Lawrence, left, and Emma Ballenas work on the exhibit installation.

ON EXHIBITION

Mystic Seaport Museum was honored to be the recipient of a major grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a series of four guest-curated exhibitions that run through 2022:

SAILOR MADE: FOLK ART OF THE SEA

• Mary Mattingly’s Open Ocean • Sailor Made: Folk Art of the Sea • Figureheads & Ship Carvings • The Sea as Muse

The Henry Luce Foundation’s support brought three distinguished curators to the Museum to select, present, and interpret artifacts from the Museum’s own collection with the purpose of offering new audiences access to compelling “hidden” art objects and introducing new voices to the Museum’s interpretation of its collections.

W

hen sailors went

The Henry Luce Foundation funded exhibitions are presented in concert with the Museum’s Era of Exhibitions.

to sea in the 19th century, they faced diffi-

cult working conditions, cramped

personal

space

onboard

times

could

and for

voyages

months

ship,

that

at

stretch

or

even

years. Sailor Made: Folk Art of the Sea, a new

exhibition in the Museum’s

Building,

C.D.

Mallory

explores

the

art that emerged out

of this working world, reflecting sailors’ connections to shipboard life, their thoughts about culture on shore, and the souvenirs they created to remember and share the experiences of their travels.

The second of four new exhibitions funded by the Henry Luce Foun-

dation, Sailor Made highlights more than 200 objects from the Museum’s

collection, many of which have long been hidden from public view. Each artifact has its own story, and through the work of exhibition curator

Mirelle Luecke, Ph.D., much new information has been uncovered about the objects in the show.

“When stuck in the difficult, dangerous, and sometimes monotonous

environment of the ship, sailors used art to express themselves. The designs they inscribed on scrimshaw, the types of household items they made, and the ways they used different materials were all intentions, and tell us something about the sailors themselves, their experiences, and the world they lived in,” said Luecke.

These stories show how creating art enabled sailors to differentiate

their labor and leisure time in the otherwise all-consuming work environment of the ship.

To do this sailors turned to art, carving scrimshaw, drawing in journals,

sewing intricate embroidery, and creating intricate knot-work, to name but a few of the media on display.

As self-taught artists, sailors engaged with the working world of the

ship, imagined their ideal lives on shore, and created objects to commemorate their experiences at sea. This exhibition is a view into the world

of the 19th-century sailor, with a few modern examples to show how those impulses and activities continue today in some naval and merchant mariners.

The Era of Exhibitions has been made possible in part through the generous support of the following: LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Alexander and Amanda Bulazel Chubb, the global insurance company, in honor of Robert G. Stone, Jr. J. Barclay Collins, II in honor of Nicholas R. Bell Charles and Irene Hamm Henry Luce Foundation Ken and Dina Siegel Thompson Family Foundation

PATRON CIRCLE

Grant and Peggy Cambridge Cape Branch Foundation The Capital Group Companies S. Carter Gowrie The Manton Foundation Elizabeth and Robert McGraw Robert Musetti and Carol Allison-Musetti Laurie Olson and Maria Fasulo Hope H. van Beuren Vietor Family, in memory of their father, Alexander O. Vietor Robert & Susan Vincent

ERA OF EXHIBITIONS SPONSORS

Anonymous Robb A. and Sara Allan Richard and Suzanne Clary Betsy Bowman Sharon Cohen & Stephen Johnson William E. and Antonia B. Cook Maarten de Jong and Kendra Matthew Mrs. Rogers M. Doering Dolan Family Foundation Peter and Renate Gleysteen M. Frank Higgins & Co. Michael Hudner The Edward and Mary Lord Foundation Robert and Cynthia Martin Michael and Joanne Masin Cayre and Alexis P. Michas Elizabeth Riley and Daniel Smith Steve Stepler and Susan Scarritt

We also thank the many other donors who contributed to the Era of Exhibitions.

24 | FALL WINTER

2020

SUPPORT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM.

EVERYDAY WE ASPIRE TO CREATE A SENSE

OF COMMUNITY AND TO RE-IMAGINE

THE INTERCHANGE BETWEEN MARITIME HERITAGE AND BROADER CONTEMPORARY

CULTURE

Just as a captain relies on his crew, the Museum depends on your Annual Fund gift. By making a donation, you stimulate wonder, excite curiosity and learning, build community, and inspire an enduring connection to America’s maritime heritage for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. We greatly appreciate your Support!

Please make your donation by December 31, 2020.

To make your gift today, please call 860.572.5365 or visit www.mysticseaport.org/support.

The Estella A. in the new Armstrong Workshop.

R E S T O R AT I O N U P D AT E S

RESTORING THE FRIENDSHIP SLOOP ESTELLA A.

By Quentin Snediker

The launching of Estella A. was a remarkable event

deck. The vessel originally carried iron inside ballast

McLaine (1895-1984), son of her builder. It was a cold

gasoline engine. A winch head for hauling gear was fit

occurring on New Year’s Day 1904, according to Newell winter and ice was thicker than usual at Bremen, Maine, on Muscongus Bay. Despite this challenge, a crew cut

a channel in the ice to allow Estella A.’s launch. Robert

(Rob) E. McLaine, Estella A.’s builder, was promised a $25 dollar bonus, above the contracted price of $425, for an early launch.

Estella A. is 34’6” long, with a beam of 11’9” and draft

of 5’6”, typical or slightly larger than the average work-

ing “Maine Sloop Boat.” Today the type is more com-

monly known as a Friendship Sloop, named for the

and had a two-cylinder nine-horse power Knox marine

to her engine. Estella A. is said to have been the first sloop fit with auxiliary power launched from Bremen, later a common practice. McLain selected his own tim-

ber, used grown hackamatack (American Larch) knees

for floors timbers and used shop made galvanized iron

fastenings, helping to account for Estella A.’s longevity. Ames fished Estella A. for lobster and fish, until

1925 when he started hauling freight among the many coastal settlements of the region.

In 1930, Ames sold Estella A. to Lieutenant Com-

town in Maine where the type is said to have originated

mander Duncan I. Selfridge of Jamestown, RI, for use

primarily as lobster boats, they found use in a variety

Selfridge sailed Estella A. in its original gaff rig for sev-

during the second half of the 19th century. While known of fisheries. “Sloop Boats” were successful in their ser-

vice and many were found up and down the coast of Maine and beyond.

As engine powered craft replaced sailing vessels in

commercial service, many of these original working vessels were converted to recreational sailing because of their aesthetic beauty. In more recent years, they have been reproduced in both wood and fiberglass.

Friendship Sloops have become an iconic symbol of the design elements identified with classic sailing vessels: gaff rig, clipper bow and strong shear.

Rob E. McLain built Estella A. at Bremen, Long Island,

as a yacht in Narragansett Bay and surrounding waters. eral years. By 1937, he removed the iron inside ballast replacing it with outside lead and converted the gaff rig

to a “jib-headed” or “Marconi” rig for easier handling.

He also extended the cabin house providing more comfortable cruising accommodations. In 1957, after more than half century of active sailing, Mrs. Selfridge donated the vessel to Mystic Seaport Museum to become part of our waterfront floating exhibits.

The Museum

returned Estella A. to working configuration, removing

the added house, sistered deteriorated frames and returned the gaff rig.

As is true of all wooden vessels the boat continued

to age and deteriorate until it could no longer remain afloat. In 1967, Estella A. was hauled at the Museum’s

Maine for Henry Jackson (Jack) Ames of Matinicus.

railway to await restoration.

tella Ames. Ames operated Estella A. as a commercial

Preservation Shipyard was still several years in the fu-

The vessel was named for Jack’s daughter, Julia Esfishing and lobster boat. McLain built Estella A. using native red oak for frames with white pine planking and

While ashore, her dete-

rioration advanced rapidly. Mystic Seaport Museum’s ture, so the vessel was shipped to Thomaston, Maine

to be restored by the Newbert and Wallace Shipyard.

FALL / WINTER 2020

| 27

R E S T O R AT I O N U P D AT E S Shipyard Supervisor Maynard Bray supervised the res-

As the Museum reopened and we move forward, we

toration insuring historic integrity and returning the

are poised to complete workshop preparation and be-

ity, two notable changes from original were the use of

Allen will lead the project.

vessel to near original condition. To increase longev-

gin the Estella A. restoration project. Shipwright Trevor

more durable white oak

Trevor is a skilled crafts-

instead of red and bronze

person with deep experi-

of

galvanized

working with Museum vol-

son built her cotton sails

calls for Allen to work full

Wilson is at the helm in

entry-level shipwright as-

have today.

Together

years exposed to the el-

three individuals each day,

salt-water

seven days a week.

screw fasteners in place

ence and very much enjoys

iron. Sailmaker Nat Wil-

unteers. The project plan

in the Mallory Sail Loft.

time for two years with an

the underway images we

sisting on a half-time basis.

Now after another 50

volunteers averaging two or

original

with

ements and rigors of the environment

In 2010, we recognized the

level

of

deteriora-

will

project

direct

ongoing

Mystic Seaport Museum

Estella A. is again in need

of complete restoration.

the

they

Sail Plan to which Estella A. will be restored as revised by Larry Jacobsen after exhaustive research. MSM WSP 7.22.2

tion had progressed to a point where the vessel was in

is committed to preserv-

ing its unique collection of

more than 500 watercraft,

ranging from the 400-ton Charles W. Morgan to canoes,

structural jeopardy. We removed the mast and rig and

kayaks and other small vessels.

Estella A. is one of

await time and resources to begin restoration. Two sig-

tion maintained on display, afloat in their natural envi-

1841 National Historic Landmark whaling ship Charles W.

bulkhead now referred to as “Fisheries Row”. Over the

Plimoth Plantation to restore Mayflower II. With these

sels have undergone significant restoration. Of those,

put it under cover essentially “mothballing” Estella A. to

seven medium-size watercraft in the Museum’s collec-

nificant large projects took precedence; restoring our

ronment. These vessels are docked together along the

Morgan followed immediately by our collaboration with

last two and a half decades, five of these seven ves-

projects behind us, we began actively planning Estella

Estella A. is now most in need of restoration.

A.’s next restoration.

We are fortunate to have a great deal of original

In 2019, we could no longer depend on the vessel re-

research done during the boat’s 1970’s restoration

her lay up in the water to an end. As proven in the late

Bray conducted several oral interviews including Newell

great length of time before the structure will dry out

the first owner; and Mrs. Julia Estella Ames Ripley for

and fastening deteriorate rapidly, losing shape and

work of many others who have gone before have been

enough condition to remain in the vessel. We therefore

restoration with the highest degree of historic integrity.

In order to accomplish the restoration and optimize

we have retained the skilled craftspeople, and much

front boat shed, formerly housing Australia, to the proj-

operation in a safe phased manner, work will again re-

to honor the former trustee, Richard Armstrong, who

our visitor’s enjoyment and preserving this important

maining afloat; this demanded we take action bringing

housed in the Shipyard Documentation Office. Maynard

1960’s, the vessel cannot be stored on shore for any

McClain, son of Estella A.’s builder; Oscar Ames’s son

and begin to come apart, as wooden elements shrink

whom the boat was named. These documents and the

damaging those structural elements that are in good

the basis of this paper and will greatly contribute to the

decided this was the time to begin full restoration.

The vessel is in place, the workshop is nearly ready,

the benefit to Museum visitors, we dedicated a water-

of the material is in hand. As the Museum returns to

ect. The new shop is named the Armstrong Workshop

sume, adding a safe, educational, outdoor exhibit for

donated initial funds for the restoration. This space will

watercraft with deep New England connections.

between visitors and Shipyard craftspeople. Prepara-

Quentin Snediker is the Clark Senior Curator of Watercraft and the director of the Preservation Shipyard.

allow maximum visibility and will facilitate interaction

tion of this Workshop was well underway last winter

and early spring when progress came to a halt due to the present world health crisis.

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Under sail on Fishers Island Sound 1972, Nat Wilson, sailmaker at the helm. MSM 1974.10.200.

FROM THE COLLECTIONS

A NEW PAINTING OF AN OLD SHIP

By Paul O’Pecko

The painting seen here is entitled The Golden Age Whaler Charles W. Morgan , New Bedford. It was painted

by J. Duncan Gleason of Los Angeles in about 1920. The painting was recently acquired by Mystic Seaport Museum and is one of at least three examples of portraits of the Morgan by artists who worked earlier in their lives as magazine illustrators. The other two illustrator/ artists are Gordon Grant and Montague Dawson, both names well known in marine art circles. Gleason was a fan of Howard Pyle, author and illustrator of The Book of Pirates, whose influence can be seen in this picture. Gleason’s palette, illustrative style and inclusion of a human element in his composition is evocative of Pyle’s The Pirate Was a Picturesque Fellow and other works. Gleason’s colors seem to jump off the canvas as both the boy and his little dog seem transfixed by the old whaleship being pushed through the harbor by the little tug.

Duncan Gleason was a multi-talented man who started working for an engraving company when he was only 14, but later became known as a landscape painter and painter of maritime subjects. In a completely different arena, he excelled as a successful gymnast who won multiple national championships and an international championship on the flying rings. He later worked for several well-known Hollywood movie studios as an artist and consultant on movies in which ships played a major role, such as Captain Blood with Errol Flynn. His physical prowess reportedly earned him a place as a stuntman on a number of films as well.

30 | FALL / WINTER 2020

Before World War I, Gleason moved from Los Angeles to New York to continue his art studies and work in the magazine business, illustrating for a number of different companies. He moved back to California after the war was over and married Dorothy Ferguson who, in 1922 with Gleason, wrote the text to the Gleason-illustrated book Windjammers. The etching of the Morgan seen here is one of two of the ship in the book done by Gleason at that time. It is likely during the time he was doing this etching that our newly acquired painting was completed as well. Gleason had an obvious affinity for the Morgan as other paintings of the whaler appeared in exhibitions in Los Angeles in later years. While many of the ship portraits in the collection give a broadside view of the vessel for easy identification, this portrait of the Charles W. Morgan presents us with a little more life and character, both of which the ship deserves in full measure.

Paul O’Pecko is vice president of research collections and director of the G.W. Blunt White Library.

FALL / WINTER 2020

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G I F T- G I V I N G I D E A S

2021 Art of the Boat Wall Calendar Featuring beautiful, iconic images from

the Rosenfeld Collection at Mystic Seaport Museum, we offer our 2021 Art of the Boat wall calendar. $15.99 Size 10 ¼” x 13 ¾”, opens to 13 ¾’ x 20 ½” SKU 1043935

To purchase your Art of the Boat Wall Calendar, visit us in store, or online at shop.mysticseaport.org.

Mystic Seaport Museum Face Mask

Our Museum burgee face mask makes the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Created with our

environment in mind using recycled polyester from

water bottles, transitional cotton, and environmentally conscious screen printing. Adjustable ear loops. $12.99

To purchase your Mystic Seaport Museum Face Mask visit shop.mysticseaport.org. https://shop.mysticseaport.org/shop-by-collection/holiday.html

Our Museum Store is committed to the safety of our visitors. Shop safely knowing that in addition to reduced capacity, our store also has rigorous cleaning and safety measures in place.

We are open Thursday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

Visit us right from the comfort of your home at shop.mysticseaport.org.

We have added dozens of new items to our web store from home decor, books, apparel, stationary and more!

32 | FALL WINTER

2020

Christmas Memories Book Our beloved Christmas Memories book has documented the memories of thousands of our guests. A book of history you will

cherish for a lifetime, because as traditions begin and evolve, as families grow, and as

era’s change, it is a book of history unique to you!

$19.95, or personalize it for $34.95

GIVE THE

GIFT OF

MEMBERSHIP TO MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM HOLIDAY GIFT-GIVING MADE EASY! To purchase the Christmas Memories Book, visit us in the store, or online at shop.mysticseaport.org. https://shop.mysticseaport.org/shop-bycollection/holiday.html

GIVE THE GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP

Try our new, easy, one-stop gift-giving solution and you’ll receive a gift certificate voucher for each gift membership you purchase. Just wrap the emailed gift certificate! The Museum Membership will be activated for one year on the day your gift recipient returns the completed form to the Membership Department.

PLUS: DON’T MISS MEMBERS’ DOUBLE DISCOUNT DAYS! * NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

Almost everything in the store and online is 20% off for Members, except sale items, and original art. *Sale items, fine art, and promotional items, are excluded.

Order online at www.mysticseaport.org/gift or call 860.572.5339 FALL / WINTER 2020

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mailed from zip code 14206 Permit #982

75 Greenmanville Avenue PO Box 6000 Mystic, CT 06355-0990

Lantern Light Village A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER

DECEMBER 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19 TICKETS ON SALE NOW. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT, mysticseapor t.org/lanternlightvillage.