Catching Up on New Jersey's Maritime Heritage By Glenn Gordinier Board of Directors Down Jersey Marine Historical Society Box 1031 Delran NJ 08075 The usual New Jersey resident envimarque granted by the Congress in 1976, sions a crowded beach and boardwalk which makes her America's only authorwhen he thinks of the sea. But his ized privateer. maritime heritage embraces privateers, Most of the Down Jersey collection of shipbuilding, life saving, coastwise artifacts and vessels is on display at traders, whaling, and a five hundredHistoric Gardner's Basin Maritime Park vessel fleet of sailing oystermen. Four in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The thiryears ago, the Down Jersey Maritime teen-acre park is designed to represent a turn-of-the-century Jersey seacoast vilHistorical Society came into being to bring fresh life to that half-forgotten lage with its old Absecon Island cedar shake houses. The Society's floating vesheritage, born as the dream of Donald sels are docked in the Basin's slips, and H. Rolfs, an energetic Methodist its smaller craft in the new boatyard and minister. shed where members continue the work Rolfs' dream unfolded when he was of restoration. In addition to the ongogiven a parish in Port Norris, an old oystering town near the Delaware Bay. ing process of acquisition , research, and restoration the Society has been involved There he found living ties with the in local conferences on the sea and burgeoning oyster trade of the turn of educational programs and lectures at the century. He published a pictorial Gardner's Basin. history of the trade, Under Sail, the Dredgeboats of Delaware Bay, and The organization suffered a harsh setback on June 23, 1978 when its museum rounded up a handful of supporters to found tire Society as a nonprofit educabuilding at the Basin burned down. This tional organization in 1974. Since then, included a ship's chandlery exhibit, an the Society has grown to over 500 exhibits room, office space and sleeping members and has gathered an impressive quarters for the membership. Valuable collection of artifacts and vessels. Much artifacts and documents and two Jersey of its strength and expertise stems from hunting boats that were on display were members who worked in the shipyards destroyed. On the night of the fire the or on the schooners that dredged the bay members of the Society's board of direcunder sail three decades ago. tors spontaneously met at the Rolfs' The 90' LOA bugeye ketch Russel A . home. Unbidden, each director had come to hear of the loss first hand, and Wingate is the Society's principal vessel. to offer continued guidance and supBuilt in Madison, Maryland in 1901 she port, thus assuring the Society's conworked as an oyster dredger on the tinued progress. Chesapeake and Delaware Bays for over Redoubled efforts are being under-. seven decades. When the dredging laws taken in the restoration of the Russel in New Jersey changed in 1945 allowing Wingate, and the establishment of a oystering under power, the old vessel working forge in the small-boat shop at had her masts cut down and a pilot Historic Gardner's Basin. The forge, house added. From then until January which will be manned by an old Down 1976, when she was purchased by the Society, the Wingate dredged for oysters Jersey shipsmith, will turn out the ironusing the power of her old caterpillar ware needed for the growing collection of vessels. In addition, the Society will engine. She is in basically sound condition but she needs major work in order continue to offer community lecture to restore her to her original rig and apprograms on the sailing oystermen of the Delaware Bay, America's maritime hispearance. Other vessels belonging to the Society tory, and New Jersey in the days of sail. include, besides various Jersey small During the past four years the Down craft, a Herreshoff-design 10 meter Jersey Marine Historical Society has sloop, a Hogarth crab skiff, a Barnegat worked diligently to preserve the local Bay catboat, and the sail trainer Cornautical traditions. The voyage has not morant, a 52' replica of a Boston pilot been an easy one, but through the conschooner. The Cormorant serves as the tinuation of present programs and the Society's flag ship. During the Bicentenestablishment of the Russel A. Wingate nial she was pressed into service for as a museum vessel it seems that New celebrations in communities along the Jersey's maritime heritage will be saved Delaware River, sailing under a letter of from the wrecking crew . .t SEA HISTORY, FALL 1978
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