The Chesapeake Log - Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

a publication of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
The Chesapeake Log
Fall 2013
contents
Fall 2013
Mission Statement
be a part of the
chesapeake
legacy
find out how  rstevenson@cbmm.org
The mission of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum is to inspire an understanding
of and appreciation for the rich maritime
heritage of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tidal reaches, together with the artifacts,
cultures and connections between this
place and its people.
membership
Vision Statement
The vision of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum is to be the premier maritime
museum for studying, exhibiting, preserving
and celebrating the important history and
culture of the largest estuary in the United
States, the Chesapeake Bay.
As a CBMM member, you receive
tangible benefits, including free
or reduced admission, discounts,
and boating privileges at our
members-only marina. Membership dues cover much of the
Museum’s day-to-day operations,
so you are helping to keep our
lights on and the exhibits open.
Sign up for our e-Newsletter and
stay up-to-date on all of the news
and events at the Museum. Email
havefun@cbmm.org to be added to
our mailing list.
CONNECT WITH US:
14
4
5
6
planned giving
annual fund
Including the Museum in your
estate plans, or making a major
gift today, leaves a legacy for
future generations to explore and
appreciate the Bay. Planned giving
can range from a simple bequest,
to other estate planning devices
that provide you with current
income and tax savings.
Your donations to the Annual Fund
support the Museum’s education,
outreach, exhibits, and boat
restoration programs, allowing us
to expand our impact on the lives
of those touched by this special
place. Your gifts can also target
specific projects or programs, such
as the Rosie Parks restoration.
2 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
chairman’s message
by Tom D. Seip
president’s letter
by Langley R. Shook
currents
CBMM welcomes new board
members and officers; St. Michaels
Rotary donates bench; CBMM
welcomes new shipwrights and bids
farewell to summer interns
9
10
Curator’s corner
Eating Local, Steamboat Style
by Libby Meier
17
12 research
Profiles: Chesapeake People
in the War of 1812
14
17
11 EDUCATION
ALL Semester to begin
mid September
by Esty Collet
features
Rosie Parks to Launch
at OysterFest
by Dick Cooper
A Rising of An Early Moon:
The Burning of the
City of Baltimore
by Kate Livie
22 on the rail
lifelines
Volunteer Profile: Nick Green
by Lauren Murray
by Veronica Lathroum
24
facebook.com/mymaritimemuseum
twitter.com/CBMMorg
youtube.com/CBMMorg1965
beautifulswimmers.tumblr.com
chesapeakeboats.blogspot.com
instagram.com/chesapeakemaritime
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Navy Point, PO Box 636
St. Michaels, MD 21663
410-745-2916 • cbmm.org
Hours:
April to May, 9am–5pm
June to August, 9am–6pm
Sept. to Oct., 9am–5pm
Nov. to March, 10am–4pm
On the cover:
The skipjack Rosie Parks under sail, circa 1980s.
An update on all the maintenance and restoration work of
the Museum’s floating fleet.
Editors: Tracey Munson & Marie Thomas
Creative Director: Marie Thomas
Copy Editors: Mariana Lesher
& Emilie Knud-Hansen
calendar
Contributing Writers:
Esty Collet, Dick Cooper, Veronica Lathroum,
Kate Livie, Libby Meier, Lauren Murray,
Tracey Munson, Tom Seip, Langley Shook,
Marie Thomas.
Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival,
OysterFest, the War of 1812
Speaker Series, Hunter Safety,
Coast Guard Boating Safety &
Skills, Boatyard Programs,
Member Nights, and more!
The Chesapeake Log is a publication of
the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
3
Chairman’s Message
by Tom D. Seip, Chair of the Board
I’ve always greatly enjoyed coming to the
Museum, first as a newcomer to the area,
then as a member of the Board of Governors
for the last five years, and now, as the new
Chair of the Board. Whether chatting with
another visitor, hearing a volunteer docent
recount the Oyster Wars, or watching a
shipwright demonstrating his craft, I learn
more about the Chesapeake, its people and
their way of life each time I visit.
My introduction to the Chesapeake region
began over a decade ago with a one week
cruise around the Eastern Shore with a very
knowledgeable captain. My wife Alexa and
Tom D. Seip, Chair of the Board of Governors.
I were captivated by the intertwining of land
and water on the Chester, Corsica, Wye, Miles,
Tred Avon, and Choptank rivers.
We returned by land the following year and departed only after buying a lot
on which to build a home. We moved from San Francisco to St. Michaels in
June of 2005 and were introduced to the Museum by a neighbor, Sumner Parker,
who once chaired the Board of Governors, and is today a very active Emeritus
Governor. A life-long love for the water and boats—particularly wooden ones—
drew me to boats like the Rosie Parks, as well as the Museum’s entire floating
fleet and the small boat collection.
Growing up in Erie, PA, which shares a considerable amount of War of 1812
heritage with the Chesapeake, I always loved military and naval history. As you
can imagine, I find our newest exhibit, Navigating Freedom: The War of 1812 on
the Chesapeake, especially engaging and encourage anyone who hasn’t seen it, to
come visit and learn about the ordinary men and women of the Chesapeake—
the shipbuilders, the freed slaves that settled in Nova Scotia as British citizens,
the captured Quaker mother and her small children. People of the Chesapeake,
like you and me, only with their own lessons learned over a rich history.
On behalf of all the Governors, volunteers, donors, members, staff, and
visitors of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, thank you for making this
special place a part of your own story—through your membership, our events
and yours, and in all the day-to-day things that make the Chesapeake your own.
I hope you’ll join us for a visit soon. Take a look at all of our upcoming events
on page 24 or make a point to make the Museum one of your next, most
memorable destinations.
4 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
Board of
Governors
2013-2014
Tom D. Seip, Chair
Richard C. Tilghman, Jr., Vice Chair
James P. Harris, Treasurer
Richard J. Bodorff, Secretary
Schuyler Benson
Paul Berry
Harry W. Burton
William B. Carter
William S. Dudley
David E. Dunn
Dagmar D. P. Gipe
E. Brooke Harwood, Jr.
Christopher A. Havener, Jr.
Francis Hopkinson, Jr.
Fred Israel
Richard J. Johnson
Peter M. Kreindler
Frank C. Marshall, Jr.
Patrice Miller
Geoffrey F. Oxnam
Bruce A. Ragsdale
Mitchell B. Reiss
S. Stevens Sands
Lelde Schmitz
Diane J. Staley
Henry H. Stansbury
Benjamin C. Tilghman, Jr.
Alfred Tyler, 2nd
President
Langley R. Shook
Emeriti
Richard T. Allen
Howard S. Freedlander
Alan R. Griffith
Margaret D. Keller
Breene M. Kerr
Charles L. Lea, Jr.
D. Ted Lewers, MD
Fred C. Meendsen
John C. North II
Sumner Parker
Robert A. Perkins
Joseph E. Peters
James K. Peterson
Norman H. Plummer
John J. Roberts
Henry H. Spire
James E. Thomas
Joan Darby West
Donald G. Whitcomb
Museum Staff
President
Langley R. Shook, President, 4951
Cheryl Miller, Administrative Assistant, 4943
Breene M. Kerr Center
for Chesapeake Studies
Pete Lesher, Chief Curator, 4971
Richard Scofield, Assistant Curator of Watercraft, 4966
Rob Forloney, Director of the Kerr Center, 4959
Kate Livie, Director of Education, 4947
Eric Applegarth, Exhibits Specialist, 4945
Lynne Phillips, Collections Manager, 4972
Helen Van Fleet, Education & Reservations Assistant, 4941
Michelle Zacks, Museum Folklorist, 4961
Boatyard
Mike Gorman, Vessel Maintenance Manager, 4967
Mark Donohue, Rosie Parks Project Manager, 4967
Jennifer Kuhn, Boatyard Program Manager, 4980
Joe Connor, Vessel Maintenance Assistant
Bill Bronaugh, Shipwright Apprentice
Shane Elliott, Shipwright Apprentice
Chris Kretch, Shipwright Apprentice
Communications & Special Events
Tracey Munson, Vice President of Communications, 4960
Marie Thomas, Communications Manager, 4953
Melissa Spielman, Director of Events & Volunteer Program, 4956
Ida Heelan, Events Coordinator, 4944
Development & Constituent Services
René Stevenson, Vice President of Constituent Services, 4950
Debbie Collison, Membership Manager, 4991
Emilie Knud-Hansen, Mem/Develop. Assistant, 4955
Megan Fisher, Visitor Services Manager, 4945
Hunter Ingersoll, Dockmaster, 4946
J.T. Thomas, Leslie Price, Ceres Bainbridge,
Max Reedy, Museum Hosts
Finance
Jean Brooks, Vice President of Finance, 4958
Craig Atwood, Director of Finance, 4958
Digie McGuirk, Staff Accountant, 4957
Devon Duvall, Museum Store Manager, 4962
Charlstine Foreman, Tara Mores, Museum Store Clerks
Patti Meschino, Store Business Development Manager, 4954
Operations
Bill Gilmore, Vice President of Operations, 4949
John Ford, Facilities Manager, 4970
Lad Mills, Boat Donations Program Manager, 4942
Andrew Walter, Boat Donations Program
Assistant Manager, 4942
Sam Fairbank, Facilities Maintenance Assistant, 4969
Joseph Redman, Facilities Maintenance Assistant, 4969
President’s Letter
by Langley R. Shook, President
It’s hard to believe summer is over, but
what an amazing summer it was! Visitors
and members from all over the United
States ran their fingers over the smooth
mahogany finishes on the runabouts at the
Antique and Classic Boat Festival; they
picnicked, danced, and watched fireworks
explode into colorful displays of national
pride at Big Band Night; and they came in
pick-up trucks to enjoy a watermen’s rodeo
along our Fogg’s Cove at Watermen’s
Appreciation Day.
Kids and adults of all ages ventured out
on the Miles River in several new on-theLangley Shook, CBMM President.
water programs and youngsters chickennecked off our docks, to experience
catching crabs for the first time. Coming up this fall, we have our annual
OysterFest on Saturday, November 2, a family-friendly day of local oysters,
live music, and a big line-up of many different activities. While OysterFest
is always an event not to be missed, this year is special.
After a three-year restoration process, the legendary skipjack Rosie Parks
will relaunch at OysterFest on the high tide at 4pm. The project has been
undertaken by master shipwrights and their apprentices, as well as volunteers
and members of the Parks family. This historic vessel, built by the boatbuilder Bronza Parks for his brother Captain Orville Parks, and named for
their mother, is an iconic symbol of the Chesapeake and a representation of a
family legacy, uniting four generations of Parks family members.
I invite you to join us at the Museum to celebrate this important moment
of history, and to experience an event that really epitomizes our mission—to
preserve and explore the rich maritime heritage of the Chesapeake Bay.
All of these experiences—learning about and eating local seafood,
chicken-necking for crabs, watching the relaunch of the Rosie Parks—are
possible because of your generous donations and continued support. As we
gear up for our Annual Fund drive this fall, I thank you in advance for
keeping CBMM an important part of your personal philanthropy.
I hope to see you soon at one of our educational programs, a special
event, or just enjoying the day on our beautiful campus. Until then, enjoy
this special combined issue of The Chesapeake Log and the 2012-2013
Annual Report.
To contact, dial 410-745, and the number listed.
To email, use the first initial, full last name @cbmm.org.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
5
currents
CBMM welcomes new board members and officers
St. Michaels Rotary
donates bench to CBMM
O
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum welcomed new officers and Governors to its Board during its annual June meeting. Board officers for the 2013-2014 year are from left:
Vice Chair Richard Tilghman, Chair Tom Seip, Secretary Dick Bodorff, and Treasurer Jim Harris. (Middle) From left, elected CBMM Emeritus Governor Howard Freedlander with
new Governors Rick Johnson, Steve Sands, Patrice Miller, and Emeritus Governor Joe Peters. Not pictured are new Governors Lelde Schmitz and Bill Carter, and Emeritus
Governor Alan Griffith. (Right) From left, retiring CBMM board members CG Appleby, Pam Jana, and Richard Kimberly. Not pictured: Anna Fichtner.
A
t its June 24 annual meeting,
the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum elected five new governors,
three emeriti governors, and four board
officers for the coming year.
Board officers for the 2013-2014
year are Chair Tom Seip, Vice Chair
Richard Tilghman, Secretary Dick
Bodorff, and Treasurer Jim Harris.
Elected emeriti governors include
Howard Freedlander, Alan Griffith,
and Joe Peters.
“As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Museum in 2015, our best
days are very much ahead of us, due in
no small part to the work that we do
here, as a board,” said newly-elected
Chair of the Board Tom Seip.
“There’s a lot of hard work to come,
including our strategic plan which is
currently in development, as well as
fundraising plans which will allow us
to better serve our communities—our
members, donors, and volunteers, the
local community, kids, vacationers,
watermen, who are all a part of this
great institution.”
6 fall 2013
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The Board also recognized retiring members CG Appleby, Richard
Kimberly, Pam Jana, and Anna Fichtner
for their service. Each was presented
with a memento made from the original
wood of the skipjack Rosie Parks and
the bugeye Edna E. Lockwood, both
under restoration at the Museum.
“I know the Museum remains in
capable, strong hands,” commented
retiring Chair of the Board CG
Appleby. “The Board of Governors
has recruited a deep pool of talented,
resourceful members with a terrific
slate of officers. After nearly a decade
of serving the museum, first as a board
member for seven years, then as Vice
Chair, and finally, as Chair for the last
two years, I am especially proud of
the museum’s efforts to reach out to so
many different audiences, and of course,
the restoration of the Rosie Parks is
another highlight of my time at the
museum. I saw the deterioration of the
Rosie firsthand and now I am privileged
to witness her rebirth.”
Newly elected to three-year terms
on the Museum’s Board of Governors
are Bill Carter, Rick Johnson, Patrice
Miller, Steve Sands, and Lelde Schmitz.
New board member Bill Carter
served as a leader in the telecom
industry for 40 years. He served as
President and Chief Executive Officer
for Submarine Systems Inc. (SSI),
Director of International Network
Operations for AT&T, President
of Global Crossing Development
Company, and Vice Chairman of
Global Marine. Carter also served
as an advisor to the U.S. government
on communications and economic
development. He received his bachelor
of electrical engineering degree from
Georgia Institute of Technology and has
completed the advanced program for
senior managers at MIT’s Sloan School.
Rick Johnson recently retired as
Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer of PNC Financial
Services Group in Pittsburgh, PA.
Johnson’s 30-year career in banking
began at J.P. Morgan Chase, where
he served as Global Business Chief
n July 20, 2013, a hand-crafted
wooden bench, commissioned by
the St. Michaels Rotary Club, was
installed at the Museum.
“The Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum is one of our treasures,” said
Rotary Club president Bernie Grove.
“We want to support them any way
that we can.”
The bench was built by CBMM
volunteer John “Doc” Hawkinson
using iroko, an African tropical wood.
“These benches are made to last 20-30
years through weather and everything,”
commented Hawkinson. This bench
was one of two built by Hawkinson
for CBMM. The second was donated
as a memorial for former CBMM
employee Julie Cox.
The St. Michaels Rotary Club commissioned a hand-crafted wooden bench for the Museum. Pictured from left, back
row: CBMM President Langley Shook, St. Michaels Rotary President Bernie Grove, Rotary Newsletter Chairman and
CBMM Events Coordinator Ida Heelan, and Rotary Director Don Challoner. Sitting, from left: St. Michaels Rotary Past
President Aida Leisure and Rotary Social Chairman Carol Armstrong.
New board members and officers continued
Financial Officer and Managing Director for the New York
office, and the European Chief Financial Officer and
Managing Director in London. Since retiring, Johnson and
his wife, Laurie, plan to spend more time at their home in
St. Michaels.
Eastern Shore native Patrice Miller is the granddaughter
of one of the Hooper Strait Lighthouse’s lighthouse keepers.
Miller manages properties and enjoys renovating homes. She
and her husband, Herb, have five children and plan to spend
more time at Myrtle Grove—their historic home on the Miles
River. Miller received her bachelor of science degree from the
University of Maryland. Steve Sands is Managing Director of Wilmington Trust’s
Wealth Advisory Services in Baltimore. Prior to joining
Wilmington Trust in 2011, Sands spent nearly 35 years with
the First National Bank of Maryland in Baltimore where he
established the firm’s Private Banking Division, Financial
Management Group, and Specialty Banking Group. Sands
is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University, the Greater
Baltimore Committee’s Leadership Program, and the Rice
University Executive Management Program. He has served
as Treasurer and Chairman of the Investment Committee
for the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland and as a trustee for
numerous non-profit organizations. Sands and his wife, Rosa,
live in Glyndon, MD.
Lelde Schmitz has spent 27 years in international finance
with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), specializing in designing economic policy and helping governments
implement economic adjustment programs in emerging and
low income countries in the Caribbean, Latin America, and
Africa. Since 2007, Schmitz has counseled internationally
on political strategy, economic policy, development issues
and foreign direct investment. She has a master’s and Ph.D.
in economics from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany,
with special studies at Harvard University’s JFK School.
Schmitz has served as a committee member of the IMF’s
Art Society; as Founder and President of the Artist Guild of
Oxford; and on the Board of Easton Main Street. She and
her husband, Heinrich, have two adult children and live in
Oxford, MD.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
7
currents
curator’s corner
CBMM welcomes shipwrights, bids farewell to summer interns
C
hris Kretch of Ringoes, NJ,
has joined the Museum as a
shipwright apprentice. Kretch’s
apprenticeship begins with
restoration work on the historic
skipjack, Rosie Parks. He is
living in St. Michaels during his
one-year apprenticeship. Kretch
recently completed a one-year
program at the Great Lakes Boat
Shipwright Apprentice Chris Kretch.
Building School in Cedarville,
MI and earned his bachelors of
arts degree in graphic arts from
The College of New Jersey. Prior
to attending boatbuilding school,
Kretch worked as a graphic
designer and IT administrator.
Kretch was introduced to
CBMM by Great Lakes Boat
Building School’s Director
of Development and Student
Services and former CBMM
Shipwright Apprentice Bill Bronaugh.
shipwright apprentice Bud
McIntire. Kretch is new to the Chesapeake Bay area but has
always had an interest in boating and fishing in the region.
Bill Bronaugh, of Charleston, WV, also joins the
Museum as a shipwright apprentice from the Great Lakes
Boat Building School. Bronaugh is working on the Rosie
Parks restoration as his first task at CBMM. Both Bronaugh
and Kretch worked on a whaleboat for Mystic Seaport’s
Charles W. Morgan, while at Great Lakes. Bronaugh began
his career in woodworking by building kayaks and furniture,
and watching his father make wooden instruments. He is
currently living in Easton during his one-year apprenticeship.
We bid a fond farewell to our summer interns, Veronica
Lathroum, of Lanham, MD, a recent McDaniel College
graduate with a degree in history; Martina Soares Knize,
of Houston, TX, a senior at Texas A&M University at
Galveston majoring in maritime studies with a concentration
in nautical archaeology; Allison Speight, of St. Michaels,
MD, a senior at Washington College majoring in environmental studies with a double minor in biology and
anthropology; and Lauren Murray, of Centreville, MD, a
senior at McDaniel College, majoring in English and new
media writing.
Administered by CCS, the ten-week internship program
offers research and hands-on museum experience. Students
8 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
are given the opportunity to learn from seasoned experts who
monitor, observe, and guide their professional development.
Regular seminars introduce interns to other departments
as well as best practices at other museums and educational
organizations. For more information, contact CCS Director
Robert Forloney at 410-745-4959.
Eating Local – Steamboat Style
by Libby Meier
A fried oyster dinner
used to cost $1.50, cheaper
than eating ham, fried
chicken, or roast beef.
But then, it used to be
that the best way from
Norfolk to the Eastern
Shore was by steamer.
From left, CCS intern Veronica Lathroum, education intern Allison Speight,
communications intern Lauren Murray, and curatorial intern Martina Soares Knize.
with Host Joanne Clendining
Tuesdays at 7 pm,
premiering November 19 on
Maryland Public Television
Tune in to watch stories about
the Marylanders who grow
our food and fiber.
www.mpt.org/farm
Produced in cooperation with the
Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Major funding provided by Maryland Grain Producers.
Additional funding provided by: Maryland Agricultural and ResourceBased Industry Development Corporation, Maryland Agricultural
Education Foundation, Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, Maryland Soybean Board,
Maryland’s Best, Maryland Farm Bureau, USDA NRCS
(Natural Resources Conservation Service).
And by Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Arthur W. Perdue Foundation,
Maryland Nursery & Landscape Association, Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, Delmarva Poultry
Industry, Inc., Maryland Grape Growers Association, Harford County, Maryland,
Mar-Del Watermelon Association.
That was in 1952, the last year
Norfolk, Old Point Comfort, and
Cape Charles were linked by a ferry
line. Before the construction of bridges
across the Chesapeake Bay, the ferry
provided a fast route across the mouth
of the Bay for commuters taking the
train to Philadelphia, vacationers on day
trips to Cape Charles, and any passengers
or freight bound to the Eastern Shore.
The three-hour trip also provided
ample time to eat, and so the Elisha Lee,
the last steamer on that route, served
three meals while she completed her
two round-trips of the day. According
to the menus in the Museum’s collection, breakfast involved juice, fresh fruit,
Virginia corn cakes, rolls, and coffee in
addition to eggs and meats; lunch and
dinner entrees came with juice, Virginia
corn cakes, bread, potato, vegetable,
pie, and coffee.
Half of the entrees offered for lunch
and dinner were seafood—oysters, fish
and crab—from the Bay. With the
exception of soft shell crabs, which, at
$1.85, cost ten cents more than ham
with raisin sauce, these were also the
cheapest meals on the menu.
Steamboat menu from the Elisha Lee. Robert H. Burgess Collection, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
The pricing reflects the nature of
getting food along the Chesapeake Bay
in the 1950s. Seafood was plentiful and
easily obtained both in watermen’s
communities and in the cities. This was
a time when prospects were still looking good for the fisheries and watermen alike: the Museum’s skipjack Rosie
Parks was one of several oystering boats
launched three years after these menus
were published.
The downside of relying on local
seafood was dependence on the seasons.
The Museum has two separate menus
from the Norfolk-Cape Charles ferries,
one offering oysters, fish, and crab cakes,
the other with fish, crab cakes, and soft
shell crabs. The first is a winter menu,
the second a summer one. By the 1950s,
watermen were able to provide crab
year-round by dredging up crabs wintering near the mouth of the Bay, but the
fishery was seasonal. One could not
get soft crabs when the crabs weren’t
molting; nor could one get oysters when
the oystermen weren’t dredging. Like
everything else, dining aboard the
Norfolk-Cape Charles ferries was tied
to the patterns of biology and culture on
the Bay.
It is rare for menus to survive long
after the food they advertise is no longer
served. These menus were salvaged
from a trash bin after the Elisha Lee’s
last passage across the mouth of the Bay.
They were saved by Robert H. Burgess,
an avid collector of anything related to
the Chesapeake’s maritime history, who
had made a point of being present on
the ferry’s last voyage in order to record
and preserve the passing of an era.
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum purchased Burgess’s entire
collection in 2006, making these menus,
along with thousands of other objects,
accessible to the public through the
Museum’s Library.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
9
education
lifelines
Volunteer Profile:
Nick Green
ALL fall semester
to begin
mid September
by Lauren Murray
by Esty Collet
N
ick Green began volunteering
at the Museum in 2005 after he
and his wife, Susan, retired to Easton
from Bucks County, PA. Nick’s new
neighbors, regular volunteers at the
Museum, suggested he join them in
donating service hours as a way to
become acquainted with the area.
Nick thought this would be the perfect
opportunity because before retiring, he
and Susan spent the summer months
on their houseboat, About Time, and
he was interested in sharing his love
of the Chesapeake with others. Nick
volunteers as a greeter in the Welcome
Center and talks to guests as they enter
the Museum. After eight years at the
Museum, he says welcoming visitors
from all over is something he really
enjoys doing.
“The Museum is an undiscovered
gem for most people,” says Nick. “I love
introducing it to them and sharing my
knowledge of the Chesapeake. The
Museum is a window for people to
see into the past and learn about how
the Bay affected the development of
a community. In the Welcome Center,
I get visitors started and direct them
to the exhibits they want to see. For
some people, it could be a boat built
by grandpa or even a boat that they
themselves had a personal experience
with,” he adds.
Sharing information is something
Nick has a lot of experience doing.
Originally from Altoona, PA, he
attended Lycoming College in
Williamsport and continued to pursue
his graduate degree in biology from
Pennsylvania State University.
10 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
T
Volunteer Nick Green in front of Spat.
Nick was then invited back to teach
at his alma mater, and spent 13 years as
a biology professor at Lycoming College.
After teaching at a handful of different
colleges, he became involved in administrative work and served as Director of
Admissions at West Virginia Wesleyan
College, Vice President of University
of Maine, and a dean at the State
University of New York at Binghamton.
Now retired, Nick and Susan, who
worked for the public school system,
are able to spend their free time visiting family and giving back to the
community. The couple has two kids, a
daughter in Pennsylvania and a son in
Colorado. When Green isn’t meeting
visitors in the Welcome Center, he and
his wife, who volunteers at the Historical
Society of Talbot County, volunteer with
their church in Easton.
You can find volunteer Nick Green
on Tuesdays and Fridays in the Welcome
Center, where he will be happy to chat
and answer any questions you may have
about the Museum. Upcoming Volunteer Programs
Help CBMM tell the story of the Chesapeake’s
people, history, and environment! For docents
who have completed the annual General Tour
Training, other trainings for our guided school
tours and educational hands-on programs are
available. The two-part trainings offer background and content information needed to lead
an engaging and educational program, as well
as practical applied instruction in CBMM’s exhibits
and campus. Both sessions are mandatory
for each program training to be successfully
completed. To register, contact Director of
Education Kate Livie at 410-745-4947 or email
klivie@cbmm.org.
Bay Bounty Tour Training
he Academy for Lifelong
Learning‘s (ALL) fall semester begins in mid September and runs
through November, offering something
for everyone including such courses
as Greek Tragedy, Hot and Cold Wars,
Dickens, Exotic Species, Sacred Spaces,
The Artist Way, Fun with Philosophy,
Sports and Religion, and Furniture of our
Pilgrim Fathers to name a few.
Returning this year are many of
ALL’s favorite course leaders such as
George Merrill, Sam Barnett, Dick
Mattingly, Bob Lonergan, Don Berlin,
Bob Springer, Phil Hesser, and the
“two Johns” now joined by the Museum’s
Director of Education Kate Livie.
ALL welcomes new and returning
course leaders including the Museum’s
Director of the Center for Chesapeake
Studies Robert Forloney, Ben Weems,
ALL members participated in “Digital Photography for Beginners” over the summer. This three-day course, led by
Wilson Wyatt Jr., Robert Lippson, and Kate Mann, was designed to take advantage of the latest in digital photography, from cameras to iPhones.
Diane Thomas Mitchell, Ed Delaney, Ed Bednarz, and Bruce Jones. These
individuals, along with many other talented volunteer course leaders, are the
life blood of ALL, dedicating hours to the preparation and facilitation of their
programs. For a course catalog, call Helen Van Fleet at 410-745-4941 or download
one at cbmm.org/all, where you can also sign up to receive our e-newsletters.
Upcoming Volunteer Programs, continued.
Volunteer Exhibit Explorations: (For current CBMM Volunteers & Docents)
Volunteer Field Trip with Kate Livie: Eastern Neck Island and Tolchester Beach Revisited
Thursday, October 10. 10am-3pm. Bring a bagged lunch
Visit Rock Hall, MD for a tour of Eastern Neck Island’s trails and oyster middens in the morning, and Tolchester Beach revisited in the afternoon.
Tues & Thurs, Sept. 3 & 5, 10am-12:30pm
Hurricane Agnes, Impact & Legacy with Kate Livie
Bay Discovery Tour Training
Wednesday, October 23 at 10am in the VLA
Tues & Thurs, Sept. 10 & 12, 10am-12:30pm
From watermen to scientists to landowners, Hurricane Agnes represented a sea change in the Chesapeake’s environment, forecasting a grim
future for the Bay’s water quality and animal life, and spurring the current “Save the Bay” efforts.
Crab Cakes Program Training
Tues & Thurs, Sept. 17 & 19, 10am-12:30pm
Curator’s Corner with Pete Lesher
Oystering Legacy Tour Training
Thursday, November 14 at 10am in the CBMM Library
Wed & Fri, Sept. 25 & 27, 10am-12:30pm
Take a tour of Pete’s favorite things hidden away in the Museum’s collections. Pete will choose five objects, connected by a theme, and will tell
the story of their prevalence and their significance to the people, environment, and history of the Bay.
Location: Van Lennep Auditorium (VLA)
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
11
research
Profiles: Chesapeake People in the War of 1812
by Veronica Lathroum
Thomas Kemp
H
uman life in Maryland has
revolved around the Chesapeake
Bay for centuries. Serving as a source
of food, a mode of transportation, a
provider of priceless resources, and in
more modern times, a place for recreation and relaxation, the Bay offers an
abundance of opportunities. Hundreds
of years ago, shipbuilding was prevalent
along both the Eastern and Western
Shores of the Bay, an occupation that
has diminished considerably today.
In the early nineteenth century, the
War of 1812 threatened shoreside towns
on the Chesapeake Bay. The British
sought to gain access to the waterways as
a means to disrupt American commerce
and undermine support for the war;
this made the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries important military targets.
Thus, the towns and ports lining the
shores needed to be prepared in the
event of a British attack.
During this time, the United States
Navy was a weak and an ineffective
military power. As a result, ship owners
were licensed to attack enemy ships
whenever possible. These freelance
defenders were called privateers.
Between the privateers and the
American effort to improve their
organized military, shipbuilding on
the Chesapeake became a lucrative
occupation. Shipwrights profited greatly
from the war as a result of the constant
demand for boats and their repair.
Thomas Kemp was well-positioned
12 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
The last documented boat that Kemp
constructed was built in 1822; it was a
schooner by the name of K&R. Thomas
Kemp died in 1824.
Typically, when people think of shipbuilding around the Chesapeake, they
think of large port cities like Baltimore,
but at one time, shipwrights were situated in towns and cities surrounding
the Bay. They were especially prevalent
in St. Michaels, near the present day
site of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime
Museum. Kemp’s return to St. Michaels
and his continued involvement in
shipbuilding support this association,
and the importance of shipwrights to
the Chesapeake Bay region, especially
during times of war.
Minty Gurry (Caden)
Thomas Kemp’s 1807 schooner Rossie, sailed from Baltimore as a privateer in 1812 by Captain Thomas Boyle.
From George Coggeshall, History of the American Privateers.
to profit from wartime shipbuilding
demand. He was a native of Talbot
County, where he most likely apprenticed under Impey Dawson, a St.
Michaels shipwright and fellow
Quaker. From Talbot County, Kemp
moved to Fells Point, Baltimore in
1803. There he built his first ship with
his brother a year later.
Kemp is best known for his schooners,
though he also built schooner-brigs,
brigs, naval gunboats, sloops, and pilot
boat schooners. He is responsible for
the construction of at least fifty boats,
some built in collaboration with Impey
Dawson, his mentor. Among his best
remembered were the 1807 schooner
Rossie, commanded by Thomas Boyle
as a privateer in 1812, and the 1812
schooner Chasseur, Boyle’s next
command, which had such a successful
record as a privateer that she was
nicknamed the “Pride of Baltimore”
on her return. As a result of the war
against the British, Kemp was financially successful. By 1813 he was paying
his workforce roughly $1,000 per week,
and by 1817 he had employed two
dozen carpenters and ship caulkers.
His shipyard both repaired existing vessels and constructed new
ones, providing him with two lines
of business. Kemp moved back to
Talbot County, where he built a house
at Wades Point. There he was still an
active shipwright for at least a little
while, building a few more boats
while based in Talbot County, and
entering a partnership with George
Gardner, a shipbuilder stationed in
Fells Point. Gardner eventually became
entirely responsible for their business.
M
inty Gurry made a successful
“Philanthropie moderne.” The British facilitated the escape of thousands of slaves from Maryland and Virginia during
quest for freedom with the aid of
the War of 1812, as illustrated by this New York cartoonist, where officers are luring away African Americans while
the British during the War of 1812. Her setting Washington afire. Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society.
story has been documented through
careful research by the Maryland State
Archives. Born around 1787 and living
knowledge of the local landscape many
on to join Minty in Nova Scotia. Slaves
in Calvert County, an area where
of these escaping slaves possessed.
played a crucial role in the War of 1812,
enslaved African Americans were
In 1813, the British offered sanctuparticularly along the Chesapeake Bay.
heavily engaged on tobacco plantations,
ary to escaping slaves in return for
Their yearning to escape from the
Minty came to marry a fellow slave
their assistance as guides, and by
confines of slavery drove them to aid
by the name of Joe Gurry. Eventually,
1814, they broadly offered freedom
the British, in return for their freedom.
their marriage disintegrated and Minty
to any who escaped to their troops or
Minty Gurry is just one of many
formed an intimate relationship, a
ships. Thousands of slaves from the
who found her circumstances in the
sisterhood by her definition, with
Chesapeake region took advantage of
United States intolerable and took
another woman, Phillis Caden.
this offer and gained their freedom.
advantage of the opportunity to gain
Together, the two women joined the
In July of 1814, Minty escaped from
her freedom.
Methodist Church, and Minty Gurry
her owner, Susannah Rawlings, with
Read about more stories such as
became Minty Caden. Like other slaves two other slaves. Through the testithese in our new exhibit Navigating
prior to the Civil War, Minty sought
monies of other community members,
Freedom: The War of 1812 on the
to gain freedom on her own terms.
Minty is known to have been friendly
Chesapeake, open every day during
During the War of 1812, the British
with the British troops, most likely
regular Museum hours.
blockaded the navigable channels of
as a washerwoman. Minty moved to
the Chesapeake Bay, and their presence
Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the company
provided a particular good opportunity
of many other former slaves, where she
for slave escapes.
and others were settled and offered land.
British officers saw value in the
It is unknown if Phillis Caden went
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
13
feature
Rosie Parks to Launch at OysterFest
by Dick Cooper
“We have spent a lot of time paying attention to the
original builder’s style, his technique, and his intentions.
R
osie Parks looks ready. She exudes
energy. Her freshly-painted white
hull is crisp, sharply angled and poised
to plunge. Her expertly carved trailboards proudly state her name. She’s
been perched on land too long, only
feet from her home in the waters of the
Chesapeake Bay. But land is not where
she belongs. The fastest, most productive and prettiest member of the Bay’s
Oyster Fleet wants to spread her white
wings and fly.
And she will on the 4pm high tide
November 2 during OysterFest at the
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
The Rosie, as she is affectionately
known, has touched the lives of
hundreds who have helped bring her
back from a rotten hulk to her rightful place as the pride of the Bay. Not
only is she an icon of the Chesapeake,
she has become a rallying point for the
resurgence of the Museum and its Boat
Shop, which were hit hard during the
economic recession.
Museum President Langley Shook
says the restoration of the skipjack—
built 58 years ago in southern
Dorchester County by legendary boatbuilder Bronza Parks for his equally
Opposite page:
(top) The Rosie Parks under full sail circa 1980s.
(bottom) An overhead view of the Rosie Parks
Restoration Project over the last three years.
(top row, from left) Fall, 2010. Spring, 2011. Fall, 2011.
(bottom row, from left) Spring, 2012. Fall, 2012.
Summer, 2013.
Facing page:
The Rosie as she was hauled out of the Miles River
in early 2000.
14 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
I think the Museum can hold its head high because of
the standards we have adhered to.”
well-known oysterman brother,
Captain Orville, and named for their
mother—Rosie has helped to galvanize
the reputation of the Museum and
energize its staff.
“Approaching the end of the threeyear project, unquestionably it was the
right decision,” Shook says.
“Not only because we end up with a
rare, faithfully-restored skipjack, one
of a very few still around, but it also
raised our visibility and drew a lot of
attention and visitors to the Museum
and it was a key in revitalizing activities in our Boat Shop.”
The Rosie has been an important
part of the Museum’s floating fleet
since she was purchased from Orville
Parks in 1975 when he retired after
almost seven decades of working the
water. The late Captain Parks, who was
named “Admiral of the Chesapeake”
by then Gov. J. Millard Tawes, was
known around the Bay for keeping
a well-maintained vessel that always
made money for her dedicated crew.
But years of deferred maintenance
and depleted Museum resources led
to her decline. Staffers kept regular
watch on her pumps to make sure she
did not sink at the dock. At one point,
loblolly seedlings began sprouting from
her decaying decks. Museum Curator
Pete Lesher remembers that the Rosie
had become an embarrassment to the
Museum and a sore point with the
- Chief Curator Pete Lesher
extended families of both Bronza and
Orville Parks. When she was finally
hauled out of the water over five years
ago, it was discovered that her bottom
planks had been held in place by water
pressure. They quickly began falling off.
“We bought Rosie in 1975 because
she was the most reputable skipjack
on the Bay,” Lesher says. “She was a
profitable boat and she won skipjack
races. And she was only a 20-year-old
boat. By the time we started this project
she was almost a 50-year-old boat. Any
other skipjack of that age survives only
with substantial work. Rosie had really
never gotten that. We did bits and pieces
and frankly, we put it off too long.”
Shook says Museum Board
members debated whether to rebuild
her or cut her up and ship her off to a
landfill. The preservationists won out,
but it was a close call.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
15
feature
In November, 2010, Museum
Chair of the Board Joe Peters stood
on the balcony of the Hooper Strait
Lighthouse surrounded by members
of Bronza and Orville Parks’ families
and announced that generous donations from Museum supporters made it
possible to rebuild the Rosie.
The assembled crowd cheered, but
when they surveyed the old skipjack in
the boatyard with her sagging decks
and brittle planking held together with
rusted nails, more than a few were
skeptical about the future.
But since then, Richard Scofield,
Assistant Curator for Watercraft, says
10,602 board-feet (more than two miles)
of fir, pine, and white oak have been
fastened to Rosie’s ribs. Nine Boat Shop
apprentices, numerous members of
the Parks family and everyday visitors
to the Museum have worked to bring
new life to Rosie. By the end of May,
Museum volunteers put in 2,364
hours and 35 minutes of their time
on the project.
Children from around the region,
from preschoolers to high school
students, have learned about the
history of skipjacks with Rosie as the
centerpiece. They have caulked seams,
used hand tools and experienced the
feel of shaping wood. “We had every
seventh-grader in Talbot County come
through the Oyster Legacy program
that has a segment on Rosie,” Scofield
says. “We’ve had summer camp groups
come through the same program.”
He says local teens are putting in their
community service time working on
the restoration.
The Museum Board discussed
rebuilding Rosie to meet Coast Guard
regulations for passenger vessels that
would have allowed her to be used to
take more visitors out on the water.
But they decided in the end to stick as
close to Bronza Parks’ original design,
16 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
making the Rosie one of the few unaltered skipjacks still in operation.
Even the wood used came from
local forests and was cut either at the
Paul M. Jones Lumber Company in
Snow Hill or at the Tuckahoe Saw Mill
outside of Ridgely on a saw that dates
to the late 1800s.
Project Manager Mark Donohue
says his crew is working on the final
stages by readying the spars, installing hardware and getting the bottom
planks fitted. The project is on time and
under budget.
“We have spent a lot of time paying
attention to the original builder’s style,
his technique and his intentions,” Lesher
says. “I think the Museum can hold its
head high because of the standards we
have adhered to.”
“We started this when the Museum
was in a slump,” he says. “The institution was at a low point. We had reduced
staff, cut back on programs and here
was this boat that was in terrible condition sitting up on the hard. The decision to tackle this project allowed it to
become emblematic of the revival of the
Museum. It was an inspirational decision for the staff. We could raise this
money and we could take on a project
of this magnitude.”
“As a Museum about Chesapeake
history and culture, we preserve things,
but in the end, this is not just about
boats, it is about all the stories about
people that go along with it. Both
the stories of the past and those we
are making as we go along. There are
serendipitous things we learn as we
go through a major project like this.
People come out of the woodwork
and say, ‘I remember when,’ and ‘This
reminds me of.’”
Lesher says the Museum could have
pursued the history of the Rosie Parks
and the life stories of the famous Parks
brothers just as a folklore story.
“But the truth of the matter is that
we would have never gotten all this
information without the physical project. You couldn’t justify the restoration
without all of this rich context, but you
would never have this rich context without the restoration. It is all of a package.”
Shook says the success of the Rosie
Parks project has invigorated Museum
staffers to the point where they are
beginning to look to the future and talk
about what the next major project will
be in the Boat Shop.
“We will always proudly maintain
and display Rosie as one of the most
important, most recognized and best
remembered vessels in our fleet,” he
says. Everyone involved in rebuilding the Rosie marvels at the success of
the biggest unintended consequence
of the project, the reconnection of
the scattered Parks family members
who have found long-lost relatives
and used OysterFest as a grand family
reunion. Several have volunteered their
time, made financial donations, and
presented the Museum with artifacts
and historic family photos.
“When CBMM announced that the
Rosie Parks would be restored, there was
an immediate spark in Parks family
interest,” Bronza’s daughter, Mary
Parks Harding says.
“One of Dad’s grandchildren said
that she felt the legacy of her grandfather had been brought to life again
and that she was so thankful for all
the Museum is doing to retell his story.
Another grandchild said the Museum
taught her about a legacy she never
realized was so great. This event is
no longer just a boat restoration. It’s a
family restoration.”
City of Baltimore leaving from Norfolk harbor, circa 1930. Courtesy of
The Mariners’ Museum, Newport News, Va., Robert T. Little Collection.
A Rising of an Early Moon:
The Burning of the City of Baltimore
by Kate Livie
O
n the summer evening of July 29,
1937 at 6:30pm, a fresh breeze
cut through the oppressive heat as the
City of Baltimore steamed out of port at
Light Street. Carrying 40 passengers
and 55 crew members eager to enjoy
the cooling respite of open water on
their trip south to Norfolk, the City of
Baltimore was in good company, with
the Patapsco River creased by the
wake from pleasure craft under sail
and motor, steamboats fore and aft,
and fishing excursions. It was a fine, if
close, day and the passengers on the
ship began to dress for dinner in their
staterooms and head for the elegant
dining room with its fine china and
wide vistas of blue sky. All was well in
these last golden hours of that summer
day. But by 8:30pm, all that would
remain of the City of Baltimore was
her flaming hulk of superheated metal
creating a spreading red stain like a
sunset in the West.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
17
The City of Baltimore was one of
the steamships in the Chesapeake
Steamship Company, a steamboat line
that rivalled the better-remembered
Old Bay Line. Primarily connecting
Baltimore, Maryland, and Norfolk,
Virginia, with a regular fixed schedule
for freight, passengers, and vehicles, the
Chesapeake Line built its reputation on
efficiency paired with top-notch service
and fine dining aboard what their
advertisements proclaimed to be “floating hotels of the most modern type.”
On overnight trips to Norfolk or
Baltimore, passengers on a Chesapeake
Line vessel could enjoy amenities like
smoking rooms, music rooms, brass
beds, running hot and cold fresh and
salt water in adjoining private bathrooms,
dancing salons, and girth-encouraging
menus that boasted Long Island duck,
pin money pickles, York River oysters,
boiled hominy, and peach ice cream.
The goal of the Chesapeake Line was
to provide a trip as diverting as a
18 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
vacation, which was a key component
to their longtime strategy of success.
The steel-hulled City of Baltimore,
constructed in 1911 alongside her
sister ship, City of Norfolk, was one of
the largest and most luxurious vessels
in the Chesapeake Line’s fleet. Costing
$375,000 to construct and offering
even more deck space than other ships
in the Chesapeake Line stable, the
City of Baltimore was also notable for
her dining rooms, which were located
in the forward part of the gallery deck
(instead of the standard location in the
hold at the stern) and took advantage
of fresh air and panoramic views.
This relocation of the dining rooms
proved to provide not just an aesthetic
advantage. On this summer evening in
July, it represented a chance at survival
for many of the passengers who were
enjoying a fine repast of panned white
perch, hot corn cakes, and applesauce.
At 7:30pm, as the City of Baltimore
steamed past the Seven Foot Knoll
lighthouse, James Johnson, a 21-yearold messboy from Norfolk let out a
scream of panic, exclaiming “Fire!”
Flames were erupting from the ship’s
hold, and a thick roil of black smoke
rose and smudged the air, snaking
through the galleries and salons.
A steward sounded the alarm bell,
and passengers began to emerge in
confusion from their staterooms, halfdressed for dinner, and diners rushed
from their tables with napkins still
tucked into their collars. The crew ran
to fire hose stations to quell the blaze,
while officers marshaled frightened
men, women, and children to forward
and aft decks, away from the intense
heat and smoke of the rapidly spreading fire. But when the crew members
turned the valves to flow water to the
hoses, they found themselves holding
limp lengths of line, the business ends
sputtering dryly. The water controls
were inoperative.
(continued on page 20)
(opposite page)
The remains of the City of Baltimore, 1937. This photo
appeared in The Baltimore Sun.
(facing page, above and left)
The Chesapeake Steamship Company featured a sister
of the steamboat City of Baltimore on the cover of their
brochure advertising overnight service between Baltimore
and Norfolk, circa 1935. Gift of Robert G. Manette.
the chesapeake log
fall 2013
19
feature
“I saw what seemed to me to be the rising of an early
It was now 7:35pm and the fire
raged unabated, spurred by the freshmoon.” Her neighbor, Mrs. Sands, later remarked
ening Bay breeze that had seemed so
pleasant only moments before. The
the time was about 7:30pm when she saw the Knoll
captain of the ship, Charles O. Brooks,
would later state, “The boat was in
light seeming to linger amidships. “But it got bigger
flames in three minutes. I don’t see
how it could spread that fast.”
and bigger, and I said, ‘That seems to be a big light on
The temperature onboard was rising
quickly as the wind sent torrents of
that vessel.’ Then the ship burst into flames.”
flame rushing through the wooden
stairways and galleries of the City
-Mrs. August H. Klecka
of Baltimore.
On the shoreline, families gathered
on porches to enjoy the sunset and the
cooling temperatures of early evening.
clung to a steel cable for at least twenty
A following ship, the Arkansan,
It was a local custom of many to watch
minutes, and my hands were blistered
attempted to pull alongside the City
the promenade of steamboats that
from the heat of that cable.” Miss
of Baltimore to rescue the passengers
departed from Baltimore at 6:30pm as
Ramsay and Judy were later picked up
crowding the decks, but slammed into
regular as the tide, rounding the Knoll
by a passing boat and made it to safety.
the
side
of
the
burning
vessel
when
she
lighthouse and pushing down the
It was a stroke of luck for the
was unable to slow her forward momenchannel. Mrs. August H. Klecka was
passengers that it was a fine day and
tum. Passengers had to be restrained
chatting to her neighbors, also on their
the mouth of the Patapsco was crowded
from jumping onto the Arkansan by
porch, when she noticed something
with
boaters looking for relief from the
crew
who
knew
they
would
be
crushed
strange. “I saw what seemed to me to
heat of the afternoon. As the flames
to death between the grinding steel
be the rising of an early moon.” Her
and smoke reached into the sky, the
hulls of the steamboats’ collision.
neighbor, Mrs. Sands, later remarked
William D. Sanner, a pilot boat carryOn the decks, the temperature
the time was about 7:30pm when she
ing Masons on a fishing excursion,
was rising precipitously as the City of
saw the Knoll light seeming to linger
approached the scene and, weaving
amidships. “But it got bigger and bigger, Baltimore was engulfed in ravenous
through charred debris, deployed
flame. As the heat intensified and flesh
and I said, ‘That seems to be a big light
her yawl and lifeboats to pull flailbegan to blister, passengers climbed
on that vessel.’ Then the ship burst into
ing passengers from the water as they
over
the
side
of
the
ship
and
hung
from
flames.” Horrified onlookers began to
plummeted from the decks above.
gather at the water’s edge, their stricken the metal railings and cables, which
Other speedboats, ferries, and
quickly began to warm in the furnace
faces illuminated by the light from the
sailboats followed closely. A Baltimore
of the conflagration. At the edge of a
holocaust that raged offshore.
garage operator, C. Merritt Twilley,
high deck overlooking the water, Miss
Back on the City of Baltimore the
was on an evening cruise in his new
Elizabeth Ramsay with her setter Judy
situation was becoming grim. Crew
speedboat when he noticed the blaze.
stood silhouetted by flame and smoke.
members attempted to launch the
Miss Ramsay shielded Judy from the fire As he approached the distressed vessel,
lifeboats, placing three in the water,
he saw the captain, standing on the
with her body, edging forward until the
but they were sparsely utilized, with
deck and giving orders to his crew,
dog’s paws curled over the ship’s edge.
one lifeboat drifting away carrying
“unmindful of the roaring flames that
Then she pushed. Judy plunged into
only four passengers. Officers rushed
the water below, and emerged, treading, slowly licked toward him, and a steel
through the ship, pounding on doors
deck turning red-hot at the soles of his
while
her owner leaped in after her.
to alert any lingerers still unaware of
A survivor, Helen Bomba, later recalled, feet.” Barking commands, the captain
the blaze. In the pilot house, Captain
corralled the last crew and passengers
“That gave us the nerve to jump in,
Brooks remained on duty, steering the
to the rail where they jumped off the
ship out of the channel toward land and too—seeing that dog go in and then
superheated structure, their white
seeing the girl follow. The heat was
rescue, but the vessel churned to a stop
unbearable, anyhow, and we knew there summer clothes scorched. A straw
against a sand bar with her propellers
boater bobbed on the waves nearby, the
was nothing to do but jump. I had
still revolving.
20 fall 2013
the chesapeake log
People on the shore watch in horror as the City of Baltimore burns. 1937, The Baltimore Sun.
water painted in shades of red by the
flames. In the end, most were saved.
Of the 40 passengers and 55 crew, only
four were lost, and the source of the fire
was never determined. But the significance of the City of Baltimore’s burning
and her lack of fire suppression equipment had a wide-reaching effect that
would help to change safety on passenger vessels forever.
The next day, as her blackened,
smoking carcass was towed away,
politicians in Washington, D.C. were
using the public momentum from the
fire to push a marine safety bill through
Congress that would tightly regulate
safety features on all ships, including
life boats and sprinkler systems. The
immolation of the City of Baltimore was
the final straw in a series of disastrous
ship-board fires that cost thousands of
U.S. passengers their lives.
In the Chesapeake alone, five
ships had burned since 1910, and on
the East Coast, a devastating fire in
1934 aboard the Morro Castle took the
lives of 137 passengers. But the City
of Baltimore, whose destruction was
witnessed by thousands on the shore
and in the water, proved to be the
catalyst needed to galvanize legislators
into preventing another on-the-water
tragedy. On August 14, 1937, 15 days
after the City of Baltimore burned to
the waterline, the senate passed the
Copeland Safety-at-Sea bill, designed
to make merchant and passenger
vessels “fireproof and so far as possible
unsinkable.” For the charred and
ruined City of Baltimore, it was too
little, too late.
Two men, found drowned in the
wreckage, would never return to their
families, and vessels in the Chesapeake
Line fleet were pulled for months as
they were retrofitted with the firefighting equipment that would have
saved lives. For a generation, people
along the Chesapeake that witnessed
the inferno and its destruction would
tell the story of the night there seemed
to be an early, red moon on the horizon,
as a cautionary bedtime story.
And next to a bed in Norfolk, a
setter named Judy dreamed fitfully.
Mr. and Mrs. EC White. Mrs. White was rescued from the
City of Baltimore. 1937, The Baltimore Sun.
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(1) Shipwright apprentice Chris Kretch cleans the rabbet, the groove where the bottom planks join into the keel on the Rosie Parks. (2) Volunteer Brooke Ricketts, Project
Manager Mark Donohue, and Kretch mill bottom planks. (3) Kretch and Ricketts are installing the first bottom plank on the Rosie. (4) Shipwright Apprentice Bill Bronaugh is
cleaning and preparing hardware for installation. (5) Ricketts, Donohue, Kretch, and Bronaugh installing bottom planks.
(7) Boatyard Program Manager Jenn Kuhn, Vessel Maintenance Manager Michael Gorman, and Shephard
University Professor Christian Benefiel pour hot bronze into a mold at a recent metal casting demonstration.
(8) Curatorial Intern Martina Soares Knize holds up the bronze oyster culler and the pattern she used
to make it with. (9) Jen Wagner, noted mosaic and stained glass artist (in red) and Boatyard Program
Manager Jenn Kuhn (in blue) led a Introduction to Stained Glass Mosaic workshop. The finished piece, a
colorful compass rose, was auctioned September 7, with proceeds benefitting the Museum.
by Lauren Murray
I
t’s been a busy summer in the boatyard as everyone tirelessly prepares
for the re-launching of the skipjack Rosie Parks at 4pm on Saturday
November 2, 2013. Rosie Parks Project
Manager Mark Donohue reports she
will be ready for launch on time.
To prepare for bottom planking on
Rosie, the shipwrights faired the bottom
frames, installed dutchmans and sweet
nails to the rabbet, and shaped the
bevel of the chine. The bottom planks
for Rosie were milled, shaped, and
installed in sections while two sister
keelsons were constructed and run
from the transom to Rosie’s stem.
On deck, Museum volunteers
installed stern and forward handrails,
as well as the steering box, gear, and
wheel. Various pieces of hardware,
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plates, irons, and stanchions were
primed and painted for installation as
well. Rosie’s mast, boom, jib club, and
mainmast gaff were collected from
storage; her spars were in excellent
condition but needed minor restorations before the mast can be rigged and
stepped in the fall.
Boatyard Program Manager Jenn
Kuhn has been engaging visitors in
workshops and hands-on projects in
the boatyard, and thanks to a grant
from the Talbot County Arts Council,
the Museum was able to do a sixweek long bronze casting workshop,
led by Christian Benefiel of Shepherd
University, for both the public and
the boatyard crew. Participants in the
Apprentice for a Day program took
part in an oar making workshop, a
stained glass workshop, and helped to
maintain the skiffs used for the Sailing
Saturday program.
The shipwrights have been hard at
work maintaining the Museum’s floating fleet of Chesapeake Bay boats. The
tug Delaware, built at the beginning of
the 20th century, was hauled out and
had her garboard planks replaced this
summer. The dovetail Martha was also
recently up on the hard for her annual
maintenance. Every year the Bronza
Parks-built deadrise receives fresh
paint, zincs, and any cotton caulking
that needs replacing.
The 1889 log-bottomed bugeye
Edna E. Lockwood, received
many updates according to Vessel
Maintenance Manager Michael
Gorman. After a lot of heavy lifting
in the boatyard, Edna’s rudder was
replaced and she was given a new coat
of paint. The shipwrights in the boatyard
rigged her for the season and then took
her out for a sail on the Miles River.
The crab dredger Old Point, built
in 1909, was hauled and painted for
her big 10-day trip to her home of
Poquoson, VA. Shipwright apprentice Shane Elliot was attentive to
detail during the process and proudly
touched up her name on the bow
before leaving for the Chesapeake Bay
Buyboat Association’s annual cruise
down the Chesapeake Bay.
To follow the progress of Rosie
Parks and other boatyard projects, visit
chesapeakeboats.blogspot.com.
(10) Vessel Maintenance Manager Michael
Gorman gives the dovetail Martha a new coat
of paint and other yearly maintenance.
(11) Shipwright Apprentice Shane Elliott and
boatyard volunteer Richard Foa install hardware on the Edna E. Lockwood’s new rudder.
11
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calendar
sept / oct / nov/dec/jan
Member Nights
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Circumstances
$10 for CBMM Members or $13 for non-members per session
OR buy a three-session pass for $25 for CBMM members
and $34 for non-members. Pre-registration required to Helen
Van Fleet at 410-745-4941.
The Internal Enemy with Dr. Alan Taylor
Join us as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr. Alan Taylor, discusses
the slaves who sought freedom by escaping to the British, offering
a dramatic instance of the persistent interconnections between
American slavery and American freedom. The Internal Enemy: Slavery
and War in Virginia, 1772–1832, Dr. Taylor’s newly published book,
re-creates the events that inspired black Virginians, haunted slaveholders, and set the nation on a new and dangerous course.
Stories of Everyday People and the War of 1812
Friday, October 18
10-11:30am in the Van Lennep Auditorium
When war came to the Chesapeake in 1813, what was it like for
the everyday people in tidewater towns who both feared and
anticipated the arrival of the British on their shores? Join University
of Delaware adjunct professor Mike Dixon as he explores the
conflict through the eyes of women, militiamen, slaves, and
other ordinary citizens impacted by the chaos of war.
The Music of Conflict: Songs from 1812
Thursday, October 24
2-3:30pm in the Van Lennep Auditorium
The War of 1812 spawned a huge
variety of songs in America. From
the early stirrings of party politics,
the traumatic effect of the Embargo,
through the triumph at Fort McHenry
and the last battle in New Orleans,
Americans took pen to paper to tear
at political opponents, to dramatize
the great sea battles and to laud
battle heroes like Hull and Perry. This
program tells the true story of the
birth of the Star-Spangled Banner,
dispelling several lingering myths
along the way. Live musical selections accompanied by images.
24 fall 2013
Samuel Hambleton:
Hometown Hero in the Battle of Lake Erie
Thursday, September 19
5:30pm in the Bay History Building
Free for CBMM Members. RSVP by September 17 to Debbie
Collison at 410-745-4991.
Local historian Tom Stevenson explores the history of this Talbot
County naval hero and his part in one of the largest and most
significant battles of the War of 1812, the first unqualified defeat
of a British naval squadron. Learn about Hambleton’s role in the
creation of one of the most inspiring battle flags in history, “Don’t
Give Up the Ship.”
Getting Rosie Ready—The Final Chapter
Rosie Parks Skipjack Restoration Project
Wednesday, October 16
5pm in the CBMM Boatyard
Free for CBMM Members. RSVP by October 14 to
Debbie Collison at 410-745-4991.
Join Mark Donohue, project manager for CBMM’s Rosie Parks
Skipjack Restoration Project, for the final chapter of the three-year
project that has brought this revered old skipjack back to life. Built
by Bronza Parks in 1955, Rosie is one of the least altered historic
skipjacks in existence. Take a behind-the-scenes peek as Rosie
prepares for her official re-launching at OysterFest on November 2.
MEMBER NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM STORE
Shop ’Til You Drop!
Tuesday, December 3
5-7pm in the Museum Store
Musician David Hildebrand
performs on October 24.
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GPS for Mariners, October 16
Lighthouse Overnight Adventures
The War of 1812 Speaker Series
Friday, September 20
6-7:30pm, Christ Church, St. Michaels (NOTE: off-site location)
Education Programs
Find unique holiday gifts at our Museum Store, stocked for the
season with new merchandise priced right. Members receive
a 25% discount and free gift wrapping. Enjoy a glass of wine
and light refreshments while browsing our new collection of
distinctive merchandise. OPEN to the Public (but only Members
receive a discount!)
Select Fridays & Saturdays in September & October
Cost: $40 for per person, 12-person minimum and 18-person
maximum, which includes the overnight program fee, two day’s
admission to CBMM, an official lighthouse patch, and a copy of
From a Lighthouse Window. For information, contact Kate Livie
at 410-745-4947 or klivie@cbmm.org.
Your group can spend the night in our 1879 Hooper Strait
Lighthouse! Travel back in time to experience the rustic life of a
lighthouse keeper with hands-on, interactive activities, games,
and stories. The program, designed for youth groups, children’s
organizations, and scouts, ages 8-12 (and their chaperones), is
available Fridays and Saturdays in the spring and fall, beginning at
6pm and ending at 9am the following morning.
Lapstrake Skiff Model Workshop
Friday – Sunday, October 4, 5, 6 in the Bay History Building
Fri., 6-9pm, Sat., 9am-5pm, Sun., 9am-5pm
$80 CBMM members, $95 non-members. All tools and materials are supplied. Pre-registration required by Sept. 23. Call
410-745-2916 to register or contact Model Guild Director Bob
Mason at 410-745-3266 or email bobmason@atlanticbb.net
Led step-by-step by skilled modelers, participants create a 10-inch
wooden rowing skiff with lapped side planking and a flat bottom.
CBMM’s Model Guild welcomes anyone over 12 years of age and
encourages new members of all skill levels to participate.
Coast Guard Boating Safety & Skills Program
Wednesday evenings from October 9 through October 23
6-10pm in the Van Lennep Auditorium. $35 per person per
class, or $100 for all three classes for CBMM Members.
Non-member rate is $40 per class per person or $115 for all
three. Register with Helen Van Fleet at 410-745-4941.
Suddenly in Command, October 9
The captain becomes incapacitated or falls overboard; or, you purchase a new boat and
step aboard for the first time. You are “Suddenly in Command.” This four-hour boating
safety primer is designed for boating beginners and will help you to be prepared with
the basics in case of an emergency. Learn about your vessel, including nautical terms
and basic operating principles like how to start the engine. Also included are descriptions
of what causes boating mishaps and how to minimize them, basic boat handling and
what equipment should be on board.
Learn how to use a GPS for practical recreational boating. GPS for Mariners (GPSFM) is
an orientation to the GPS equipment typically owned by the recreational boater, from
basic operating functions to more in-depth ways to get more from your global positioning
device. Course participants are invited to bring their own hand-held GPS units to the
class, but GPS units are not required for registration. Textbook provided.
How to Read a Nautical Chart, October 23
At sea there are no streets or highway signs. To figure out how to navigate to shore,
boaters have to use a nautical chart. This course will provide the navigator with the
knowledge to interpret the chart’s contents to navigate safely to their destination and
return to port, including reading latitude and longitude, depth of water, bottom type,
and magnetic variations affecting the compass, chart scales, and inter-tidal information. Textbook and training chart included.
Half-Hull Model Workshop
Saturday & Sunday, October 19 & 20 in Bay History Building
Sat., 9am-5pm, Sun., 9am-5pm
$80 CBMM members, $95 non-members. All tools and materials
are supplied. Pre-registration required by October 11.
Call 410-745-2916 to register or contact Model Guild Director
Bob Mason at 410-745-3266 or email bobmason@atlanticbb.net
Participants will create a half-hull model of the Pride of Baltimore II.
Band sawed from a block and carved to the rounded shape of the
Pride’s hull, the half-hull model is then mounted on a baseboard to
form a fine wall display piece.
Hunter Safety Program
Wednesday, November 20 through Saturday, November 23
Classes are from 6-9pm on Wed., Thurs., & Fri. in the Van Lennep
Auditorium. Saturday session is from 9am-12noon at an off-site
location. Cost is $10 per person. Students under 13 must be
accompanied by an adult. Register with Helen Van Fleet at
410-745-4941.
To purchase a hunting license or to hunt in Maryland, state law
requires the successful completion of a Hunter’s Safety course.
This course includes instruction in hunter responsibility, firearms
and ammunition, firearm handling and safety, marksmanship and
shooting fundamentals, principles of wildlife management, bow
hunting, muzzleloader hunting, tree stand safety, first aid, water
safety, and Maryland legal requirements. Firearms are provided.
ChesAdventures Program
Select Saturdays in January & February (contact for dates)
Pre-registration is required, call 410-745-4941 to reserve a spot. Visa, Mastercard,
& Discover accepted. Gift certificates available. $12 for members, $15 non-members.
A six-session pass is available for $68 CBMM members, and $80 non-members.
Scholarships are available for qualifying students.
Children ages 4-9 can fill their Saturdays with two hours of fun-filled and challenging
hands-on games, arts and crafts, and storytelling. Each Chesapeake-themed class has
two sessions; 10-12noon for 4-6 year olds, and 1-3pm for 7-9 year olds.
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calendar
Boatyard Programs
Trailboard Carving
Saturday, November 23, CBMM Boatyard
8am-12noon, $50 CBMM members, $70 non-members
Register with Jenn Kuhn at 410-745-4980 or email
afad@cbmm.org
31st Annual Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival
comes to CBMM Sat. & Sun., October 5-6
Learn the basic foundations and techniques of carving from
craftsman Winslow Womack.
Apprentice for a Day Public Boatbuilding Program
Saturdays & Sundays, CBMM Boatyard
10am-4pm, $45 CBMM members, $55 non-members.
Journeyman’s Special (January through May) Choose four
classes for $150 CBMM members and $200 non-members
Register with Jenn Kuhn at 410-745-4980
Women’s Woodworking for Beginners
Sunday, October 20 & Sunday, October 27, CBMM Boatyard
9am-4pm. $100 CBMM members and $120 non-members.
Participants must be 16 or older, unless accompanied by an
adult. Register with Jenn Kuhn at 410-745-4980 or email
afad@cbmm.org
CBMM’s women shipwrights are offering a ladies-only class in the
basics of woodworking with no prior experience necessary. Learn
the foundational skills, tools, and techniques of carpentry.
Friday Open Boat Shop
October 25, November 8 & December 13, CBMM Boatyard
5:30-8:30pm. $20 CBMM members and $30 non-members.
Participants must be 16 or older, unless accompanied by an
adult. Register with Jenn Kuhn at 410-745-4980 or email
afad@cbmm.org
Members of the public are invited to the boat shop to work on
small projects of their own, or to bring ideas for a future project,
and receive the advice of an experienced shipwright and woodworker. Participants can expect assistance with machinery and
tools, plans, measurements, and the execution of a small-scale
project, which could include a Christmas or birthday present,
frames, furniture, models, artwork, etc.
The Sailor’s Ditty Bag
Saturday, November 16, CBMM Boatyard
9am-4pm, $65 CBMM members, $85 non-members
Register with Jenn Kuhn at 410-745-4980 or email
afad@cbmm.org
Join the Assistant Curator for Watercraft, Richard Scofield, as he
walks participants through making their own Sailor’s Ditty Bag,
which they will take home with them afterward. Traditionally, ditty
bags held all the tools one would need for the marlin spike arts,
which is the art of splicing lines, knot-making (decorative and
practical), and hand work (sewing canvas).
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Join Boatyard Program Manager Jenn Kuhn in constructing one of
Howard Chapelle’s designs, a Smith Island Skiff, from lofting to
rigging. Learn traditional boatbuilding techniques and be a part of
the whole 17-week process or just sign up for those aspects of
building a boat that you want to learn. Must be 16 or older unless
accompanied by an adult. *Please note, the boat being constructed
is subject to change, depending on whether AFAD is commissioned
to make a specific vessel.
Interested in having AFAD build your next boat?
We take commissions! Contact us for more information.
Festivals
31st Mid Atlantic Small Craft Festival
Saturday, October 5 & Sunday, October 6
10am-5pm. Free for Museum members or with paid admission
Sailing skiffs, rowing shells, kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, prams,
and one-of-a-kind boats will be on display and in the water
throughout this family-oriented event. Boat owners hailing from
all over the country will also be available to share their knowledge
and boating experiences with visitors. See page 27 for more info.
OysterFest & Relaunch of Rosie Parks
Saturday, November 2
10am-5pm. Free for Museum members and children under six.
$15 adults, $12 seniors, $6 children ages 6-17.
Celebrate the oyster with a day of live music, oysters and other
food, children’s activities, boat rides, oystering demonstrations,
harvesting displays, retriever demonstrations, cooking demonstrations, and an oyster stew competition. See page 28 for more info.
O
n Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, from
10am-5pm, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
hosts one of the nation’s largest gatherings of small boat
enthusiasts and unique watercraft at the 31st Annual
Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival.
Museum visitors can marvel at the craftsmanship and
innovation used in traditional and contemporary small
watercraft while enjoying the CBMM’s waterfront campus
and hands-on exhibits, including a new War of 1812 exhibit
and the historic restoration of the skipjack Rosie Parks.
Sailing skiffs, rowing shells, kayaks, canoes, paddle
boats, prams, and one-of-a-kind boats will be on display
and in the water throughout this family-oriented event.
Boat owners hailing from all over the country will also be
available to share their knowledge and boating experiences
with visitors. On Saturday, live music by the Royal Oak
Musicians will be performed, with food, and beverages
available to round out the festival.
On Saturday, museum boatyard staff and Chesapeake
Wooden Boat Builders School instructors will be on hand
to offer boat-building workshops and maritime demonstrations. Beginning at 1pm, a lively race of small craft out
on the Miles River can be watched from the museum’s
waterfront and docks. Festival-goers can also vote for their
favorite boat, with the People’s Choice award and others
announced Saturday evening among participants. On
Sunday, festival-goers are also invited to bring nautical
items to swap or sell at a traditional swap meet.
The Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival is free for Museum
members and children under six, otherwise admission is
$13 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for children ages 6 to
17, with all museum exhibits open throughout the two-day
festival. For more information, visit cbmm.org/mascf or call
410-745-2916.
Photos by Erik Hopkins.
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calendar
CBMM’s OysterFest and relaunch of the
skipjack Rosie Parks is Saturday, November 2
F
rom 10am-5pm on Saturday,
November 2, the Chesapeake’s
oyster will be celebrated at the Museum’s
OysterFest. The event features live
music by Sweet Leda, oysters and other
local fare, children’s activities, boat
rides, oyster demonstrations, harvesting displays, retriever demonstrations,
cooking demonstrations, documentary
films, and an oyster stew competition
among regional chefs.
The festival also offers a chance
to celebrate the relaunch of the skipjack Rosie Parks—a sailing workboat
that once dredged the Chesapeake
for oysters, after a three-year restoration at the museum. In addition to
the museum’s floating fleet of historic
vessels, the Talbot County Watermen’s
Association (TCWA) will have several
boats dockside to help share the stories
of how oyster dredging, hand tonging,
patent tonging, and oyster diving
have been longtime traditions of the
Chesapeake Bay.
TCWA volunteers will be serving
freshly caught and shucked Chesapeake
Bay oysters. Aquaculture raw oysters
and fried oyster sandwiches will also
be available. For those who prefer to
celebrate oysters rather than eat them,
pit beef, hot dogs and hamburgers,
Southern Maryland stuffed ham, along
with cold beer, caramel apples, warm
apple cider, and more will be offered.
Festival-goers can take part in or
just watch an oyster slurping contest,
while others enjoy sampling oyster stew
by local restaurants beginning at 11am
and while the limited tastings last. The
stew competition takes place along the
Museum’s Fogg’s Cove side of campus,
with bragging rights awarded to the
chef who gets the most votes among
participants. Local restaurants will also
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(left) Talbot Watermen shuck oysters at last year’s
OysterFest. (right) Festival-goers slurp down oysters.
perform cooking demonstrations of
signature oyster dishes throughout the
day. OysterFest boasts plenty of familyfriendly, educational, and fun waterfront activities designed to help kids
learn how important the oyster is to the
Chesapeake Bay.
Families can play “Oyster Jenga,”
explore an oyster nursery, participate
in a scavenger hunt or face painting, or
watch dip-net making and knot-tying
demonstrations. Build-a-boat activities
provided by the Model Guild will be
available for a $3 fee.
Even dogs can have fun, with
retriever demonstrations taking place
along the Museum’s waterfront, and
don’t miss the scenic river cruises and
on-the-water oyster tonging demonstrations with Chesapeake watermen.
Conservation groups including
Tilghmans Islanders Grow Oysters,
Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Oyster
Recovery Partnership, and The Nature
Conservancy will be on-hand to discuss
efforts to clean and preserve the Bay. In
addition, Phillips Wharf Environmental
Center’s Fishmobile will offer visitors
the opportunity to see live sturgeon,
diamondback terrapins, horseshoe crabs,
and other Bay creatures.
The event is sponsored by Maryland
Public Television (MPT) with two
MPT documentaries screened in the
Van Lennep Auditorium during the
event. What’s Up? Media Company is
also a media sponsor of this event.
Festival-goers can explore the
Museum’s exhibit buildings, including
Oystering on the Chesapeake and
Waterman’s Wharf, where visitors can
try their hand at tonging or nippering
for oysters. CBMM’s bugeye, Edna E.
Lockwood, an 1889 log-bottomed oyster
dredge boat and National Historic
Landmark, will be dockside on display.
Admission to OysterFest is free for
CBMM members and children five
years and under, otherwise it’s $15
for adults, $12 for seniors, and $6 for
children between the ages of six and 17.
Food and boat rides are an additional
cost. Visit cbmm.org/oysterfest or call
410-745-2916 for more information.
There’s never been a beTTer Time to create your own
legacy to preserve and celebrate the unique history, heritage, traditions, and culture of the
Chesapeake. We invite you to join a handful of others in becoming a founding member of
CBMM’s new Lighthouse Legacy Society. It’s simple. All you have to do is name the Museum
to receive a bequest of $25,000 or more. You can name the Museum in your will or trust, or as a beneficiary of
your IRA or life insurance policy. Other deferred, planned gift opportunities also are available.
The Lighthouse Legacy Society was launched in June with a donor’s challenge to match bequests of $25,000 or
more up to $1 million. During the past three months, over $8 million in bequest pledges have been received from
founding members. The original challenge match was met, and it’s been extended by another donor for bequest
commitments received by December 31, 2013.
Besides leaving a legacy for future generations and enjoying the satisfaction and privileges of membership
in the new Lighthouse Legacy Society, you will:
retain full ownership and use of your assets throughout your life
have the flexibility to change your bequest if your circumstances or desires change
potentially reduce taxes payable by your estate
have your gift doubled by submitting a simple letter documenting and quantifying your commitment
by December 31, 2013.
All gift amounts will be held confidential. For more information, contact René Stevenson at 410-745-4950
or rstevenson@cbmm.org.
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