Great Republic, summer 1976, under restoration in Laurence Dahlmer's shop at East Gloucester, Mass.
THE OREA T REPUBLIC WILL NOT DIE! By Joseph E. Garland Gloucester Historical Commission NOTE: In 1901, the great Gloucester
doryman Howard Blackburn sailed across the Atlantic to Lisbon in his 25foot sloop Great Republic. Years later the Cruising Club of American contributed to keep him sailing. Lately Joe Garland, author of notable books on the Gloucester fisheries, decided with a few friends to recover the wreck of the vessel from her last home in Long Island, and in 1970 they brought her home and gave her to the Gloucester Historical Commission. There the project /anguished, until it came to life as described by Garland in his report. Taxdeductible contributions to support the restoration can be made out to the Gloucester Historical Commission, in care of Garland at Eastern Point, Gloucester, MA 01930.-ED. In the summer of 1975 the City was deeded the State Armory on Prospect Street, and suddenly our long soughtfor "museum" materialized . On October 16 the City Council approved the Commission's proposal that Great Republic after restoration be given a berth at the far end of the drill floor , where there is ample roof clearance for the mast, permanently or until such time as a museum on the harbor becomes a reality, if ever. In the meantime, the Massachusetts Historical Commission voted GR an historic vessel eligible for the National Register. The projected cost of restoration has been scaled down to manageable proportions, thanks to Laurence Dahlmer of the well-known Gloucester family, a boatwright who has agreed at considerable personal financial sacrifice to do
the job. Larry is a recent Northeastern graduate, a Blackburn buff, small boat sailor and antique boat enthusiast, but above all an exceptionally skillful builder and restorer. He designed a permanent cradle of steel supplied at cost by Linsky Brothers. This was welded in place at Montgomery's (Herb has been storing the Great Republic for a token charge), and boat and cradle were trailered by Jim and Nancy Thompson of the Wheeler's Point Boat Yard (who also donated their services in the two previous moves) to Dahlmer's shop at 235 East Main Street, overlooking Smith Cove where Archibald Fenton built and launched Great Republic in the spring of 1900. Restoration will be quite extensive. Keel, deadwood, garboards and most of the floor timbers are rotten. The original deck and spars are long gone. But planking and frames are almost intact, so much so that the hull has held its lines amazingly, and without hogging. Bad wood will be replaced with good as
Howard Blackburn al the helm of Great Republic under sail in Gloucester Harbor in 1901.
needed for strength, rigidity and integrity of restoration. Deck, cockpit, companionway, wheelbox, spars and rigging will be reconstructed from contemporary photographs and descriptions. In the Armory, Great Republic will be sparred and rigged, with sails furled, just as she looked lying at Captain Blackburn's mooring off Five Pound Island. Probably the sloop will be displayed behind a security railing and a walk-up ramp for viewing her deck. Dahlmer plans to take off her hull lines and probably to loft them full scale as a dramatic backdrop. There will be photo blowups of Blackburn and his boats, a pictorial record of the restoration and expository text. Al Viator, a young photographer, plans to document the restoration as a film or slide show. We figure that to do the job up right, exhibit and all, will take $10,000, of which we've raised over half. This very low budget is possible only because Dahlmer accepts a rate of pay which is far below prevailing levels and because so many are providing goods and services for nothing or at cost. The Gloucester Historical Commission receives no public funds, and considering the pressure on the Gloucester taxpayer, will not request any. So the Commission decided to cut bait and fish, and put me (a member) in charge of the project. We have a good niche for Great Republic on the one hand, and the right man for the restoration on the other, and we have revived interest and enthusiasm. The Bicentennial is also the 75th anniversary of Howard Blackburn's great crossing. He more than any other man, and his little vessel more than any other in existence, I think, symbolize Gloucester to itself and to the world. w 7