Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | Spring/Summer 2020

A WAY WITH WOOD

CELEBRATING CRAFT

OPENING JULY 3, 2020

MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM MAGAZINE • SPRING / SUMMER • 2020

SUMMER CAMP AND SAIL PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES

We all need to get outside this summer. Mystic Seaport Museum has 19 acres to do just that! Our Summer Day Camps offer boys and girls ages 6 to 16 a kids’eye view of maritime history as they explore the Museum and participate in fun maritime activities. Our Community Sailing Camps help aspiring sailors learn how to sail in a fun and friendly environment on the beautiful Mystic River.

Sailing camps begin June 22 and run until September 4. Summer Day Camps begin June 29 and run through September 4.

For more information and to register visit mysticseaport.org/summercamps

CONTENTS

22-23 MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM MAGAZINE is a publication of Mystic Seaport Museum PRESIDENT STEPHEN C. WHITE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT SUSAN FUNK CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DAVID PATTEN

A digital scan of the interior of the schooner L.A. Dunton.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT LAURA HOPKINS EDITOR GÖRAN R BUCKHORN editor@mysticseaport.org

S P R I N G

PRODUCTION SUSAN HEATH

/

S U M M E R

DESIGN KAREN WARD DESIGN

2020

CONTRIBUTORS BETSY BOWMAN PATRICK FORD CHRIS FREEMAN CHRIS GASIOREK LAURA HOPKINS MIRELLE LUECKE

DAN McFADDEN SHERRI RAMELLA QUENTIN SNEDIKER JOHN URBAN

IN THIS ISSUE SEASCAPES........................................................... 4-6 ADVANCEMENT NEWS.......................................... 8-10

PHOTOGRAPHY AMANDA BULAZEL CHRIS GASIOREK ED GIFFORD JOE MICHAEL

14-15

MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHY ARCHIVES ANDY PRICE ANDREAS WEISS

MUSEUM BRIEFS.................................................. 11-13 STEVE WHITE RETIRES ....................................... 14-15 DIGITAL MUSEUM................................................16-17

ON THE COVER: The Museum will open its newest exhibition, A Way with Wood: Celebrating Craft July 3 in the Collins Gallery.

See page 19 for story.

NEW EXHIBITION: SAILOR MADE.......................................................... 18 NEW EXHIBITION: A WAY WITH WOOD: CELEBRATING CRAFT................. 19 NEW EXHIBITION: SALT: TRACING MEMORIES................................. 20-21 THE L.A. DUNTON UPDATE.................................. 22-23

CONTACT US

SABINO: AN ELECTRIC OPTION ............................... 24

VISITOR INFORMATION: 860.572.5315 ADMINISTRATION: 860.572.0711

FROM THE COLLECTIONS......................................... 25

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

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FOR MUSEUM EVENT INFORMATION VISIT US ON THE WEB AT WWW.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG/EVENTS

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

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S E A S C A P E S

“Mystic Seaport Museum announced today it is temporarily closing to the public beginning tomorrow, March 13, to support the State of Connecticut’s efforts to stem the outbreak of the COVID-19.”— Press Release, March 12, 2020

THE FUTURE HAS CHANGED

This issue of the Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine was nearly complete and in its final editing stages when everything changed as the coronavirus began its relentless march across the globe. Of course, with the future suddenly unknown, we paused publishing the Magazine, and with this issue, we now go entirely digital. We hope you like the new, fiscally responsible presentation. Some of the articles have been edited to reflect the change of timing as well as significant changes in programming and exhibitions. Other elements of the Magazine remain the same as they are historically important or more representative of what happened prior to the coronavirus outbreak. You will also see my original Seascapes column with the then optimistic and well-founded title, “The Museum’s Future is Bright.” That Seascapes piece was finished on March 5. How quickly things changed.

“These are uncharted waters, but as with any exploration of unknown seas, good judgement, caution, and seamanship must prevail… Our positive, proactive actions define the very nature of our community. Together we can have an impact on the threat and spread of the virus.”— Steve White in a letter to staff, March 14, 2020 Within days of our closing on March 13, the management team and the Board of Trustees quickly began to evaluate what this closure, either short- or long-term, would mean to the Museum and its finances. The matter was made all the more

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urgent when the Governor of Connecticut announced his Executive Order 7H telling all of us to work from home. The future looked ominous, and it was clear that what we had hoped would be a temporary closure had the potential to be considerably longer. Faced with that likely

scenario, the financial viability of the Museum depended on drastic actions including, most regrettably, a significant workforce reduction.

“The challenges we face collectively are unparalleled in our lifetime. The impacts of the spread of the coronavirus are far reaching into virtually all corners of society… Consequently, we must take extraordinary actions to insure the long-term sustainability of Mystic Seaport Museum.”— Steve White in a letter to the staff, March 25, 2020 The painful reduction took place April 1 amidst a sea of changes as the management team took every reasonable measure to keep the Museum safe and secure. Conversations with vendors, banks, and other non-profit leaders dominated the work day as we began to imagine a very different, undetermined, and undefined future for the Museum. From those darkest days in mid-April, emerged from necessity, a digital platform through which the Museum shared its knowledge from our kitchen tables, bedrooms, and workshops to provide content-rich material for school children, teachers, and content-craving members. The Board of Trustees held its annual spring meeting by Zoom, and the Annual Meeting of the Members was suspended save for the election of the Trustee Class of 2023 by proxy.

“I’m confident that we will soon be back together on the

SEASCAPES

“The challenges we face collectively are unparalleled in our lifetime. The impacts of the spread of the coronavirus are far reaching into virtually all corners of society.”

“I’m confident that we will soon be back together on the

grounds celebrating our sense of place while promoting authentic experiences that will once again inspire our visitors. Thank you for all you do.”

grounds celebrating our sense of place while promoting authentic experiences that will once again inspire our visitors. Thank you for all you do.” –Steve White in a letter to staff, April 17, 2020 Meetings with the Governor and his team in early May began to reveal the potential opportunity of opening the Museum grounds as a park later in the month. After weeks of discussions, and with the help of guidelines from the Governor’s office, a plan was put in place to open free-of-charge to the public on Memorial Day Weekend. At 9:58 a.m., on Saturday, May 23, the first two people entered the Museum grounds donning masks after a closure of 73 days. What a glorious moment that was and how pleased we were to welcome the approximately 1,600 people who turned out over the three-day holiday weekend to enjoy, once again, the powerful sense of place and tranquility here on the eastern shore of the Mystic River. I extend my sincere appreciation to the staff and volunteers who helped to make that happen!

While we are a far cry from everything being right and normal, there is a mood of optimism and a sense of gratefulness that we are in a position to carefully, and at a distance of more than a fathom, re-engage with each other. We can only hope that the slow retreat of the coronavirus will allow some semblance of the full Mystic Seaport Museum experience to return before Labor Day. While there are still many unresolved questions regarding the next three months and the uncertainty of what the fall will bring, we are invigorated by the opportunities to reconnect with our audience in whatever form they may be.

Thank you for your continued support and loyalty as it means more to us now than perhaps ever before. With your help, I am confident that the Museum will endure this crisis, demonstrating the same grit and resilience that has been a hallmark of the institution since 1929.

See you on the grounds!

Steve SPRING / SUMMER 2020

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SEASCAPES

Editor’s Note: This is the Seascapes column Steve White originally wrote for this issue of the Magazine.

We include it to show you what a great year we had planned. The SALT exhibition is now intended for Spring 2021. Sailor Made will open September 18, the figureheads exhibit will open November 14, and Discovering Antarctica is on hold for the time being.

As we put together this issue of Mystic Seaport Museum

will be reimagined in the Wendell Building, putting a whole new

Magazine, J.M.W. Turner’s beautiful watercolors and oils are

spin on what has always been a favorite for the Museum’s

slipping back into their secure crates and preparing to head back to

visitors. We are enormously grateful for the funding from the Luce

Europe. It was a spectacular exhibition by virtually every

Foundation that makes these presentations possible.

definition. Visitors came from near and far for multiple visits in

The year 2020 represents the bicentennial of Nathaniel

order to fully appreciate and understand Turner’s genius and to

Palmer’s 1820 voyage to the South Shetland Islands, during which

witness the remarkable arc of his creative career. How fortunate

he became the first American to see the continent of Antarc-

we were to have this opportunity to celebrate his art and to

tica. Using this significant anniversary, we will install Discovering

share with you a rare aesthetic experience. The Collins Gallery

Antarctica: 1820-2020 in the Collins Gallery in November.

was an exceptional environment to showcase the talents of the staff of Mystic Seaport Museum and Tate.

In short, the exhibition was a glorious success by any measure:

an

89

percent

increase in visitors year over

THE MUSEUM’S FUTURE IS BRIGHT

year with lines out the door;

Guest

curators

McCahey

and

Daniella Jean

expansive exhibition exploring various themes of America’s 200-year relationship with the remote continent.

Connected to this exhibition, a few present and former

national media coverage, including PBS NewsHour, the Wall

trustees, along with yours truly and Munson Institute Director

Street Journal, and the Boston Globe; Nicholas Bell’s book,

Glenn Gordinier, visited Antarctica this past January (see article

Conversations with Turner, sold out; the majority of visitors came

on page 12). In addition to special programming the Museum

from out of state. Our hopes for the exhibition were more than

added to that expedition, we took with us a small wooden ditty

fulfilled!

box that Palmer’s crew brought on that 1820 voyage. Discovering

Our sights now turn to the future as we answer everyone’s question: what’s next? Artist Motoi Yamamoto will install his exhibition SALT: Tracing Memories in the last week of April and the first week of May. Our exhibits team will deliver another striking presentation featuring ramps and walkways that will elevate our visitors to witness Yamamoto’s artistic vision on the Collins Gallery floor. Where watercolors and oils were Turner’s media, Yamamoto’s is ordinary table salt – a lot of it! As salt is central to our connection to the sea, the exhibition provides numerous opportunities for interesting and unique programming. Read the article on SALT on pages 20 and 21 and watch our website for more details.

Additionally, this summer will feature two new exhibitions funded by the Luce Foundation focusing on the creative

Antarctica will round out what is sure to be another amazing year of exhibitions in the McGraw Gallery Quadrangle.

Throughout the year, we will also celebrate the broad success of the Museum and its evolution over its first 90 years. Being a history museum, we enjoy the opportunity to look back and to reflect on the major milestones that have helped define what we are. As I transition out of my role at the Museum and welcome a new leader, I can say that I am proud of all that we have been able to achieve together during our 11-year span in that 90-year period. While our mission and core values remain constant, our programming and exhibitions evolve. As we look ahead to the Museum’s centennial celebration, I can say that the vision is clear, the team is strong, and the future is bright.

elements of the Mystic Seaport Museum collection. Sailor Made will open in the C.D. Mallory Building on June 13, during the Sea Music Festival, and will feature an array of art created by

6

de

Pomereu have designed an

professional mariners at sea (see the article on page 14 for

STEPHEN C. WHITE,

more details). Then, in September, the Figurehead exhibition

President

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MEMBERS MATTER Now more than ever!

SEPTEMBER IS MEMBER APPRECIATION MONTH. This September, we’re saying thank you!

All month Members will enjoy surprises, special events, promotions and raffles.

Watch for details in your Membership emails.

Don’t miss Member Appreciation Night on Friday, September 11.

We’re keeping the museum open late, just for members.

See you there!

REGISTER EARLY EMAIL: membership@mysticseaport.org SPRING / SUMMER 2020

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A D VA N C E M E N T N E W S Honoree Wendy Schmidt, Trustee J. Barclay Collins, II, and President Stephen C. White

We sincerely thank the following sponsors.

PLATINUM: Betsy and Hunt Lawrence Wendy and Eric Schmidt GOLD Peggy and Grant Cambridge J. Barclay Collins, II

WENDY SCHMIDT: RECIPIENT OF THE 2019 AMERICA AND THE SEA AWARD The Museum’s 14th annual

has had an enormous impact on

The evening was elegant,

America and the Sea Award Gala

the advancement of science and

memorable, and fun, enjoyed by

honored American business-

knowledge surrounding climate

more than 200 guests. Sponsor-

woman and philanthropist Wendy

change and its effect on rising

ships, tickets, auction, and do-

Schmidt for her commitment to

sea levels, a circumstance di-

nations generated $678,000 for

the well-being of our oceans. The

rectly impacting Mystic Seaport

the Museum!

award was presented at a black

Museum. Through her leader-

Read about the 15th annual

tie gala on October 30, 2019, at the

ship, which inspires excitement,

America and the Sea Award hon-

Metropolitan Club in New York City.

enthusiasm, and determination,

oree on page 9.

Through her organizations

she has made possible research

such as the Schmidt Family Foun-

and open sharing of informa-

Sherri Ramella is Advancement

dation, the Schmidt Ocean Insti-

tion pertaining to the health of

tute, and many others, Wendy

our oceans.

AMERICA AND THE SEA SOCIETY Many thanks to our America and

the Sea Society donors for their leadership level support of the Annual Fund! Over the last year, these donors enjoyed a number of special opportunities, including exclusive exhibition previews, the annual boat parade aboard Sabino, the Mayflower II launch, and behind-the-scenes access to our collections. To learn more about the America and the Sea Society, please contact Betsy Bowman at betsy.bowman@mysticseaport.org.

Betsy Bowman is director of the Annual Fund.

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events manager.

Travelers SILVER Gowrie Group Irene and Charles Hamm KPMG Joanne and Michael Masin Cayre and Alexis Michas ‌and our 14 Bronze sponsors

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

2020 AMERICA AND THE SEA AWARD: RECIPIENT TOM WHIDDEN Mystic Seaport Museum is delighted to announce the recipient of the 15th annual America and the Sea Award: Tom Whidden, one of the most acclaimed sailors of all time, member of both the America’s Cup Hall of Fame and the National Sailing Hall of Fame, and President and CEO of North Technology Group.

Whidden will be honored for his distinguished record as a competitive sailor and his leadership in the design and manufacturing of technologically advanced sails. “To be recognized by the most prominent maritime museum in the U.S. for doing what I love most is a dream come true,” remarked Whidden.

The award will be presented to Whidden at a black tie gala on October 23 at Mystic Seaport Museum. The celebratory annual event will begin with a cocktail reception with the

ERA OF EXHIBITIONS In the early 2000s, Mystic Seaport Mu-

Museum trustees, donors, and major foun-

seum Trustee Wade Thompson challenged

dations stepped forward to help underwrite

his fellow trustees to reimagine the north

the Era of Exhibitions, and in December of

end of the Museum’s campus, envisioning a

last year, The Thompson Family Foundation

year-round exhibition facility that would draw

extended its long-time commitment to the

visitors to the Museum again and again to see

Museum through the award of a $1 million

great exhibitions from the great museums of

grant that challenges donors to join in com-

the world, as well as artifacts from our col-

pleting the $6 million fundraising goal for the

lections. Wade’s leadership, generosity, and

Era of Exhibitions. As this issue of the Magazine

challenge to additional donors resulted in the

is being wrapped up, we approach the final

award-winning building that bears his name.

10 percent of this campaign, being more than

In rapid succession, the Museum then

a year ahead of schedule. The Era of Exhibi-

unfolded a remarkable series of exhibitions

tions adds a powerful new element to the

designed to create wonder and trigger learn-

overall visitor experience at Mystic Seaport

sorships and single tickets are

ing. Most recently J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors

Museum, furthering the Museum’s mission

available.

from Tate earned national print and television

and impact, and we are deeply indebted to

coverage and led to long lines at the gate pro-

all those who have invested in realizing this

viding proof of concept and building upon the

long-held ambition.

success of exhibitions such as SeaChange,

John Urban is director of Major Gifts and

honoree, followed by dinner, award presentation, auction, and paddle raise. Table spon-

For please

more

informatiion

contact

the

Ad-

vancement department at 860.572.5365 or via email advancement@mysticseaport.org.

The Vikings Begin, and Death in the Ice.

Strategic Partnership.

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

PARTNERSHIPS THAT KEEP THE YACHTS ON EXHIBIT AFLOAT The Yachts On Exhibit program at Mystic Seaport Museum supports the various operations at the Museum with vessels used for charters, wedding drop-offs, photo shoots, and housing for interns and visiting curators. But as anyone who has ever been given a “free boat” knows, there is no such thing. While the Museum does benefit from the sale of these vessels at the conclusion of their use, any help we can get along the way lets us devote more of our staffing and financial resources to our collection vessels.

A great community partner for us for many years has been Dodson Boatyard in Stonington, CT. Dodson’s crew, led by Robert Snyder, has for many years taken on one of the classic yachts donated to the Museum and provided winter hauling, storage, paintwork, and bright work to make our Yachts on Exhibit shine.

This year, Dodson, in partnership with Stonington Yacht Sale’s John Farmelo, arranged for the winter storage and spring polishing of Cadenza, a Herreshoff Rozinante ketch. In addition to storing Cadenza’s wooden hull and spars in Dodson’s special wooden boat storage facility, Robert and his crew will give Cadenza a new topcoat of paint and varnish to ensure she is in Bristol condition while the vessel is a part of the fleet of Mystic Seaport Museum.

This corporate gift to the Museum goes a long way toward maintaining our fleet at the highest standard.

Chris Gasiorek is vice president of Watercraft Preservation and Programs.

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SAFEGUARD THE FUTURE OF MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM BY MAKING A LEGACY GIFT TODAY Secure lifetime income.

Establish a charitable gift annuity with Mystic Seaport Museum.

PLower your taxable income in 2020 If you are age 70 ½, you may make a qualified gift to charity from your IRA and avoid income tax on your required minimum distribution.

P5-minute legacy gift Name Mystic Seaport Museum as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, retirement account, or taxable brokerage account.

Contact the Advancement Department at 860.572.5365 to learn more or request additional information including a personal Charitable Gift Annuity Illustration.

MUSEUM BRIEFS

AAM HONORS MUSEUM WITH SUSTAINABILITY AWARD Mystic Seaport Museum is one of four museums in the country to be recognized

with a 2020 Sustainability Excellence Award, presented by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

First presented in 2014, the awards recognize sustainability efforts in facilities, programming, and exhibits in both large and small institutions. In the last five years, the award program has recognized 20 different museums for their efforts.

Mystic Seaport Museum received a Special Award of Merit for its accomplishments in reducing single-use plastic on its entire 19-acre site. The awards jury “was impressed by the institution’s comprehensive approach: the attention paid to inculcating behavior change; addressing cost challenges; data collection and analysis; and the detailed documentation of its process,” the award announcement stated.

“Mystic Seaport [Museum] is a powerful example that illustrates a deep dive in one sustainability topic that was consistently tackled with rigor,” said Joyce S. Lee, the Jury Chair for the Facility Award.

The Sustainability Excellence Awards, which strongly encourage museum energy benchmarking to address climate action, are sponsored by the Environment and Climate Network, a professional network of AAM members committed to establishing museums as leaders in environmental sustainability. The other museums receiving 2020 awards are the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures in Urbana, IL, the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, WA, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA.

REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

In February 2019, Mystic Seaport Museum announced an initiative to work toward eliminating single-

use plastics. In collaboration with its retail and food service partners, Event Network and Coastal Gourmet, the Museum implemented a long list of single-use plastic reductions in the bake shop, Museum Store, restaurants, event catering, the Sailing Center, and across the grounds, which includes elimination of plastic straws, cups, lids, takeaway containers, and bags; the addition of reusable bags, water bottles, coffee mugs, and many other eco-friendly products in the Museum store; installation of three water bottle refill stations; promotion of noted days throughout the year such as Earth Day, Plastic Free July, World Oceans Day, and America Recycles Day, and many other efforts.

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MUSEUM BRIEFS

THE MUSEUM VISITS ANTARCTICA

ashore and climbed a hill

When Nathaniel Palmer’s sloop

Hero

anchored

where he saw the continent

at

of Antarctica for the first time

Deception Island in 1820, a

on November 17, 1820.

small sailor’s ditty box was

The 7″ x 3″ wooden box,

along for the ride. Two hundred

which was donated to the

years later, that same box –

Museum in 1950, will be

now in the Museum’s collection

included in the Museum’s

– made the trip back to the very

upcoming exhibition, Discov-

same harbor.

ering Antarctica: 1820-2020.

Palmer, a Stonington, CT,

The exhibition is currently on

native, is one of three credited

hold due to the Coronavirus

with first seeing the continent

pandemic.

of Antarctica in 1820.

12

The 2020 trip was the idea

the expedition travel company

Museum were part of a group

of Mystic Seaport Museum

Abercrombie & Kent to orga-

of 186 passengers to take this

trustee Alex Bulazel, who called

nize a voyage to visit sites con-

cruise to Antarctica on the ship

the Museum’s attention to the

nected to the Palmer bicenten-

Le Lyrial this past January.

200th anniversary of Palmer’s

nial. Bulazel, Museum President

The 47-foot Hero was on a

sighting of the continent. A

Steve White, Munson Institute

sealing expedition, and while

frequent traveler to the Polar

Director Glenn Gordinier, and

anchored in Whalers Bay on

regions, Bulazel worked with

11 other people with ties to the

Deception Island, Palmer went

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SPRING / SUMMER 2020

Below: Museum trustee Alex Bulazel holds up the ditty box that traveled with Palmer to Antarctica at Deception Island on January 27, 2020. Photo: Amanda Bulazel.

MUSEUM BRIEFS

TOWN APPROVES HOTEL PROJECT The Town of Stoning-

pitality Group, which will

Commission approved the

Museum. The company’s

ton Planning and Zoning proposed Delamar hotel at a special meeting March

3. The decision paved the

way for the demolition of

Latitude 41° Restaurant and the construction of a new

boutique hotel and restaurant.

The three-story, 27-room

lease the property from the founder and chief operating officer is Charles Mallory, who was a longtime trustee of the Museum. Greenwich

Hospitality Group operates Delamar hotels in Greenwich,

Southport, and West Hartford.

The Museum built the

boutique hotel and restau-

Latitude building in the mid-

back on the property closer

addition to issues associ-

rant will be located farther to the Mystic River. The space

now occupied by Latitude 41°

will be converted to a circular driveway with valet parking.

Architect Bruce Beinfield of

Norwalk, CT, who cited the

area’s grand beach hotels of the 19th century as his inspiration, designed the building.

The developer for the

project is Greenwich Hos-

1960s as a restaurant. In ated with the structure’s age, it suffers from regu-

lar flooding and it was determined the best course forward would be to replace

the building and not renovate it.

Tentative plans call for the

project to move forward in 2022.

Top: The hotel as seen from the Cruising Club of America dock on the north end of the Museum grounds. Credit: Beinfield Architects Above: The architect’s rendering of the proposed Delamar Mystic Hotel’s north side as seen from the river. Credit: Beinfield Architects

TURNER DRAWS RAVE REVIEWS For a period this past

winter, Mystic Seaport Mu-

Nearly 100,000 people vis-

seum was on the short list

ited the exhibition over its

art world with the display of

lines out the door on many

of “must-see” stops in the the exhibition, J.M.W. Turn-

5-month run, and there were

weekends. Visitors came

er: Watercolors from Tate.

from as far away as Califor-

artist’s watercolors, 4 of his

to view the show, which was

The show featured 92 of the oils, and an exclusive viewing

of one of his sketchbooks.

Known mostly for his work

in oil, Turner was a lifelong watercolorist who used the

nia and the United Kingdom in its last venue after tour-

ing Rome, Buenos Aires, and Santiago (Chile).

“Hosting a show of this

caliber is the reason we

medium to explore and ex-

built the Thompson Exhibi-

throughout the entire show.

Gallery,” said Steve White,

periment—which was evident It was a show the critics

traveled to Mystic to see.

“Endlessly inventive,” was

The Wall Street Journal’s A visitor viewing a painting from J.M.W. Turner: Watercolors from Tate exhibition.

called it “irresistible.”

judgement. The Boston Globe

tion Building and the Collins

Museum president. “We said the building had ‘to be good

enough for Turner,’ and it was!”

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Right: Steve White tending the mainsheet aboard Museum Schooner Brilliant. At the helm is Dan McKenzie, captain of Brilliant.

Photo courtesy of Ed Gifford.

FAREWELL STEVE B Y C H R I S F R E E M AN

When Steve White came on deck to stand his watch as the President of Mystic Seaport Museum in 2009, he took the helm in stormy conditions indeed. The country was in the depths of the Great Recession and there was plenty of cause for worry and not much cause for hope.

The Museum was in the midst of restoring the National Historic Landmark vessel, the Charles W. Morgan. Rather than fret or worry about the challenge of completing this project during such trying times, Steve called together his leadership team to discuss our options. Once it became clear that the Morgan would be restored to seaworthy condition, the proposal was to take her to sea, under sail, for the first time in nearly a century.

This became the hallmark of Steve’s leadership – a steadfast belief that the people of Mystic Seaport Museum can accomplish any project they choose to tackle.

Thus began a decade of remarkable achievement for the Museum; “if not now, when; and if not now, why not?” became our slogan.

From the outset, it was clear that Steve and his wife Maggie knew the value of community and grasped right away the special nature of Mystic Seaport Museum. Yes, the Museum is a public institution, a membership association, and an important business and employer in the local economy. However, it is also a community of like-minded individuals, bound by a shared belief that history – both knowledge of the past and the practice of researching and making sense of what happened in the past – is crucially important to the well-being of individuals, communities, and the future of our nation. Steve and Maggie embraced the people of Mystic Seaport Museum and in return they were welcomed into the community as neighbors and friends.

It was not always smooth sailing over the past 11 years. There were moments during his tenure

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SPRING / SUMMER 2020

“It is worthy to recall once again the empathy, sympathy, and careful consideration he showed the people of the Mystic Seaport Museum community. Its members, volunteers, and staff were

others who may derive com-

rest. During his “trick at the

fort and inspiration from their

helm,” he has navigated Mystic

visits.

Seaport Museum through trials

well regarded, respected, and appreciated for their perspectives

Steve grew up sailing and

and triumphs alike. The litany

holds a love for the sea deep

of his accomplishments has

and the roles they played in the Museum’s success.”

in his heart. Twice over the

been documented elsewhere

past decade he donned his

and need not to be repeated

sailing gear and joined the

here. However, it is worthy to

crew of Schooner Brilliant for

recall once again the empathy,

some racing up in Maine. His

sympathy, and careful consid-

joy at sailing into his home port

eration he showed the people

of Camden was palpable. His

of the Mystic Seaport Museum

enthusiasm for charging down

community. Its members, vol-

the course with all sails flying

unteers, and staff were well

was contagious. His willing-

regarded, respected, and ap-

ness to set aside his role as

preciated for their perspec-

president for a few days and

tives and the roles they played

become a part of the crew

in the Museum’s success.

when tragic events shook our

Just recently a member

nation and called to ques-

sent the following note along

tion the nature of our modern

with their philanthropic gift to

society. One such event was

the Museum:

the White Nationalist Rally in

The Museum has been an

Charlottesville, VA, in 2017.

important part of my life over

In the days following, Steve

the last eight years and, as

brought the staff together to

so much ugliness descends

encourage us to reach out to

around us, its role in preserv-

those who might be hurting,

ing values as well as history

to offer them solace, speak

becomes ever more impor-

to them of hope, and remind

tant. I think back to Steve

them that they are welcome

White’s Charlottesville letter

here in our community. This

from time to time and greatly

was a powerful act by a com-

appreciate the role that he

passionate leader who always

focused upon there, casting

wished for Mystic Seaport Mu-

the Museum as a place where

seum to be a place of inclu-

civility and decency live on for

sion and acceptance.

our sake and for the sake of

was in fact emblematic of

Fair Winds and Following

his natural character. He is

Seas… or in a different ver-

a strong leader who has the

nacular: here’s hoping you

confidence to take a step

find beam reaches and sandy

back and allow others to shine

beaches.

in their own particular roles.

Chris Freeman is director of Devel-

Steve is now coming off his

opment and Legacy Giving.

watch for a much deserved SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | 15

BRINGING THE

MUSEUM

TO YOU B Y DAN MCFA DDEN “We are going to talk today about half models, something we boatbuilders absolutely love.”

That was senior shipwright Walter Ansel opening what could have been his regular half-model class in the White Boat Shop. However, in this instance he was beginning a video

SEE ALL OUR VIDEOS ON OUR

tutorial on the Museum’s YouTube channel.

As the COVID-19 pandemic progressively shut down the country in March, Mystic Seaport Museum – like all museums – faced a challenge. How to keep people engaged and continue to fulfil our mission when the Museum cannot open its doors? Perhaps most important: how can the Museum help people cope with the isolation and stress?

While the Museum could not invite people to interact in person, content on the Museum’s digital channels could reach people in their home on their own schedule. If people could not come to the Museum, the Museum would come to them.

The initiative came to involve nearly every department at the Museum.

Staff members armed with smartphones and tripods fanned out across campus, the river, their home office, or their personal shop to capture demonstrations and explainers, behind-the-scenes tours, or deliver live presentations and lectures via Zoom.

All of this was gathered in a new micro-website (stories.mysticseaport.

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DIGITAL MUSEUM

Above: Screengrab of website homepage.

org), where users could find the new content all in one place.

The live Zoom sessions were led by the Education Department, which has longtime experience conducting distance learning for schools and other groups. The schedule called for 5-7 public sessions each week on topics ranging from a “Sailor’s Sea Chest for Kids,” to topics of basic navigation, to a Collections Corner, highlighting unique artifacts from the collection.

The Zoom leader was Krystal Rose, manager of teacher enrichment and distance learning in the Education Department, who not only managed the schedule, but also moderated every session.

“The biggest challenge I faced when we started a more intense virtual program schedule is that I was working in a very tiny storage room in my house (the only quiet space), and it was very difficult trying to juggle Zoom programs, Zoom meetings, and scheduling and caring for my children,” she says. “If I did not have the amazing family support system I had,

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

STORIES.MYSTICSEAPORT.ORG I’m not sure I would have been able to do what I did during the closure.”

Many of the Treworgy Planetarium programs lent themselves easily to the Zoom format. Brian Koehler, supervisor of the Planetarium (which celebrated a 60th anniversary of its founding in April), lectured on phases of the Moon and delivered a popular “What’s New in the Sky This Week” update on celestial happenings.

Known for his high level of energy and enthusiasm for the subject matter, the transition from live to virtual, and from on-site to working from home, was quite the adjustment for Koehler.

“As an educator at the Museum, I rely on conveying my passion for astronomy, navigation, and maritime history to get the audience excited about it,” Koehler said. “We also pride ourselves in hands-on learning, which gets tricky when you suddenly become just a face on a screen.”

Koehler needed to come up with new ways to keep the programs interactive, like exchanging questions

“ In only two months, more than 10,000 people visited the new digital content site and the audience for the live sessions watched from all over the country, from Florida to California to Maine. We even had some viewers from the Bahamas and Turkey!”

and answers in the Zoom chat rooms or using polls to allow the audience to vote on a question. Another favorite element of his is to use household supplies to create something with the audience. For example, building a simple quadrant to make navigation more real or drawing a scale-model of the solar system to demonstrate just how far apart everything in outer space really is.

“It was fun coming up with ways to make the virtual programs just as interactive as our on-site activities have always been,” he added.

Also popular was a regular Friday afternoon Zoom session with Shipwright Chris Sanders. His “Preservation Corner” attracted a loyal following of nearly 100, who would tune in at 2:30 p.m. to learn the ins and outs of tool sharpening and other topics. Someone liked him to the Bob Ross of tools. After a live Zoom session ended, it was archived and then posted on YouTube and the digital museum website.

The Zoom sessions were only part of the content created during the shutdown. Many video clips were produced by staff members stepping in to fill roles outside their normal job. You can see various staff members take their star turn in front of the camera on the website, but there was just as much work behind the camera. Director of Watercraft Programs Shannon McKenzie became an adept field producer, wielding her iPhone everywhere from the mechanical room in the mezzanine of the Thompson Exhibition Building to the engine room of F/V Roann. Digital Marketing Manager Sophia Matsas sharpened her editing skills and functioned as a one-person postproduction house.

The results stand for themselves: More than 50 videos posted and over 100 live Zoom sessions. In only two months, more than 10,000 people visited the new digital content site and the audience for the live sessions watched from all over the country, from Florida to California to Maine. We even had some viewers from the Bahamas and Turkey!

Digital content has always been an important part of the Museum’s outreach before the pandemic, but the lessons learned during this period will only make the future even better.

To view the latest of the Museum’s digital content and view the archive, visit stories.mysticseaport.org.

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | 17

N E W NEEXWH IEBXIHT I BO INT: I SOANI: LSOARI LMOARD EM A D E

SAILOR MADE

Hammock handmade and embroidered by Charles Sinkler around 1845 (1963.207, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.) Below: Drawing from a journal kept by an anonymous sailor on board the USS Columbia, 1838 (Log 167, Manuscripts Collection, G.W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.)

When sailors went to sea in the 19th cen-

Charles Sinkler and Callender St. George

tury, they faced difficult working conditions,

Noland first met in 1838, when serving to-

cramped personal space onboard ship, and voyages that could stretch for months or even years. A new exhibition opening on September 18, Sailor Made, in the Museum’s C.D. Mallory Building 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 through a major grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, Sailor Made highlights more than 100 objects from the Museum’s own collection,

gether as young officers on the USS Columbia, during the frigate’s first voyage around the world. They never again served on the same ship, but the men remained friends.

Years later, Sinkler made and embroidered a hammock for Noland’s children. The design, though sized to fit a child, is modeled after the square hammocks used by officers on 19th-century navy ships. This unusual design and the embroidered nautical imagery commemorated Sinkler and Noland’s friendship, formed at sea. “C.S.N.,” once thought to reference “Confederate State Navy,” in

many of which have long been hidden from public view. As guest

fact refers to Charles Sinkler Noland, Noland’s son who died in

curator, I have spent the past year exploring the Museum’s col-

infancy. The hammock also brought the world of the sea into the

lection of artifacts and manuscripts. My background as a historian

Noland family home, providing a memento through which Mary

with a specialization in American history has helped me tease out the stories of individual artifacts. Taken together, 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.

One artifact that I have found particularly compelling is a handmade hammock embroidered with an anchor, stars, and the inscription “C.S.N. 1845.” Using the Museum’s acquisition files, U.S. census records, and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Registers, I uncovered that beyond the artistry of its design, the hammock represents a story of friendship, loss, and remembrance.

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SPRING / SUMMER 2020

Noland could remember both her deceased son and her husband away at sea whenever she put their other nine children to bed.

Charles Sinkler is one of only a handful of sailor artists whose identities we know today. However, stories like his reveal the complex meanings imbued in sailor art and the thought and care that self-taught sailor artists invested in their work. Sailor Made invites visitors to explore the world sailors created through art and challenges visitors to consider how they might respond in a similar environment.

Dr. Mirelle Luecke is the guest curator for Sailor Made.

N E W E X H I B I T I O N : A WAY W I T H W O O D — C E L E B R AT I N G C R A F T B Y D AN M C F AD D E N

A WAY WITH WOOD:

CELEBRATING CRAFT

This summer and fall the Collins Gallery in the Thompson Exhibition Building will be the host of a new exhibition, A Way with Wood: Celebrating Craft.

The show will introduce visitors to the many ways people transform one of nature’s most malleable materials to objects of utility, art, and beauty.

At the core of the exhibition will be a boat-restoration and boat-building demonstration staffed by the Museum’s shipwrights. At times, their work in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at the other end of campus can be hidden from public view or can only be observed at a distance. For this exhibition, the shipwrights will take center stage and carry out different projects over the course of the show. The first will be a restoration of Afterglow, the tender to the Museum’s schooner Brilliant. Following will be the completion of a restoration of the Woods Hole spritsail cat Sandy Ford, and then the construction of a new dory for the L.A. Dunton. Little to no power tools will be used; the focus will be on work using hand tools.

Complementing the shipwrights’ work is a section where outside artisans will be invited in for periods of time to set up shop to practice and share their craft with the public. This changing stable of craftsmen might feature a variety of different disciplines: wood carving, furniture making, sculpture, and model making are some of the possibilities.

Throughout the gallery, there will be rotating displays of objects from the collections, such as rare tools, unique carvings, small boats, photographs, and other artifacts that illustrate the wide range of ways wood has been shaped by the artisan’s hand.

The displays in A Way with Wood will change as new projects, artisans, and objects rotate in and out. The exhibition is intended to evolve over time and provide different views into the world of craftsmanship and wood.

“Warm, renewable, flexible, strong — the remarkable qualities of wood have appealed to countless generations, making it the traditional go-to material for crafting boats, buildings, docks, and furniture,” says Director of Exhibits Elysa Engelman. “We’re excited to be using our largest and newest gallery to show off our staff skills and collection connections, by celebrating woodcraft and the craft of woodworking in a maritime setting.”

A Way with Wood: Celebrating Craft will open in the Collins Gallery July 3.

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | 19

N E W E X H I B I T I O N : S A LT : T R A C I N G M E M O R I E S

SALT:

TRACING MEMORIES

AN ART INSTALLATION BY MOTOI YAMAMOTO “ The works named SALT: Tracing Memories are installations with large swirls that represent all the pieces of memories that are silently tucked away in my heart.”

— Motoi Yamamoto

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Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine |

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

In the Spring of 2021, Mystic

Seaport

mamoto’s work is especially

Museum

relevant to the Museum as

plans to present the exhibi-

he uses salt, a mineral inter-

tion SALT: Tracing Memories

twined with the sea. The floor

by contemporary Japanese

of the Collins Gallery will serve

artist Motoi Yamamoto. Ya-

as Yamamoto’s canvas, with

forming a 1,000-square-

of life.

largest he has ever cre-

drawn from both deep per-

Yamamoto at work during the

tural traditions. He began

observe from the floor or as-

death of his 24-year-old sis-

to gain a different perspec-

effort to preserve his mem-

In addition, the installation

his art has been in memory

on “tables” where visitors

passed away in 2016 from

or seniors — can shape their

salt plays an important role

type of salt used for Yama-

foot design, one of the ated.

Visitors

will

view

stallation, visitors can either

will be enhanced by hands-

of his wife of 25 years who

— whether children, adults,

breast cancer. The mineral

own designs out of the same

in Japanese society, repre-

moto’s sculpture.

luck.

SALT as an artist in residence.

Gallery four years ago, we

“Drawing a labyrinth with

the gallery to watch him at

lope of the Collins Gallery’s

of my memory. Memories

he will take to create the in-

contemplation. A time-lapse

video of Yamamoto installing SALT: Tracing Memories will enable summer visitors to un-

derstand and appreciate the

artistry and time involved in its creation.

“When planning for the

construction of the Collins

wanted to push the envecapabilities in the first five

years by featuring a wide

variety of different exhibit types,” says Elysa Engel-

man, director of Exhibits.

“The strong, clean lines of the gallery’s curved roofline and the wide open floor space make it perfectly

suited for Motoi Yamamo-

to’s work, which always re-

sponds to the space in which he’s creating.”

senting purification and good

The public will be invited into

salt is like following a trace

work during the two weeks

seem to change and van-

stallation.

ever, what I seek is to

Mystic Seaport Museum gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following:

ish as time goes by; howcapture a frozen moment that cannot be attained

through pictures or writings.

What I look for at the end of the act of drawing could be a feeling of touching a

exhibitions in cities as diverse as Jerusalem, New York City,

Mexico City, Seoul, Toulouse, and Hamburg. These installations are often compared to

Tibetan Buddhist monk sand mandalas, with the works dismantled at the end of the

exhibition and the contents returned to the sea, repre-

senting the circular nature

Alexander and Amanda Bulazel

approach in this way:

J. Barclay Collins, II in Honor of Nicholas R. Bell

Yamamoto explains his

“The works named SALT:

represent all the pieces of

porary, intricate, large-scale

Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Chubb, the global insurance company, in Honor of Robert G. Stone, Jr.

and since then he has comacross the globe with tem-

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

precious memory.”

Tracing Memories are instal-

pleted site-specific projects

Yamamoto willl create

In Yamamoto’s words,

Yamamoto created his

first salt installation in 1994

of intricately carved shapes

labor of love. To view the in-

ories of her. More recently,

further appreciation and

ticulously fashion his vision

cate, personally meaningful

tive from a greater height.

through the summer for

weeks, the artist will me-

sonal experiences and cul-

unique look at a large, intri-

ter from brain cancer, in an

artwork will remain on view

Over a period of two

is

cend ramps onto platforms

After its completion, the

medium.

work

sculpting in salt following the

creation of the installation.

common salt serving as his

Yamamoto’s

Charles and Irene Hamm Ken and Dina Siegel

lations with large swirls that

The Thompson Family Foundation

memories that are silently

PATRON CIRCLE

tucked away in my heart. Salt

cells [shapes drawn with salt

Grant and Peggy Cambridge Cape Branch Foundation

that look like small bubbles]

Hope H. van Beuren

other, creating a final piece

ERA OF EXHIBITION SPONSORS

are connected with each of work with intricate details just like knitted lace. The de-

sign of swirls has been used, mainly in East Asia, as a symbol of life and death, rebirth, resurrection, and eternity.”

The Collins Gallery instal-

Anonymous The Capital Group Companies S. Carter Gowrie M. Frank Higgins & Co. Inc. Robert and Cynthia Martin Steve Stepler and Susan Scarritt Robert and Susan Vincent

lation will provide visitors a SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine | 21

THE L .A . DUNTON

RESTORING THE L.A. DUNTON

BY QUENT I N SNEDI K E R The weather was fair and mild with a high of 44 degrees and moderate to light winds on the morning of Wednesday, March 23, 1921. The tide was high around 1115 at Essex, MA, as the A.D. Story Shipyard prepared to launch a new schooner. It was built for a consortium of owners led by Captain Felix J. Hogan (1872-1951) and named for a successful Boothbay sailmaker, Lewis A. Dunton (1864-1927). Dunton is said to have contributed the sails for the honor of the vessel bearing his name. Its keel had been laid in late fall the previous year, and it was built to the lines of the schooner Joffre (1918), designed by Thomas F. McManus (1856-1938).

As a vessel type, the American fishing schooner was the pinnacle of commercial sailing vessel design; the Dunton’s seaworthiness, weatherliness, speed, and aesthetic beauty combined to make it an iconic image of American maritime culture. As a late example, L.A.

Above: L.A. Dunton was launched into the Essex River at the A.D. Story Shipyard on the morning of March 23, 1921. Some vessels like the Dunton were lowered to rest on one bilge before launch to accommodate the shallow and narrow channel. Photo: Dana

fortable fisherman, but sailed

Story Collection

auxiliary power in the form of

Left: John Hinton, of Zachry Nuclear Engineering, scanning the Dunton’s hold.

a 100 horsepower Fairbanks

lar form still exist, all except

icing instead of salt to preserve

L.A. Dunton have been com-

his catch of mostly halibut in

promised to meet regulatory

summer and haddock in win-

standards for passenger car-

ter. Hogan kept the schooner

rying. L.A. Dunton is still pure

at sea most of the 14 years he

fisherman.

owned it and is said to have

Much of L.A. Dunton’s sig-

run a happy ship and never

nificance lies in the people

lost a man from the Dunton in

with whom it was associated.

this highly dangerous fishery.

Thomas McManus, son of a

Arthur D. Story (1854-1931) had

sailmaker, was a Boston fish

built more than 400 vessels

broker turned naval architect,

by the time he built the L.A.

who rose to be the innovator of

Dunton.

this type of vessel in answer

International Fisherman

to issues of safety relative to

Races between U.S. and Can-

schooners of a previous gen-

ada were big sport in this era.

tor vessels were beginning to

eration. His designs are cred-

Capt. Hogan raced the Dun-

dominate the fleet. Its historic

ited as influencing 90 percent

ton and Mayflower informally

significance was recognized

of the fleet between 1900

on their maiden voyages and

in 1994 when it was declared

and 1920. Captain Hogan was

did enter elimination trials for

a National Historic Landmark.

known as a “high liner” in the

these races in 1922. The Dun-

While six other vessels of simi-

fresh fish market focused on

ton was known as a good com-

Dunton incorporated literally hundreds of years of fishing vessel evolution just as mo-

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Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine |

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

somewhat poorly compared to the larger sleek schooners such as Mayflower, Henry Ford, and Bluenose, which were designed more for racing than as true fishermen. Being unsuccessful as a racing schooner,

Morse crude oil engine was installed in 1923.

In 1934, the L.A. Dunton was sold to Aaron Buffet of Grand Bank, Newfoundland. Under Canadian ownership, it fished primarily as a salt bank dory schooner, making two trips to Portugal carrying salt fish out and salt home. It changed hands several times and underwent two rebuilds, leaving it with a shorter bowsprit, short mainmast, and a modified transom, and becoming primarily a power vessel with auxiliary sail.

Changing hands again in 1960, it was converted to a coasting trader serving the Canadian Maritimes.

Efforts to save the L.A. Dunton as a historic vessel began in Massachusetts as early as 1958 but went nowhere until Mystic Seaport Museum acquired it in 1963. The Museum imme-

diately set about restoring its full schooner rig, removing the engine, and returning its transom to original form. At the Museum, it has been presented and interpreted as a salt bank dory schooner. Since that time,

L.A. Dunton at the International Fishermen’s Races trials in October 1922; note the number 5 on her mainsail. Also note the beautiful sweeping shear line now absent, but to be restored.

Photo: Albert Cook Church Collection, New Bedford Whaling Museum (#11344/ MSM 63-6-39F)

as is inevitable with any large timber wooden vessel, the L.A. Dunton has required several regimes of partial restoration.

In the 1970s, it had topsides and deck rebuilt and its interior joinery faithfully restored.

In the 1980s, it received a new stem and forefoot and planking was refastened. From the late 1980s to the present, no significant restoration has been done.

Routine maintenance including triennial haul outs, painting, rig work, and daily wash downs have kept it on display.

In late 2014, during its routine

and survey proceeded, we

tain its rig, we knew it was time

America’s Treasures program

found the vessel had deterio-

to begin planning a full restora-

also managed by the National

rated to a point where it would

tion in earnest.

Park Service. This funding is

not be prudent to fully ballast

The Dunton’s upcoming

haul out, we pulled the masts for

it and re-step the full rig with a

inspection. The mainmast was

100th

new main mast. We had known

found to need replacing. Fortu-

for a while that the Dunton was

seemed a reasonable target

nately, we had a rough turned

showing its age and would need

fir mast of proper dimensions

significant work. When we de-

standing by. As our inspection

termined it could no longer sus-

launch

anniversary

to begin work. Recognizing that we needed to plan the project well in advance as we did with the Charles W. Morgan, we began pursuing grant opportunities and were successful in securing funds for the early phases of the project.

In 2017, we received a National Maritime Heritage Grant from the National Park Service.

This grant helped fund hauling and surveying the schooner to serve as the basis for developing a detailed restoration and preservation plan. It included a third-party independent survey, using the most modern technology available—laser scanning—to record and document the vessel inside and out. Computer hardware and software are now used to

Additionally, we received assistance from the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to help with our match. We’re moving actively ahead with both grants.

Survey and scanning are now complete and we’ve acquired more than 20,000 board feet of timber for the project.

We’ll be milling white oak for frames and planks and white pine for decking all summer.

There is excitement and anticipation in the Shipyard as we prepare for the L.A. Dunton restoration. We all love the Charles W. Morgan and have enjoyed working on Mayflower II and the schooner Sherman Zwicker, which has been here over the winter. But the American fishing schooner L.A. Dunton is a special favorite for many of us,

measure the vessel’s form as

especially me.

found and the technique also

Quentin Snediker is director of

gives us the tools to manipulate that form back to its original L.A. Dunton as she appeared in 1941 under Canadian ownership, primarily an auxiliary power vessel. Photo: C.R. Tibbo Collection, Mystic Seaport Museum (84.76).

aimed at material acquisition.

lines. In 2018, our second grant

the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard and the Clark Senior Curator for Watercraft.

award came from the Save SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine |23

S A B I N O U P D AT E The Museum has made the decision that its excursion vessel Sabino will receive an electric pro-

SABINO:

AN ELECTRIC OPTION “The historic fabric of the boat will not be altered and the installation of the electric system will be entirely reversible.”

pulsion system to enable the boat to operate on steam or electricity. The electric motor and battery bank will work in parallel with the boat’s boiler and steam engine, which will remain 100 percent operational. The addition of electric power will expand the boat’s capacity to provide public cruises on the Mystic River.

“In order to keep Sabino running on the Mystic River, we have determined that the best course for the vessel is to add an alternative means of propulsion to augment its historic steam power plant,” says Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport Museum.

“Continuing to operate it on coal alone is no longer feasible.”

Designed in consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard, the custom propulsion system will have the electric motor turn the boat’s existing propeller shaft. The motor and batteries will not be visible and installation will not require alteration of the boat’s structure.

The Museum will retain the ability to run Sabino under steam, but add the capability to run on electric power.

Batteries will recharge overnight and between trips.

Importantly, this system would provide a smoke- and soot-free operation.

Sabino will continue to operate on steam for demonstrations and special events, but will operate under electric power for daily passenger cruises.

“Sabino’s status as one of the last coal-fired steamboats in the country is paramount to the Museum: the historic fabric of the boat will not be altered and the installation of the electric system will be entirely reversible,” says Chris Gasiorek, vice president for Watercraft Preservation and Programs.

The Sabino has been a fixture at Mystic Seaport Museum and on the Mystic River since its arrival in 1973. Built in Maine in 1908 as a passenger ferry on the Damariscotta and Kennebec Rivers, the boat served in that capacity for nearly two decades and later as a ferry in Casco Bay. It is powered by the same duplex reciprocating steam engine that was original equipment in 1908. The engine was manufactured downriver from Mystic by the James H. Payne & Son company in Noank. The boat was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992.

The Museum thanks Stan and Nancy Wells who generously donated $100,000 to this project, and it welcomes others who are interested in meeting the Wells donor challenge to add supplemental green power to Sabino.

Dan McFadden is director of Communications.

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FROM THE COLLECTIONS B Y PAT R I C K F O R D

The sea music collection recently re ceived an unexpected upgrade. Longtime

For nearly 50 years, the Mystic Seaport

Sea Music Festival devotees Chris Setari

Museum chanteymen have engaged and

and her husband Mike Kennedy have do-

enlightened the Museum’s patrons, leading them in song as the sails are set on the Charles W. Morgan. The chanteymen have also set the mood at a variety of programs and events onsite and across the globe. Each June, ethnomusicologists, historians, and music lovers gather for scholarship and song at the Music of the Sea Symposium, part of the Museum’s Sea Music Festival. The sounds of live musical performances scheduled regularly throughout the year fill the grounds with spirit and song.

Clearly, music is at the heart of the Mystic Seaport Museum experience.

However, did you know that the Museum boasts a world-class collection of sea Mystic Seaport Museum’s collections include many audio recordings, such as this 1996 CD by longstanding British group, The Shanty Crew, “Where Am I to Go?”: Sea Shanties & Sailor Songs, which features both modern and traditional sea songs.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE MUSEUM’S

MUSIC COLLECTIONS

music-related materials? The Collections Research Center is filled with hundreds of music books, scores, and manuscripts, 1,500 pieces of sheet music, recordings in all media formats, unique and unusual musical instruments, and more.

The collection’s highlights are as storied as they are plentiful. The provenance of many of our musical instruments documents their use aboard ships. One example is a violin saved from the once-

nated much of their extraordinary collection—a diverse array of materials and formats—that contextualizes and fills the gaps in Mystic Seaport Museum’s already robust collection, allowing us to fulfill our mission even better. Their donations have significantly enhanced, for example, the Museum’s holdings of songs and verse from the Canadian Maritime provinces as well as river and canal work songs from America’s interior.

You can find Setari each year at the Music of the Sea Symposium alongside microphones she has set up to capture every possible presentation and performance. She knew Mystic Seaport Museum was the right place for her beloved materials, “where fellow sea music geeks can access them and keep them useful.” A self-described amateur ethnomusicologist, Setari is intrigued by the adaptability of sea music­: how the same tune’s words and even meaning change from performer to performer. “Flexibility is intrinsic to the work, and context varies greatly,” she says.

abandoned Arctic-exploring ship, the HMS

“We’ve been collecting music resourc-

Resolute, the timbers of which provided

es since the 1960s as funds allowed and

the wood for the “Resolute desk” in the White House Oval Office. Other instruments include two pairs of ebony wood bones – a simple percussion instrument – owned and played by Joseph F. Bement, crewmember of the Morgan.

Songs and verse appear frequently in the pages of ships’ logs. One of the gems in our collection is John Mead’s Sea Shanties and Fo’c’sle Songs, 1768-1906, a 1973 dissertation from the University of Kentucky

we really have no family members who share our interests—or is it fanaticism?” she laughs. “Right now, tracking down unique resources for Mystic’s collection is a lot of fun. We can’t make big monetary donations, but this we can do.”

You can find the many sea music resources of Mystic Seaport Museum in person at our Collections Research Center or online at research.mysticseaport.org.

that catalogs every mention of music in our manuscripts, providing illuminating-

Patrick Ford is special collections librarian at

context and analysis.

the G.W. Blunt White Library.

To get more information about the Collections Research Center of Mystic Seaport Museum and online resources, please visit research.mysticseaport.org

SPRING / SUMMER 2020

| Mystic Seaport Museum Magazine |25

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