SHIP NOTES, SEAPORT AND MUSEUM NEWS on rhe weekends. Afrer working wirh rhe securiry force ar rhe Navy Yard, rhe M useum may accepr visirors on Sarurday and Sunday who call by Friday noon . (Washingron Navy Yard, 805 Kidder Breese Sr. SE, Washingron DC 20374; 202 4336897; web sire: www.hisrory. navy. mil) ... Confederate submarine HL. Hunley's crew made their final journey this past April. The eighr-m ember crew of H.L. H unley, after 140 years, was fin ally laid ro resr 17 April 2004 ar rhe Magnolia Cemerery in C harlesron, SC. The submarine, under preservarion by rhe Naval Hisrorical Center (NHC) for rhe lasr rhree years, disappeared during rhe C ivil War and was nor discovered until 2000 and raised in 2001. The shipmares were laid ro resr wirh fu ll milirary honors alongside crew members who had perished on previous H unley missions. An eighr-day-long memorial period fo llowed rhe burial, each day represenring one of rhe crew members. Tours of the submarine at the Warren Lash Conservation Center are available daily and in clude an actual view of the Hunley in the Conservation Lab, an animated simulation of the H.L. H unley recovery, and a life-size model from the movie "The H unley." (Warren Lasch Conservation Center, 1250 Supply Street, Building 255, Former Charlesron Navy Base, No rth C harlesron SC 29405; 843 722-2333; web site: www.hunley.org) ..• It was an "Uncommon" evening for one Hollywood veteran on Saturday, March 27th, 2004, as Oscarwinning actor Cliff Robertson helped raise more than $70,000 for Battleship Cove's educational programs. The event, Uncommon Valor, which was held in tribute ro the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor in action against an enemy force, was held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Bosron, Massachusetts. Nearly 300 guests enjoyed access ro the museum's Renaissance, Chinese and Himalayan Galleries, and Gund Gallery, featuring the new Ga uguin Tahiti Exhibit (the only No rth American srop); a gala dinner and dancing. C li ff Robertson is widely known for his portrayal of John F. Kennedy in the movie PTI 09 and has starred in more than 70 feature films and narrated the acclaimed six-part documentary Medal of Honor. Battleship Cove
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serves as the Com monwealth's official memorial for Massachusetts citizens who lost their lives on September 11, 200 l , in
World War II, and the Korean , Vietnam and Persian G ulf Wars . Preserving five National Hisroric Landmark naval vessels, Battleship Cove also delivers educational programs that expose a national audience of 60,000 yo uths ro a mission that promores Dury, Hono r and Country. (Battleship Cove, 5 Warer Sr., Fall River MA 02722; 800 533-3 194; web sire: www. bartleshipcove.org) . • . The American Merchant Marine Museum opened a new Maritime Hall of Fame gallery in November 2003 ar rheir faciliry ar rhe US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Poinr, NY. The museum also rededicared two galleries, rhe Sperry Navigation and rhe Na urical Insrrum enr Galleries, whi ch were recently refurbished . (US Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point NY 11024; 516 773-55 15; web site: www.usmma. edu/abou r/Museum) . • . In Seprember, rhe US Navy announced it would donate the decommissioned nuclear submarine USS Narwhal to be used as a museum on the Ohio River in Newport KY. The receivi ng organizarion, rhe Narional Submarine Science Discovery Cenrer (NSSDC), now has ro complete an extensive yearlong applicarion process ro bring rhe submarine ro rown. If the application is accepred , ir will be rhe firsr time rhar a former Navy nuclear submarine has been donated. The proposed $22-$25 million NSSDC would combine an hisrorical atrracrion, inreracrive educatio nal exhi birs and a reaching program. The cenrer is scheduled ro open in 2007 wi rh ro urism officials specularing rhar rhe artracrion could draw 200 ,000 visirors a year, which wo uld carry an economic impact of at least $20 million. (National Submarine Science Discovery Cenrer, 421 Monmouth St., Newport KY 4 107 1;859 655-7700; web
site: www.nssdc. us) .•• After years of planning and anticipation, communiry members and National Park Service officials wished the 1895 schooner C.A. Thayer "Bon Voyage" in December 2003. The Thayer departed the San Francisco Maritime National Hisroric Park on a two-year "voyage of resroration." The vessel will be essenrially disassembled down ro so und material. Her keel will be straightened and rehabilitated, and then she will be built back up again using new materials in the exact form and manner of her original construction. The enrire deconstruction/ reconstruction process will be meticulously documented with drawings, still phorography and digital video. CA. Thayer's 1895 schooner C.A. Thayer departs San Francisco for a refit.
repair is expected ro rake two years, during which rime rhe projecr's progress will be rracked in rhe Park (wirh exhibits and panels) and on the web, and regular rours of rhe vessel will be offered ro rhe public. Afrer the vessel rerurns ro Hyde Srreer Pier, Park riggers and shipwrights will finish ourfirti ng and rigging rhe vessel. (San Francisco Maririme NHP, Building E, Fort Mason Cenrer, San Francisco CA 94123; 415 56 1-7006; web sire: www. maririme.org) . . . The Antique Boat Museum is displaying Presidenr Ulysses S. Grant's rowing skiff ar rheir Clayron, NY faci li ry. The boat was donated ro rhe Museum in 197 1 by Florence Lowden Miller of Chicago and is on display in rhe Gaffney Skiff House. President U lysses S. Grant was a friend of rhe Pullman fam ily and a frequent visiror ro rheir island "Casde Rest" near Alexandria Bay. It was President Grant's visits ro the Thousand Islands thar helped create major interest in this region in the late 19th century and bring it ro wider attenrion as a rourist desti narion .
SEA HISTORY 107, SPRING/S UMMER 2004