Deck Log
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A New Headquarters and a Renewed Spirit
photo by wendy paggiotta, nmhs
n the fall of 1991, CBS News anchor and American icon Walter Cronkite came to Peekskill, New York, to inaugurate the new headquarters of the National Maritime Historical Society in the old Fleischmann Gin building on the banks of the Hudson River. Egged on by our then-president, Peter Stanford, he agreed to chair our educational initiative to promote the seafaring legacy of our county to more people, and particularly to students. photo by burchenal green We occupied that building for more than a quarter century. While we kept to our mission indoors, outside our windows we could catch sights of ship traffic on the river, eagles soaring over the water, storms and sunsets, and the hubbub of a busy waterfront. With our office space crammed with ship models, nautical prints, and maritime The view out the window of the former memorabilia, we were always reminded offices of the National Maritime Historical of the mission and inspired to pursue Society, on the Hudson River. it through good times and bad. Last year, our landlord announced his intention to repurpose the building, and we began our search for a new home—a task that is challenging on its own, but conducted in the middle of a pandemic, it was even more taxing. We were delighted to find available office space just a few miles away in a converted historic brick building. The Hat Factory was originally the 365-acre Sherwood Farm, which later became home to a relocated Yonkers hat factory that had been destroyed by fire. With the help of a government contract in World War I for military hats, the factory became one of the largest employers in the area. The business relocated in 1923 following a labor strike, and the property was abandoned. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair until a series of new owners rebuilt the structure and refurbished its interior for use as office space. After 27 years in one location, it was a herculean task to manage the move during COVID-19 reOur new headquarters is located at 1000 N. strictions, and we thank our Division Street, Peekskill, New York 10566. NMHS vice president, Wendy Paggiotta, who orchestrated the move and organized the layout of the new office space. I will miss my old office, where so many plans were hatched and meetings were conducted with our trustees, members, and guests, but I have discovered that being in a fresh new space has rejuvenated our spirits; I see it as a harbinger of better things to come. I look forward to a time when historic ships can set sail for ports across the horizon, when museums can fully re-open, and, most of all, when we can meet in person. I look forward to inviting our members to a glorious party to inaugurate our new headquarters once it is safe to do so, in the spirit of Walter Cronkite, Peter Stanford, Howard Slotnick, and all those who brought us from there to here. —Burchenal Green, NMHS President 4
NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLISHER’S CIRCLE: Peter Aron, Guy E. C. Maitland, Ronald L. Oswald OFFICERS & TRUSTEES: Chairman, Ronald L. Oswald; Vice Chairman, Richardo R. Lopes; President, Burchenal Green; Vice Presidents: Jessica MacFarlane, Deirdre O’Regan, Wendy Paggiotta, Nancy Schnaars; Treasurer, William H. White; Secretary, Jean Wort; Trustees: Charles B. Anderson; Walter R. Brown; Christopher J. Culver; William S. Dudley; David Fowler; William J. Green; Karen Helmerson; K. Denise Rucker Krepp; Guy E. C. Maitland; Capt. Jeffrey McAllister; CAPT Sally Chin McElwreath, USN (Ret.); CAPT James A. Noone, USN (Ret.); Richard Patrick O’Leary; ADM Robert J. Papp Jr., USCG (Ret.); Timothy J. Runyan; Richard Scarano; Philip J. Shapiro; Capt. Cesare Sorio; Trustees Elect: CAPT Patrick Burns, USN (Ret.); Salvatore Mercogliano; Michael Morrow; Chairmen Emeriti: Walter R. Brown, Alan G. Choate, Guy E. C. Maitland, Howard Slotnick (1930–2020) FOUNDER: Karl Kortum (1917–1996) PRESIDENT EMERITUS: Peter Stanford (1927–2016) OVERSEERS: Chairman, RADM David C. Brown, USMS (Ret.); RADM Joseph F. Callo, USN (Ret.); George W. Carmany III; Richard du Moulin; Alan D. Hutchison; Gary Jobson; Sir Robin Knox-Johnston; John Lehman; Capt. Brian McAllister; Capt. James J. McNamara; H. C. Bowen Smith; John Stobart; Philip J. Webster; Roberta Weisbrod NMHS ADVISORS: George Bass, Francis Duffy, John Ewald, Timothy Foote, Steven A. Hyman, J. Russell Jinishian, Gunnar Lundeberg, Conrad Milster, William G. Muller, Nancy H. Richardson SEA HISTORY EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy Runyan; Norman Brouwer, Robert Browning, William Dudley, Lisa Egeli, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, Cathy Green, John Jensen, Frederick Leiner, Joseph Meany, Salvatore Mercogliano, Carla Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Quentin Snediker, William H. White NMHS STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Green; Director of Development, Jessica MacFarlane; Accounting/Membership Associate, Andrea Ryan; Senior Staff Writer, Shelley Reid; Executive Assistant, Heather Purvis; Membership Coordinator, Nancy Schnaars SEA HISTORY: Editor, Deirdre E. O’Regan; Advertising Director, Wendy Paggiotta Sea History is printed by The Lane Press, South Burlington, Vermont, USA.
SEA HISTORY 174, SPRING 2021