Historian David McCullough | America and the Sea Photo Contest | The Paintings of J.E. Buttersworth

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DiscoverCaptain George

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Inuit

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Illuminating the Sea:The Marine Paintings ofJames E. Buttersworth26

C O N T E N T S

The second annualAmerica & the SeaPhoto Contest14

Rediscovering a discoverer:The fascinating research behindexplorer Captain George Comer20Historian David

McCullough speaks withMystic Seaport magazine4

IN THE GALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

GREENHAND’S CORNER . . . . . . 34

CALENDAR OF EVENTS . . . . . . . 35

BY THE NUMBERS . . . . . . . . . . 36

SIGHTINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

HOMEPORT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

BOOK NOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

GARDENING BY THE SEA. . . . . . 18

I N E V E R Y

I S S U E

spring2008

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pring greetings to you! Coming off a successful 2007 season, with visitor attendance up

by the biggest amount since 1994, I’m eager to tell you what’s new for Mystic Seaport in

2008, including the opening of two major exhibits.

In the Mallory Building, we’ll present Illuminating the Sea: The Marine Paintings of James E.

Buttersworth (1844-1894). Buttersworth is considered one of the foremost 19th-century American

marine artists, and is particularly noted for his dramatic yachting scenes. The majority of the exhibited

maritime masterworks were bequeathed to the Museum by the late Donald C. McGraw, Jr.

whose legacy to Mystic Seaport continues as his son Josh joins the Museum’s International Council

of Advisors and son Robin joins the Board of Trustees.

And in the Schaefer Gallery, we will open Frozen In: Captain Comer and the Hudson Bay

Inuit. This is a long-planned and carefully researched new exhibit, based on

the life and work of Captain George Comer (1858-1938), a famous whaling

captain out of nearby New London, CT. Comer, whose avocation was

anthropology, amassed some of the world’s best knowledge and

documentation about the Inuit peoples of the eastern Arctic. His

amazing photographs, recordings and collected artifacts tell of

long-ago lives in ways that take on added meaning and

poignancy in this age of melting ice caps. This will be one of

the Museum’s most dramatic exhibits yet, and members—

we’ve got a special opening reception planned just for you on June 7.

Look for more information in your next issue of the WindRose.

The G. W. Blunt White Building (formerly the library) is now

the proud new home of the National Rowing Foundation. The NRF

is replete with a mini-exhibition on the history and culture of the oldest

continuing college sport in the country. If you’ve ever rowed competitively, you know

the unique thrill of teamwork that is so complete as to obviate the very concept of Most Valuable

Players. The NRF shares a home with the new National Rowing Hall of Fame at Mystic Seaport,

and is a fitting neighbor to the Cruising Club of America’s Olin Stephens Reading Room in

the adjoining wing of the G. W. Blunt White Building. The library collections have been relocated

to specially built climate-controlled spaces in the new Collections Research Center. There they

are more accessible to the general public as well as to scholars, researchers and enthusiasts who

delight in the one-stop “shopping” now available in Mystic Seaport’s Collections Research Center.

This is an exciting time of year for all of us at the Museum. With the arrival of spring,

Mystic Seaport begins a new season of art and cultural exhibitions, continues its open-to-the-public

vessel restoration work in the H. B. duPont Preservation Shipyard and presents a calendar of

programs and events that will engage, educate and enlighten an ever growing audience of new

and returning visitors. I hope you will visit again this year as we continue to tell stories of

America and the sea: stories that are integral to our nation’s proud heritage of exploration and

achievement. I look forward to seeing you!

S I G H T I N G SS

MMyyssttiicc SSeeaappoorrtt magazine is a publication of Mystic Seaport

The Museum of America and the Sea

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Photographer and Mystic Seaport gardener Stephen Sisk shot this image ofBrilliant’s tender, Afterglow, one spring evening. “In this abstract, I cropped outeverything that was not essential to the photograph, creating a bit of tension andvisual interest. The old adage ‘less is more’ holds true in this case,” said Sisk.

SPRINGTIMEREFLECTIONS

FOR MORE ABOUT STEVE SISK, HIS PHOTOGRAPHY AND HIS 38-YEAR TENURE IN THE GARDENS OF MYSTIC SEAPORT, SEE PAGE 8.

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MS magazine: As one who studies and chronicles history, what do you believe is the most important thing wecan learn from our past?

DM: We have to remember, when we consider the lives of

those who came before us, they didn’t live in the past. They lived

in their present, and they didn’t know any more than we do

about how things will turn out.

The hubris of the present is that there is no such thing as a

simpler time. The phrase “the foreseeable future” should be

struck from our vocabulary!

MS magazine: History museums everywhere are askingthe question, how do we make history relevant and interestingto audiences of today? How would you answer this question?

DM: Parents are often concerned that their children are

growing up to be historically illiterate, and while much needs to

be improved with how history is taught in schools and how we

teach teachers, we need to remember the old adage, “Education

begins at home.”

As parents and grandparents, we need to make sure that our

children know we are interested in history. Whether they are 9

or 29, they need to see us read history and learn about principal

figures and events in history.

Peering into the PastA conversation with historianDav i d M c C u l l o u g h

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Pulitzer Prize–winning author David McCullough, the second recipient of the Museum’s America and the Sea Award, spent a few minutes with Mystic Seaport

magazine talking about history, the Charles W. Morgan and “the foreseeable future.”

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In teaching, there is a saying, “Show them what you love!”

Take them to see historic places! Take them to see remaining

objects and landscapes and architecture.

It is enormously beneficial to take our children and grand-

children to historic sites and show them how much we are

enjoying it. If a father takes his child to a baseball game and

they have a great time, the child sees the parent enjoying the

game. Now take them to a history museum!

* * *MS magazine: What would you say to someone

contemplating a visit to Mystic Seaport?

DM: It’s the mecca for anyone interested in the history of

the sea! It’s that simple.

You can come there many times and find enjoyment because

you’ll still learn something new each time.

Mystic Seaport is the real thing. You have not cheapened

your product to make it accessible and salable. What you do at

Mystic Seaport is to try and determine the truth, and you have

one hell of a story to tell.

* * *MS magazine: Mystic Seaport is about to begin a

significant new phase in the restoration of the Charles W.Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship in the world. Howwould you frame the importance of such an endeavor?

DM: The Charles W. Morgan is a national treasure, no ques-

tion about it. It is the only one of its kind, and if it were to

pass from the scene, it would be a gross loss and tragedy.

You can tell a lot about a society about how they spend

their money. Supporting the work of Mystic Seaport in

restoring the Charles W. Morgan is an opportunity to do

something right—it’s as clear as it can be. It is a worthy,

important effort and you don’t often get a chance to be a part

of something that important.

The Morgan is emblematic of a vastly larger story and its

restoration will enable Mystic Seaport to continue telling

this story for years into the future.

* * *MS magazine: When was your first visit to

Mystic Seaport?

DM: I first came years and years ago when my children

were small. We had a great time! We learned so much, and

even got to bring home a piece of the Morgan—really.

When we went aboard the Morgan, it was during an earlier

restoration, and there were small chunks of original wood

from the Morgan, about the size of a brick, stacked on the

deck. We were given permission to take one home, and I still

have it today.

Last fall at 30 Rockefeller Center’s Rainbow Room, noted author and historianDavid McCullough received the Museum’s America and the Sea Award for his remarkabletalent in telling sea stories of our nation.

The award recognizes an individual or organization whose contributions to the history,arts or sciences of the sea best exemplify the American spirit and character. “I was enormouslypleased to receive the America and the Sea Award,” McCullough said of the honor.

— A n n a S aw i n

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FROM THE HIGH SEAS

A table once owned by a Vanderbilt and used aboard one of the

fastest sailboats of the early 20th century has taken up a more sedate

post in the Museum’s G.W. Blunt White Building.

The trestle table, about four feet wide and seven feet long and dating

to the 1800s, consists of four thick planks and countless coats of lacquer

that protected it from food, drink and salt water aboard the boat. But

its humble appearance belies a fine pedigree.

Gen. Cornelius Vanderbilt bought the table for the Atlantic, a

three-masted schooner that won the Emperor’s Cup in 1905. The table’s

legs come off, making it more convenient for life aboard a sailboat, where

every square inch counts; when not in use it could be stood on its side

and tied to the walls.

“That’s probably why {Vanderbilt} bought it,” said Paul O’Pecko,

director of the library and vice president of collections and research.

The boat, complete with table, was later purchased by Gerard B.

Lambert, whose father invented Listerine; his daughter Rachel

Lambert Mellon — widow of Paul Mellon, founder of the National

Gallery of Art — donated the table to the Museum last year.

It’s now in use in the library’s Cruising Club of America Olin J.

Stephens Reading Room. “It held a special place in her heart,”

O’Pecko said of Mrs. Mellon and the table. “She wanted it to go somewhere

it would be safe.” He added that the Museum would like to someday

curate an exhibit of all Atlantic-related materials.

AMBASSADOR VISITS MYSTIC SEAPORT

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and his wife, Cheryl Benard, took

advantage of a quintessential New England autumnal experience last

fall when they visited Mystic Seaport, briefly stepping away from

reality and into the mystical world of Nautical Nightmares.

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations since April

of 2007, Khalilzad also has served as the U.S. ambassador to both Iraq

and Afghanistan.

An analyst for the RAND Corporation, Benard is director of the

organization’s Initiative for Middle Eastern Youth, a research and

outreach effort seeking an improved understanding of the Middle

East’s younger generation.

The distinguished guests met with cast members before the production

and were given a history of the event known for its ghost tales, legends

and unsolved mysteries of yesteryear.

“This was our first visit to Mystic Seaport,” said Benard. “We were

welcomed by actors in costume, which made for a very dramatic

beginning!

“It was a great way to tour the facility while experiencing some

living history and a bit of drama besides,” she continued. “Later we

enjoyed the special exhibition in the Maritime Gallery and, of course,

could not resist the charming gift shop. We hope to come again.”

UN Ambasador Zalmay Khalilzad and his wife, Cheryl Bernard, visit withthe Nautical Nightmares team on their trip to Mystic Seaport last fall.

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WILLIAMS-MYSTIC CELEBRATES 30 YEARS—AND A BRAND NEW MARINE SCIENCE CENTER

Last September, Williams-Mystic Director Jim Carlton officially opened the doors of the new Carlton Marine Science Center at a ceremony

attended by more than 300 alumni, friends, Mystic Seaport trustees and staff members of the public.

The Carlton Marine Science Center was the central focus of the recently concluded Campaign for Williams-Mystic which was held to

strengthen Williams-Mystic, by providing operating endowment support, a new marine science center and renovations to student housing.

During the dedication ceremony for the building, Mystic Seaport President Doug Teeson lauded Jim Carlton’s efforts both in his

important international research on introduced species and his dedication as Williams-Mystic’s director for 18 years.

Karen Merrill, dean of students at Williams, and a former director of the Center for Environmental Studies at Williams, also celebrated

Carlton’s work and reiterated the college’s pride in its coastal campus.

MAKE WAY FOR THE CHARLES W. MORGAN

Haul-out day approaches as fast as one of the whales the Charles W. Morgan pursued centuries ago. The Morgan restoration project will

culminate with removing the 167-year old whaling ship from the Mystic River, but work on the project began years ago. Shipyard workers

plan a fall 2008 haul-out of the Morgan and have prepared for it by downrigging the vessel.

“We usually uprig the boat in spring so she can fly sail, but we’ve been taking rig off, catalogueing it and surveying it,” said Quentin

Snediker, director of the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. For the past several years, Snediker has overseen the careful selection of wood for

restoring the Morgan’s framing, deck and planking, including more than 200 tons of Live Oak timber felled by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“The beauty of a wooden ship is that its parts are organic….and it can be renewed indefinitely,” said Snediker.

Museum and local government officials dedicated the $6 million Hays and Roz Clark Shiplift in mid-July 2007. State and private funding

paid for the new shiplift, which has already hauled out some of the Museum’s big and not-so-big timber vessels such as the National Historic

Landmark vessel Emma C. Berry and dragger Florence.

Phase two of the project, a railway system to shift vessels from the shiplift to the main shipyard work area was completed in early 2008. By

summer, Snediker hopes to have additional shipwrights and apprentices for the restoration work. They will work on the vessel for the next three

years by hauling the Morgan out of the water with the Clark shiplift and while still in the lift, power washing her to begin the cleaning process.

Workers will next strip off inch-thick pine sheeting from the bottom and then use the railway to sidetrack the Morgan to the south end

of the main shipyard. Inner planking, frames, hardware and more will be restored during the next phase of the project.

The Morgan will continue to be an exhibit throughout her renovation. “You’ll be able to go around the sides and into the ship as shipwrights

work, and there will be interpreters at every level of the project,” said Snediker. Mobile scaffolding and a display shelter will allow visitors

to watch the restoration process safely.

This table, now on display at Mystic Seaport, once sailed aboardthe schooner Atlantic.

The Carlton Marine Science Center at Mystic Seaport.

Magnolia and Porch, Mystic Seaport

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“I’ve had something to do with taking care of every living thing on the

grounds,” Sisk says. “It certainly makes for a shorter day when you’re dealing

with living materials. There’s always something to maintain, and always

something that needs attention.”

Supervisor of Grounds Leigh Knuttel, with whom Sisk works regularly,

credits him with having good “plant sense.” “People have it (plant sense) or

they don’t,” Knuttel said. “Steve is able to see certain things. A lot of good

gardeners don’t have that little extra something. He does.”

Sisk, who, in addition to Knuttel, works closely with a team of volunteers,

enjoys the variety of gardening work afforded to him at the Museum, which

is home to three historic gardens—the Burrows House garden, the

Buckingham-Hall House garden and the Buckingham-Hall parlor garden.

“We try hard to stay relevant to the timeframe of the building,” said

Sisk. “The Burrows House dates to 1876, and the Buckingham-Hall House

to 1830. That nearly half-century difference is significant.” As an example,

in 1830, people would collect seeds. In 1876, there were more opportunities

to purchase seeds.

In order to best do that work, Sisk works regularly with the Museum’s

Interpretation staff to conduct research on historic gardens. That approach,

he says, represented a significant change in “garden philosophy” at Mystic

Seaport more than a quarter century ago.

“Nearly 30 years ago, the Museum wanted flashy gardens that weren’t

necessarily historically accurate,” he said. That philosophy changed, in the

late 1980s when the Museum rededicated its approach to historic

gardens, he said.

The Interpretation staff is still involved in the gardening process, but

Sisk knows what grows best where and when things are ready. In fact, he

communicates the information regularly to the staff—just not face-to-face.

“I leave notes for the staff,” he said. “It might say, ‘Pick carrots today’ or

‘The lettuce will bolt if not picked soon.’ That sort of thing.”

It’s not just Museum staff that Sisk interacts with during his day, however.

He spends part of every day talking to visitors—almost always answering

questions about his work in a particular garden.

Few people, if any, know the 19-acre physicallandscape of Mystic Seaport better than Steve Sisk.

In fact, only a few people (four, to be exact) haveworked at Mystic Seaport longer than Sisk, who, for38 years, has been a gardener at the Museum.

Red Peonies

A GREEN THUMB AND A KEEN EYEMystic Seaport garden guru Steve Sisk shares his passion for gardening and photography

Sweet Peas

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The questions and comments Sisk receives prove that gardens

are in fact part of the visitor experience.

“Interacting with the visitors is fun,” says Sisk. “They ask a lot

of questions, and they clearly want to learn. They notice what

we’re doing, and they want to know why.”

“Steve is able to make each person feel like what they’ve asked

is important,” Knuttel said. “He’s very willing to share his time

and knowledge to help someone who wants to learn about a

particular plant, or about what he’s doing.”

The gardens Sisk tends to at Mystic Seaport aren’t the only way

he draws people to his work. When not working at the Museum, he’s

taking pictures as an accomplished—and published—photographer.

Life behind the lens didn’t start easily for him, however.

“I was in Europe more than 30 years ago with an Instamatic camera,”

he said. “When the roll was developed, all I saw were thumbs—

my own thumbs.”

That didn’t deter him, though, from his quest to become a better

photographer. Describing himself as self-taught, Sisk’s has had

images published both in Museum publications, on the cover of a

book about the local area and on the pages of his own photography

book, Mystic Memories.

Lilacs and Picket Fence, Mystic Seaport

He considers the book, published in 2006 by Flat Hammock

Press, his greatest photographic achievement to date. In the book,

Sisk shares 126 of his favorite photos of the local area, including

some of Mystic Seaport. In fact, a stunning image of the Charles W.

Morgan graces the cover of the book.

While he’s working, Sisk says, he’s always searching for a new

shot to take. “If you see me bending over a bush or looking at a

building in a strange way, I’m probably setting up a shot in my

head,” Sisk said. “I’ll even watch visitors to see what kind of shots

they are taking, a great way to get a new perspective on something I’m

so familiar with.”

And if a Museum visitor is looking at a Museum garden and isn’t

quite sure of its contents, it won’t be long before Sisk is there

to help.

“I’ve stopped what I’m doing on one end of the Museum to walk

to another end of the property to help identify a plant for a visitor,”

he said.

“Not a day goes by without a visitor or someone on staff saying

how nice the grounds look,” he says. “It’s very gratifying to know

that people notice the hard work that goes into keeping the

institution pristine.”

-Michael O’Farrell

Flowering Dogwoods, Mystic Seaport

H O M E P O R T

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1. SHOOT EARLY AND SHOOT LATE

I shoot most of my images in the

early morning or late in the day. In

“Clam Shack in Early Morning” I

was inspired by the soft, warm sunlight

illuminating the shack on a misty

summer morning. The lighting at

dawn or sunset molds the landscape to delineate features that may

not be present in the middle of the day. In “Lilacs and Picket Fence”

a white picket fence frames the lilacs and the Museum’s

Buckingham-Hall House in the background. This photograph was

taken about an hour before sunset. Photographing this time of day

is perfect for subjects such as this. The harsh lighting of midday

would have caused the fine detail of the lilacs and fence to be lost

because of it being too bright, especially with the white building

and fence. I also waited for the lilacs to be about three quarters open

for best display.

2. CREATE A PLEASING COMPOSITION

In “Flowering Dogwoods” beautiful trees frame the clock tower of

Greenman Meeting House perfectly. Anything that can frame your

main subject matter, such as trees, branches, rocks and flowers, help

to draw your attention to the subject.

3. LOOK FOR AN INTERESTING ANGLE

In “Avery Point Sunset” I used a wide-angle lens just inches off the

ground to capture the ingredients of this photo—the tidal pools and

ledge in the foreground, the boulders and tree in the middle ground

and the sunset sky in the background.

To v i e w m o r e o f S t e p h e n S i s k ’ s i m a g e s , g o t o w w w . s t e p h e n s i s k p h o t o g r a p h y . c o m .

4. SEARCH FOR THE DRAMA

I like to take a photograph before, during and after a storm. Dramatic

lighting, such as the sun breaking through storm clouds, always

enhances photographic opportunities for great landscape pictures,

such as in “Lord’s Point Storm.” One of the benchmarks I use to

decide if I should photograph a scene is to consider whether an artist

would take the time to paint or draw the scene. If the answer is yes, and

I do everything technically right, it should make a good photograph.

5. FIND THE FOCUS

In portrait and landscape photography, selective focus is a

great technique. In “Red Peony” I focused on the peonies in the

foreground, throwing the background out of focus. I still wanted the

background to show some detail to give the photograph a sense of

place, so depth of field was very important in this photograph.

6. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LIGHT

In “Magnolia and Porch” I used backlighting to illuminate the

magnolia flowers. I had to “hide” the sun behind one of the tree

branches, otherwise the scene would have been washed out. A wide

angle lens about a foot off the ground and a few feet from the base of

the tree helped to emphasize the magnolia flowers while at the same

time captured most of the porch. I used the major branches of the tree

to bring attention to the porch in the background. As always, light is

a defining factor in photography. In “Red Peony,” for example, the

light helped separate the peonies from the background.

7. PLAN AHEAD

Much of my photography involves planning: I plan for the right time

of day, the right weather and even the right time of year. I took the

macro photograph of “Sweet Peas” on an overcast day, because the fine

detail of the delicate blossoms would have been lost in harsh sunlight.

Clam Shack in Early Morning, Mystic Seaport Lord’s Point StormAvery Point Sunset

HOW TO TAKE BEAUTIFULLANDSCAPE PHOTOS

b y S T E P H E N S I S K

AS A MATTER OF FACT…

INKED

THE WRITE WORDS

Mystic Seaport’s public relations team has been a regular guest on the Greater Mystic Chamber

of Commerce’s weekly publicaccess television show, Mystic Matters. The community-

focused program discusses monthly happenings in the local Mystic area and has featured nearly

every Mystic Seaport event. The Museum is thrilled to be a regular feature on the program,

because in everything we do, Mystic matters.

MYSTIC SEAPORT: ALWAYS A CLASSICMystic Seaport is now a regular contributor to Classic Yacht magazine, an online publication that

brings the world of yachts to your computer screen. Beginning in the September/October issue, the

story of Mystic Seaport’s rich collections have been featured along with beautiful photography.

Visitors can access Classic Yacht magazine through a free subscription by visiting www.classicyachtmag.com.

The website features exciting technology that makes you feel as though you are actually turning

the pages of a real magazine. The Museum’s Rosenfeld Collection and holiday gifts from the

Museum Store were recently featured on their pages as well.

Mystic Seaport was featured in the November issue of Ink Publications: A Guide to Finer Living

in Connecticut and abroad. The eight-page spread covered everything from our fascinating

planetarium, to the historic Charles W. Morgan, to our costume shop—a hidden gem of the

Museum. Peppered with glossy images, the piece brings Mystic Seaport to life. It’s almost as

good as a visit to the Museum. Almost.

The weekend of October 27 was a busy one for Mystic Seaport. The annual Halloween event,

Nautical Nightmares, was in full swing and a group of travel writers from around the country were

here to visit. Past trips have brought Mystic Seaport stories to the pages of publications as far away

as Tennessee, Arizona and Texas. We can’t wait to see what they write this time!

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— Molly Entin

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elf-respecting maritime museums and scholars are hesitant to examine piracy because

it feels cheap. It’s too popular, like the Louvre mounting a Gary Larson exhibit. Maritime historians also shy away from the topic because the

documentary record is so thin—it’s hard to do—and it’s been done so poorly and so often. I’m pistol-shy myself. I’m tired of seeing that etching

of Anne Bonny and her breasts, embarrassed by the valorizing of what was, and still is, an ignoble and often violent crime that

usually preys on innocent people. And if I see one more ye olde skull and crossbones

flying aboard a yacht, I’m going to start clipping halyards.

With The Republic of Pirates, Mr. Woodard’s publishers seem to want to roll out yet

another book in the walk-ye-plank vein, hawking a predictable cover, a hyperbolic

subtitle, and shamelessly releasing the book to coincide with the most recent Pirates of the

Caribbean movie. But hold your cutlasses! Woodard emerges from under these chests of

baubles and tells a careful and detailed story of a particularly influential decade,

1715–1725, known as the Golden Age of Piracy. Its epicenter was the Bahamas, but

Woodard’s account stretches deftly from 18th-century London, as far west as the Peruvian

mines and all the way up the east coast of North America to what is now the state of Maine.

Woodard writes with the style of a journalist and the painstaking attention of a historian,

clearly seeking to dispel myths and portray the most accurate picture possible. He

empathizes with the people involved, explains their conditions, but in no way

justifies or romanticizes their crimes. Woodard doesn’t make up dialogue, his

descriptions of weather and seamanship are accurate, and he introduces a few fresh angles,

notably the importance of the Jacobite movement and the interconnectedness of

the pirates themselves.

Woodard, who is also the author of The Lobster Coast and Ocean’s End, is not the first to

write a gripping and scholarly analysis of piracy. In 1995, David Cordingly’s Under the

Black Flag set a new keystone. The Republic of Pirates follows this course, concentrating on

a tighter period and four individuals, including that Blackbeard guy.

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Richard King teaches literature for Williams-Mystic. He lectures

occasionally on pirates and has sailed the Caribbean extensively.

TThhee RReeppuubblliicc ooff PPiirraatteess:: BBeeiinngg tthhee TTrruuee aanndd SSuurrpprriissiinngg SSttoorryy ooff tthhee CCaarriibbbbeeaann PPiirraatteess aanndd tthhee MMaann WWhhoo BBrroouugghhtt TThheemm DDoowwnn (Harcourt, 2007)

by Colin Woodard, reviewed by Richard King

NNeeww ffrroomm MMyyssttiicc SSeeaappoorrttReaders—save 20% now throughJune 30 when you shop online forthese new Mystic Seaport books.

Kelly: A Father, A Son, An AmericanQuest by Daniel J. BoyneThe inspiring story of Jack Kelly, the son of Irish immigrants, who became a three-time gold medal Olympian, apolitical maverick and the millionairefather of Princess Grace of Monaco.Mystic Seaport online price $32.36Regular retail price $39.95

Shanghaied in San Franciscoby Bill PickelhauptIn this reprint of a classic, BillPickelhaupt tells the true story ofshanghaiing—kidnapping men for a voyage at sea after they were slippeddrugged liquor—and the politicians who let it happen in San Francisco for more than 60 years.Mystic Seaport online price $20.21Regular retail price $24.95

To order these new books, now at 20% off, or to browse our hundreds of other maritime titles, go to www.mysticseaport.org/stores.

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Americarom all across our nation, hundreds of

Mystic Seaport magazine readers shared

their own views of America for our

second annual America and the Sea photo

contest. Harbors and inlets, inland lakes,

streams and fishing holes, mighty rivers

and meandering waterways, and even the

occasional puddle all joined the vast

ocean coastlines in framing our maritime

nation in these unique views submitted

by our talented reader photographers.

With so many inspiring entries, the

panel of judges awarded an overall grand

prize, as well as first-, second- and third-

place prizes in two categories: Life and

Landscape. Both categories had honorable

mention entries as well.

Museum member Stephen Wood of Wakefield,

RI, took the grand prize for his stunning infrared

image of the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan at

Mystic Seaport. Wood, an accomplished amateur

photographer who has shot landscapes around the

country, cited Mystic Seaport as “hands down,

my favorite local spot to take photos.” Wood

captured this image on a June day with his digital

infrared camera, focusing on the drama of the

rigging and the massive hull of the proud wooden

whaling vessel, the last remaining wooden

whaling ship in the world.

In addition to the classic and lovely sweeping

landscapes, sunset and sunrise views, ship details

and energetic family portraits we received, we

found a handful of photographers who gave us a

decidedly different approach to their interpreta-

tions of America from coast to coast. First-time

entrant Amy Gates of Longmont, CO, gave us a

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pGRAND PRIZE “Charles W. Morgan” Mystic, CT, June 2006 Photographer: Stephen Wood, Wakefield, RI

new perspective from her landlocked locale—her

entry “Puddles” won third place in the Life cate-

gory, and showed us that our prize-winning

America and the Sea photos don’t always feature

coastlines and boats. And photographer

C.S. Spencer of Mystic, CT, took a similar

approach with a beautifully vivid second-place

entry in Life, “A Warm Towel,” giving us a

unique view of coastal life without a bit of water

or coastline in the frame.

Enjoy this photographic tour of America and

the sea, as seen by the readers of Mystic Seaport

magazine. And when you’re through? Take your

camera out and capture your own visions of America

and the sea—this year’s contest deadline is October 15,

2008, and we can’t wait to see what you see through

your lens. For complete contest rules and guidelines,

go to www.mysticseaport.org/photocontest.

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SeaA P H O T O G R A P H I C J O U R N E Y

~ ANNA SAWIN

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LifeH c H c H c

q FIRST PRIZE “All Wet” Mexico Beach, FL, March 2007Photographer: Mary Pawley, Panama City Beach, FL

t SECOND PRIZE “A Warm Towel” Watch Hill, RI, August 2007Photographer: C.S. Spencer, Mystic, CT

u THIRD PRIZE “Puddles” A puddle in Longmont, CO,June 2006 Photographer: Amy Gates, Longmont, CO

t HONORABLE MENTION

“Driven” Mystic, CT, August 2007Photographer: Kristofer Day, North Stonington, CT

u HONORABLE MENTION “Sleeping Dominoes” Johnson’s Pond, Coventry, RI, August 2007 Photographer: Dorothy Minda, Coventry, RI

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LandscapeH c H c H c H

q FIRST PRIZE “After the Storm” Woodmont, CT, October 2006Photographer: Brian Franko, Milford, CT

u SECOND PRIZE “Morris Cove, New Haven Harbor” New Haven, CT, October 2007 Photographer: Charles King,New Haven, CT

t THIRD PRIZE “Glare” Charlestown, RI, October 2007Photographer: Kristofer Day, North Stonington, CT

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YouthH c H c H c H

p LANDSCAPE GRAND PRIZE

“America and the Sea” Stonington, CT September 2007Photographer: Francesca Fain, age 9, Mystic, CT

q LIFE GRAND PRIZE

“Today’s Collection” Watch Hill, RI, August 2007Photographer: Leslie Spencer, age 8, Mystic, CT

q HONORABLE MENTION“Starfish Transformation” Georgetown, SC, December 2001Photographer: Jason Pawley, Panama City Beach, FL

q HONORABLE MENTION“Dawn at Ocean Grove” Ocean Grove, NJ, May 2002Photographer: Emanuel Lekkas, Winston-Salem, NC

Burst of Color

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Gardening by the Sea columnist Leigh Knuttel studied botany at Connecticut College and has worked in ornamental horticulture for many years. She is the Museum’s supervisor of grounds and is responsible for many of the fascinating plants at Mystic Seaport. o

As I finish writing this article, I have just picked what will probably

be the last of the annuals from the gardens. It’s mid November, and the

first killing frost for the area is predicted. Picked from still vigorous

plants, these are three of our best performers this past summer: Profusion

Zinnia “Fire,” “Strawberry Fields” “Gomphrena” and Angelonia “Serena

Mix.” Each of these we grew from seed, and have planted them for at least

two summers, with excellent results. We’ll be planting them again this

spring, probably just around the time you are reading this.

We have grown several colors of the Profusion series of zinnias in the

past few years. Profusion zinnias are a hybrid between the Z. elegans (cut

flower type) and the Mexican narrow leaf Z. angustifolia. The flower,

foliage size and general growth habits, while smaller than elegans, are

more robust than angustifolia. Each of the colors we have grown has been

floriferous without dead-heading, disease-free and compact, but full

growing. The bright red-orange blossoms of “Fire” are particularly hot,

and the color does not fade as the flower ages. We’ve placed them in the

sunny River Garden, flanked by the deep blue Salvia f. ‘Victoria’ for great

color contrast!

A member of the snapdragon family, Angelonia angustifolia is a

tender perennial native to Mexico and the West Indies. Although there

are patented vegetatively produced cultivars available, we grew the

trademarked “Serena Mix” from seed. The well-branched plants grew to

fourteen inches, full and bushy with small, dark green, aromatic leaves.

Blooming all summer in the Library Garden, this vibrant mix of purple,

lavender, pink and white one-inch flowers on terminal spikes needed no

dead-heading or special care. Used either for a mass effect in a garden, or

in containers, Angelonia holds up well with summer heat and humidity.

Grouping with silver foliaged plants such as dusty miller provides a color

and texture contrast for a stunning combination.

“Strawberry Fields” Gomphrena (Gomphrena haageana) has been a

favorite that we’ve grown for several years. Native to Texas and Mexico,

this is another annual which holds up well to summer heat. The one-inch

globelike flower heads are made up of stiff, papery strawberry-red bracts

which are extremely showy all summer. On long stems, these are

wonderful cut or dried flowers, although the somewhat sprawling

growth sometimes requires staking or intermingling with other plants to

look tidy all season. Attractive to butterflies in summer, these flower

heads are effectively dismembered by sparrows in early fall, as they strip

the seeds from the flowerheads!

AN ANNUAL

-Leigh Knuttel

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The appearance of crisp red stalks of rhubarb in your garden or at

a local farmers’ market is a sure sign of spring. Since rhubarb can

break its winter dormancy with temperatures around 40 degrees, it

begins its growth cycle early in the season. The plants are happiest at

temperatures below 75 degrees—hence rhubarb’s association with the first

crops of the season—and are natural pairings with fruits like strawberries.

Although often used in sweet preparations like pies and crumbles,

botanically speaking, rhubarb is actually a vegetable, not a fruit. Its

origins date back to China more than 2,000 years ago where it was

cultivated largely for medicinal purposes. Rhubarb was not cultivated

for culinary purposes in England and America until the 18th century.

The green rhubarb leaves should never be eaten, as they contain toxins,

including oxalic acid. Today, it grows best in cooler climates, like

New England and other northern states.

Chefs everywhere are now using rhubarb in more and more inventive

ways, in sauces, salads and soups. It’s high in vitamin C and rich in

fiber. The naturally tart flavor is usually offset by the addition of sugar

in varying amounts. When I was growing up, my mother would stew

rhubarb in sugared water and serve it over ice cream—simple, but delicious.

For a more adventurous dish, try the recipe below.

SPRINGharvest

Place the rhubarb in a wide saucepan. Drizzle the honey over the rhubarb and add enoughwater to cover by one inch. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, fortwo minutes. Remove from the heat and pour through a large sieve into a bowl. Return theliquid to the pan. Stir in the vinegar, salt and pepper, and place over high heat. Cook,uncovered, until the mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup. Meanwhile, divide the greens amongfour salad plates. Arrange the rhubarb over the greens. When the liquid is reduced,remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the oil. Drizzle over the salads, top withalmonds and serve at once.

SWEET AND SOUR RHUBARB SALAD4 stalks of rhubarb, cut diagonally into thin slices1/3 cup of honey2 tablespoons rice wine vinegarSalt and pepper to taste

6 cups of mixed baby greens1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil1/4 cup sliced almonds

Jean Kerr is the author of MYSTIC SEAFOOD: GREATRECIPES, HISTORY AND SEAFARING LORE FROM MYSTIC SEAPORTas well as UNION OYSTER HOUSE COOKBOOK and theforthcoming WINDJAMMER COOKING. She is the editorof TASTE OF THE SEACOAST magazine and co-owner ofSmith Kerr Associates Publishing.

Looking for another savory rhubarb recipe? Try Rubarb Ketchup, a recipe from Seamen’s InneExecutive Chef Tim Quinn, online at www.mysticseaport.org/recipes.

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A new exhibit opening this spring chronicles the life of whaling captainGeorge Comer and his extraordinary

relationship with the Inuit of Hudson Bay.

Captain George Comer (1858-1937) of East Haddam, CT.

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The fascinating research behind explorer Captain George Comer

Rediscoveringa D i s c o v e r e r :

Exhibit Research asDetective WorkHistorical research may sound like tedious and boring work,

and, truthfully, sometimes it can be! However, those of us with

a passion for the past usually find research to be a fascinating and

rewarding experience. At times the researcher becomes a detec-

tive, following very limited leads or clues to important sources

of information.

Mystic Seaport’s exhibitions evolve after years of careful plan-

ning and development. Historical research focusing on the

exhibit’s content ranks among the most important activities dur-

ing this process. Museum staff members conduct careful and

thorough research to ensure that the exhibit delivers its con-

tent—themes and subject matter—in an engaging, informative

and historically accurate manner.

Among the most rewarding experiences for a researcher are

the moments when mysteries are solved, secrets are revealed and

discoveries expose previously unknown information. Although I

have been researching Captain George Comer and the Inuit of

Hudson Bay for many years, preparations for the forthcoming

exhibit allowed me to dig even more deeply into surviving

records to create a more complete picture of their lives. This

“voyage of discovery” paid off with some fascinating surprises.

Shadows on IvoryAmong the Inuit objects collected by Captain Comer during

his years in the North were some small and delicately made

combs fabricated from walrus ivory. While conducting research

and selecting loan objects for our exhibit, I viewed a number of

Mystic Seaport ’ s collections contain many gems, including a remarkable group of photographs, journals and

objects associated with George Comer, an Arctic whaling captain and researcher among the Inuit of Hudson Bay.

Collectively, these materials illuminate Arctic whaling, traditional Inuit culture and the career and achievements of an

extraordinary individual; a sailor and scientist who achieved much despite a difficult childhood and little formal

education. Comer’s unique story will be the focus of a major exhibition opening this spring at Mystic Seaport.

by FF rr ee dd CC aa ll aa bb rr ee tt tt aa

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these combs among the Comer collections of the American

Museum of Natural History in New York and the University of

Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in

Philadelphia. I realized we had a similar comb in our collections

although it had come to the Museum many years ago with little

documentation.

Our comb showed faint traces of what appeared to be pencil

marks, so it warranted a closer look. Using a microscope and a

black light, I discovered images of two figures of Inuit men on

one side of the comb and a single male Inuit figure on the other.

Also present were names of the three individuals depicted, plus

the name “Shoofly.” Shoofly, as she was called by the whalers,

apparently made the comb. All four people were friends of

Comer and are well documented in his journals and photographs.

The comb has taken on new meaning. It is no longer just a

generic and undocumented Inuit

object, but instead tells a story

of known people from the past.

A Paper PuzzleBefore Captain Comer

focused on whale hunting in the

Canadian Arctic, he had partici-

pated in the sealing industry.

The sealing ships, largely based in southeastern Connecticut,

visited remote islands in the southern Indian Ocean in search of

elephant seals to harvest for their oil-producing blubber. It was

on these voyages, during 1885-1889, that Comer first began to

develop his skills as a collector of scientific specimens and information.

The Comer Collection in Mystic Seaport’s Manuscripts

Collection includes a notebook used by Comer on a voyage, that

of the schooner Francis Allyn, from 1887 to 1889. Titled

“Memos about chickens, penguins, and islands on voyage,” the

volume contains bird observations and also includes the

remnants of several pages cut into small strips. These were

apparently used as specimen labels, since one such label, cut out

but never used, remains in the notebook. What became of the

other labels? What specimens did they accompany, and do they

still exist?

Comer’s notes and journals indicate that he had a relationship

with several scientists at Yale University’s Peabody Museum of

Natural History. In fact, G. E. Verrill, a scientist with Yale asso-

ciations, published a lengthy paper based on bird collections and

observations made by Comer during his sealing voyages. Search

of an online database for the ornithology (bird) collections at the

Peabody Museum resulted in a list of about 10 specimens attrib-

uted to Comer. I scheduled a visit and spent several fascinating

hours viewing bird eggs and skeletons collected by Comer: I was

Above : Comb carved from walrusivory by “Shoofly” of Nivisinaaq.Right: “Harry” or Tasseok using atraditional bow drill.

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pleasantly surprised to learn they had more Comer-related specimens than my ini-

tial catalog search revealed, and that these were among the earliest bird specimens

in Yale’s collections.

As we examined the contents of a box with an albatross skeleton, I noticed a

familiar looking piece of paper. On it were written the words “albatross” and

“Gough’s Island,” which is where the specimen had been collected. The piece of

paper, though discolored with

age, resembled the paper in

Comer’s Francis Allyn notebook

at Mystic Seaport and was nearly

identical in size and shape with

the remaining label in that notebook.

The label for the albatross specimen at Yale had almost certainly been cut from

the notebook at Mystic Seaport nearly 120 years earlier! The pieces of this 1889

puzzle, along with a portion of the albatross skeleton, will be reunited in our forth-

coming Comer exhibit.

A Lost JournalComer’s travels on the sealing schooner Francis Allyn were also at the center of

another interesting discovery. A volume in Mystic Seaport’s collection, designat-

ed as Log 190, is a journal kept on board the Francis Allyn from 1887 to 1888. It

has been at the Museum for decades and since its arrival here, the journal has been

attributed to the schooner’s first mate, James Glass. Hoping it would contain at

least brief references to Comer, I decided to read through it one day this past

summer.

The detailed entries, writing style and handwriting immediately suggested

that someone other than James Glass was the writer. My suspicions were con-

firmed as I read the journal entry for April 22, 1888. The keeper noted that April

22 was his birthday—also the birthday of George Comer.

A previously unknown Comer journal, incorrectly attributed to another

mariner for decades, was now positively attributed to Comer. This newly identi-

fied Comer journal provides rich descriptions of an important Connecticut indus-

try and reveals much about Comer’s formative years as a seafarer. It is a valuable

addition to the Museum’s other Comer holdings.

Searching for JohannaCaptain George Comer was born in Quebec in 1858. Several years later his sailor

father died at sea. At some point, his mother Johanna came to the United States,

where she struggled to provide for her son. When George was about seven he was

placed in an orphanage in Hartford, CT, and then in 1868, at age 10, was sent to

live with a foster family in East Haddam, CT. He continued to reside in East

Haddam until he died in 1938. Fortunately, his life and career is very well docu-

mented for the years following his first sea voyage at age 17.

But where and how had George lived in the years before he arrived at the

Hartford orphanage? Also, he seems to have lost touch with his mother after he

moved to East Haddam. What had become of Johanna?

In May of 2008, Mystic Seaport’s

Schaefer Gallery will open its doors to

an exciting new exhibition. Entitled

Frozen In: Captain Comer and the

Hudson Bay Inuit, it is based on the

extraordinary career of George Comer

[1858–1937] of East Haddam, CT.

Comer overcame a difficult youth, went

to sea at age 17, and enjoyed a long and

successful career as a mariner. He

thrived in the whaling, sealing and

coasting trades and eventually served

as captain on a number of voyages.

With such an impressive career, it may

be surprising that his many seafaring

activities do not figure prominently in

the exhibit. Why? Because Frozen In

will present a very different type of

sailor’s story.

Comer’s whaling voyages repeatedly

took him to the waters of western

Hudson Bay in the Canadian Arctic.

This cold, treeless and windswept

region became his second home, and

he thrived there. The native people of

this region refer to themselves as Inuit,

rather than the more general term

Eskimo. Comer was particularly drawn

to these rugged, friendly people who

had worked closely with American

whalers for a number of years. He

Frozen In:AN EXHIBIT PREVIEW

(Continued on next page)

Topsail schooner Era frozen: winter quarters, Hudson Bay, 1901

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My computer provided a path to some answers. Various Internet searches

using the name “Johanna Comer” brought limited results until I found a refer-

ence to a person of that name in a guide to the inmate records of the Tewksbury

Almshouse. Tewksbury, located near Lowell, MA, had one of several almshous-

es or poor houses, established by the state in the mid-1800s. These institutions

provided shelter and relief for the poor and for others who were unable to sup-

port themselves. Could this Johanna Comer, appearing in the almshouse

records for 1881, be George’s mother?

I visited the Lowell History Center and searched the almshouse records, now

preserved on microfilm. I found the entry for Johanna Comer, but realizing this

was not an unusual name, I wondered if this was the person I sought. The

woman’s case history filled less than a page, but contained a wealth of informa-

tion. She was born in Ireland, immigrated to Canada and married a sailor by

the name of Thomas Comer, who was lost at sea in 1858. All of this matched

known Comer family history. I had found Captain Comer’s mother!

More details surfaced. Johanna had spent time at the Tewksbury Almshouse

on several occasions so there were multiple entries for her. I had discovered

details about Johanna’s life, including birth, death and marriage dates, along

with a story of misery and suffering.

Following the death of her husband, Johanna Comer led a very difficult life.

She moved and traveled extensively throughout Connecticut and

Massachusetts, working as a washerwoman for several families and often living

at almshouses. She suffered from poor health. Hers was a hard life and one of

poverty, and for several years, she was not alone. The records indicate that she

was accompanied by her son George during at least one stay at the Tewksbury

Almshouse, before he was finally placed in a Hartford orphanage, at about the

age of seven. Although intended to provide refuge, the almshouses must have

established a strong bond with them

and among them, he found an opportu-

nity to pursue what became his pas-

sion—the careful study and documen-

tation of Inuit culture.

He eagerly responded to the requests

of several of the world’s great muse-

ums, providing curators and scientists

with knowledge of people they knew

little about. Despite a lack of formal

training, he conducted pioneering

fieldwork in Arctic anthropology, and

employed the use of photography,

sound recordings, archaeology, written

records and plaster life masks. He

collected thousands of Inuit objects for

several prominent museums.

Comer dedicated much of his working

life to the establishment of a bridge

between two cultures, and he did so

with great success. By the early 1900s,

he had become the world’s foremost

authority on the Inuit of Hudson Bay.

His work had a lasting impact and his

collections now offer an unprecedent-

ed view of traditional Inuit culture.

Frozen In will explore the lives and

legacy of Captain Comer and his Inuit

friends and the challenges they faced

living in one of the harshest environ-

ments on Earth.

Captain Comer in the rigging of the schooner A.T. Gifford, New London, 1907.

An Inuit group photo taken by Comer inside an igloo.

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been very disturbing places for children. They housed not only

the poor, but also the gravely ill, the insane, and at this time,

in the early 1860s, wounded Civil War veterans.

It is interesting to speculate on the effects that frequent

boyhood moves and uprootings had on George Comer. After a

very unsettled boyhood, he may have longed for stability,

which he found, along with a sense of belonging, among the

Inuit of Hudson Bay. In contrast, it is curious that he chose

the life of a sailor, spending the equivalent of more than 20

years away from home.

Suffering from the effects of tuberculosis, Johanna Comer

died at the Tewksbury Almshouse in 1881. She was 50 years

old. Her son George, then 23, had lost track of her. In a curi-

ous way, there are times when research reveals more than we

want to know. I have long been fascinated by the life of George

Comer, yet I was very saddened to learn of the hardships he

and his mother endured when he was a young boy.

Historical research often results in success, as illustrated by

the examples noted above. Researchers find satisfaction in dis-

covering, piecing together and interpreting fragments of our

history. However, researchers often experience failure as well.

Details are elusive. Questions remain unanswered and gaps in

the historical record remain unfilled. Throughout history,

great quantities of invaluable historical records have been lost

as a result of disasters, neglect or disinterest. This irretriev-

able loss of information limits our knowledge of the past.

Still, research and the study of history continue.

Discoveries compensate for dead ends as we try to gain a bet-

ter understanding of the past. We study Captain Comer as he

studied the Inuit, with an eye towards a better understanding

of the human experience.

Number of Arctic voyages 14Typical voyage length 27 monthsTotal time away from home, 1875–1919 23 yearsClose calls 2 shipwrecks, 2 near-drownings, 1 attempted shootingNumber of surviving journals & notebooks 30Number of photographs taken 300Number of sound recordings made 65Number of Inuit artifacts collected for museums 4,000Number of plaster life masks made 300

DETAILS ABOUT THE SCHOONER ERA’SVOYAGE TO HUDSON BAY, 1903–05:

Number of crew members 20In pounds, amount of bread brought along 21,803In pounds, amount of coffee brought along 1,900 In pounds, amount of sugar brought along 1,982 In Fahrenheit, coldest temperature registered during their stay in Hudson Bay -53 degreesIn feet, thickness of ice measured 6' 3''

Fred Calabretta joined the curatorial staff of Mystic Seaport in 1980, enthusiastic but doubting there was anything in the Museum’s collections to

fuel his long-standing interest in Native American studies. Then, a few months after his arrival, he happened upon the photos taken by Captain Comer.

Captain George Comer ~ By the Numbers

An Inuit family in winter clothing, Hudson Bay.

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THIS SPRING MYSTIC SEAPORT OPENED ITS DOORS ON A NEW FINE ART EXHIBIT.A careful choice of 30 oils displays the painterly ability of James Edward Buttersworth, a 19th-century artist

who captured a realistic view of sea and sky while including the human element in a marine environment.The exhibit will show off the best of the Museum’s Buttersworth paintings, although not all of

them. In 2006, Donald C. McGraw, Jr., the grandson of McGraw-Hill Inc.’s founder, bequeathed hisprivate collection of 24 Buttersworth paintings to the Museum. “Our father wanted the Museum tohave his paintings so they could be shared with and enjoyed by the public. Our family is delightedthat this one exhibit will show so many of them,” says Josh McGraw, one of McGraw’s sons.

The McGraw bequest complemented the 31 Buttersworths the Museum had acquired since 1935and comprised part of a multi-million dollar gift. The Museum now holds the largest public collection ofthe work of this 19th-century American painter who supported himself and his family with his art.

James E. Buttersworth paintingson display at Mystic Seaport

BY ELIZABETH YERKES

“Unidentified Ship in a Gale”

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“These are beautiful paintings. The thing that distinguishes the

Buttersworths is that they stop action in time, such as a moment in the middle

of a race,” said Mystic Seaport Senior Curator Bill Peterson. Among many

competitions, Buttersworth portrayed the start of the 1866 Transatlantic

Race, the first America’s Cup race in 1870 and yacht races off of Sandy Hook

and Boston. Other paintings document important moments in commercial

sailing history, said Peterson, such as the beginning of mail steamer service.

James Edward Buttersworth (1817–1894) emigrated from England to

Hoboken, NJ, most likely in 1847. Many details of Buttersworth’s life remain

unknown, but most scholars think he learned ship portraiture from either his

father or brother, who were also marine painters. A contemporary of maritime

artists William Bradford, James Bard and Fitz Henry Lane, Buttersworth may

not have actually witnessed many of the environmental conditions that he

painted. This makes his dynamic portrayals even more compelling.

For about five years, Buttersworth worked for Currier & Ives lithographers.

It is not known whether he transferred sketches to lithographs or fleshed out

prints into paintings, but the sequence is less important than the effect.

Millions of printed ship scenes enabled the American masses to see the ocean

and vessels seagoing that they might otherwise never have known about. Art

experts, amateurs, old salts and armchair sailors comment that Buttersworth

painted vessels in action in a very believable way.

Daniel Finamore is curator of maritime art at the Peabody-Essex Museum

in Salem, MA. Finamore wrote that Buttersworth often painted narratives of

yachts in “tense and momentous juxtaposition, often sailing on opposite tacks

or at different angles while rounding a mark. Even a casual viewer will be

drawn in by the drama of Buttersworth’s composition and the backstories of

the clipper ships and yachts he painted.”

Jonathan Shay, Mystic Seaport director of exhibits and interpretation, says

the Mallory Building provides enough space and proper lighting for all but a

few dozen Buttersworths to be shown. Exhibit labels guide viewers through

the show with lively historic and aesthetic particulars, and the interactive Art

Spot nearby gives visitors a chance to try their hand at arranging a scene and

drawing or painting water and clouds.

Several Buttersworth paintings in this exhibit will be literally right at home.

Look for two paintings of Mystic-built ships, “Race Off the Battery, Schooner

Dauutless ex l’Hirondelle” and the Clipper Ship “David Crockett.” Also on

exhibit are paintings titled “The Sloop yacht Haswell” and “yacht Kate off

Boston Light,” which show ships built for Charles Mallory, one of Connecticut’s

most prosperous ship owners and the father of the Mallory Building’s namesake.

The detail that Buttersworth employed can astound viewers, but the exhibit’s

theme is one that all audiences can enjoy. “If Buttersworth’s treatment of the sea

is grand, the sky has such subtlety it shows another aspect of his mastery of the

milieu,” said Andy German, former director of Mystic Seaport publications. German

is now completing an update of Rudolf Schaefer’s book, J. E. Buttersworth: 19th –

Century Marine Painter, and consulted with curators on the Buttersworth exhibit.

“Sloop Yacht Haswell”

“America”

“Ocean Scene, Henrietta Scudding”

“Schooner yacht (possibly America)in the Strait of Dover off England, circa 1855”

I L L U M I N A T I N G T H E S E A

“A lot of the paintings are pretty small, but they’re all gems,” said German. He said Buttersworth’s level

of detail is such that a viewer could document the evolution of clipper ship rigging design. “But his best

works have broad appeal because they depict the sea in detail that shows its chaotic structure. He’s pretty

remarkable; where many painters would settle upon a characteristic way to paint the water’s surface,

Buttersworth shows his versatility,” said German.

Historically, marine paintings have not been considered fine art, but Buttersworth’s mastery helped change that.

During the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the Metropolitan Museum of Art displayed a Buttersworth yacht

race scene that began to change attitudes about marine artists. Some aficionados have suggested Buttersworth

is the maritime equivalent of a Hudson River School painter. This 50-year movement, begun in 1825,

introduced luminism as a technique to strike emotion in distinctly American settings. These painters

captured the special properties of light and atmosphere and emphasized nature's grand scale. Said German,

“I hope one effect of this exhibit, even if it’s incremental, will be to give a little more credibility to

Buttersworth as one of the school of painters of man in nature.”

Richard B. Grassby, in his Buttersworth biography Ship, Sea & Sky, called Buttersworth’s best paintings

factual and full of action, luminous and atmospheric. Some say Buttersworth took considerable artistic license in his

later work, introducing fictitious warships, redacted points of sail, and impossible clarity to storm-saturated

seascapes. But that may be the enduring appeal of his paintings: the creative composition and exacting detail

provide drama and movement that please on many levels.

Whether the audience’s primary experience with canvas is sailing under it or painting on it, this exhibit

is sure to delight visitors to Mystic Seaport.

“Where many painters would settle upon a characteristic way topaint the water’s surface, Buttersworth shows his versatility.”–ANDREW GERMAN, EDITOR OF 2ND EDITION J. E. BUTTERSWORTH: 19TH CENTURY MARINE PAINTER

ILLUMINATING THE SEA: THE MARINE PAINTINGS OF JAMES E. BUTTERSWORTH, 1844 – 1894,

WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGH MARCH 2009.

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This year, Mystic Seaport is exhibiting more than 30

of its 55 Buttersworth paintings. In celebration of the

collection and to accompany the exhibit, a beautiful and

up-to-date quarto will be released this fall.

The Museum will publish a new edition of Rudolf J.

Schaefer’s 1975 publication, J. E. Buttersworth, 19th-

Century Marine Painter, in November 2008. Among

other things, the new four-color version includes the

latest information about historic vessels Buttersworth

depicted in his paintings, as well as explanations of

aesthetic choices that he made in portraying them.

Andrew German, former director of publications for

Mystic Seaport, is editor of the new version. German said

the revision includes substantially more and better quality

images than the original publication. About a third of the

plates will be color, in contrast to the first edition that

had roughly one-fifth of the illustrations in color.

Janet Schaefer, widow of the author, continued her

late husband’s work of studying and indexing

Buttersworth’s oeuvre and catalogued about 1,200

Buttersworths, said German.

Although details of Buttersworth’s life are still enigmatic,

his work continues to flash into the limelight: in the last

several months, two more Buttersworth paintings have

come to public auction. In 2001, Doyle Auction House

sold a Buttersworth for $136,000, about four times the

expected price. “It’s still puzzling why he’s not better

known, even though certain Buttersworth paintings

have been valued at half a million dollars,” said Daniel

Finamore, curator of maritime art at the Peabody-Essex

Museum in Salem, MA.

For information about ordering the new edition of J. E.

Buttersworth, 19th-Century Marine Painter, please call

the Museum Store at 800.331.2665.

MYSTIC SEAPORTTO PUBLISH REVISEDBUTTERSWORTH BOOK

“The Sloop Irene”

“Yacht L’Hirondelle in a Full Breeze”

“The Schooner Yacht Dauntlessand a Ship of the Line

THE MUSEUM’S 55 BUTTERSWORTH PAINTINGSCONSTITUTE THE LARGEST PUBLIC COLLECTION

OF BUTTERSWORTH’S WORKS.Here’s a look at some of the images not included in the current

exhibit, shown here specially for readers of Mystic Seaport magazine.

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30

very summer for 84 years C.S. “Butsy”

Lovelace lived directly across Nantucket har-

bor from the Brant Point Lighthouse, and

every summer, it seeped more deeply into his

and his family’s emotional landscape.

“I’ve seen it all my life and when the fog

rolls in, I hear it,” said Lovelace. “But Mystic

Seaport has always been on my horizon, too.”

A Museum member and Trustee (now

Emeritus) for many years, Lovelace and

his family are funding the transformation of

the replica Brant Point Lighthouse that

stands on the Museum’s grounds. As ship

navigators are now guided by satellite

global positioning, and the Coast Guard is

shutting down lighthouses, Lovelace said he

wanted to acknowledge their history and

past significance to sailors.

The replica lighthouse has been at the

Museum since 1966. It is one of the many

transformations that Museum members and

visitors will enjoy in the coming years.

Katherine Cowles of the Museum's

Advancement department said the light-

house will serve an educational mission. It

will combine flat-screen video panels and

other content on the ground floor.

Interpreters will playact stories of lighthouse

keepers and answer visitors’ questions about

lighthouses. Lighthouse Point will be

embellished with rosa rugosa and other plants

native to Nantucket, and its promontory

will become more prominent.

“There are thousands of lighthouse

enthusiasts out there. The Museum has a ter-

rific resource in that replica harbor light,”

said Christopher Owens, a Mystic business-

man who has restored lighthouses and

penned a book about the process. The origi-

nal Brant Point Lighthouse was the second

light built in this country, has been rebuilt

five times since the mid-1700s and has

guided everything from whaling ships to

pleasure yachts safely into Nantucket harbor.

Butsy Lovelace's commitment to funding

the Lighthouse transformation wasn’t fin-

ished when, last Christmas, he and his wife

Jean made gift giving easier than Internet

shopping. They gave additional gifts to the

Museum’s Lighthouse Fund in their chil-

dren's and grandchildren's names.

The Lovelaces have supported the Museum

in other ways. When Lovelace was publisher

of Nautical Quarterly, Stanley Rosenfeld asked

the publication to take care of his family's

famous collection of photographs. “We told

him we couldn't do it, but maybe we could

find someone who could.” said Lovelace, who

called Mystic Seaport straightaway. The

Rosenfeld Collection, now housed and pre-

served in Mystic Seaport’s state-of-the-art

Collections Research Center, continues to be

supported by Butsy and his wife Jean in the

form of charitable gift annuities.

Beacon in Mysticplanned givingwith significance

C.S. “Butsy” Lovelace andfamily focus support on

Mystic Seaport

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The Stillman Society: In memory of Dr. Charles Kitland Stillman 1879-1938.Membership in the Stillman Society is reserved for those members and friends who have madeplanned or deferred gifts to Mystic Seaport. To inquire about membership in the society, please contact Katherine Cowles at 860.572.0711 x5171 or katherine.cowles@mysticseaport.org.

e

“I've seen it all my lifeand when the fogrolls in, I hear it,”said Lovelace. “ButMystic Seaport hasalways been on myhorizon, too.”

MS MMaaggaazziinnee:: Tell me about the changes you seecoming to the Museum.

RRiicchhaarrdd VViieettoorr:: We seek a broad transformation. It’sabout connecting stories with people.Our mission is unchanged, but historyis harder for people to relate to nowthan in the past. We want visitors tobe educated and inspired by MysticSeaport, whether for a few hours, or fora few days. And the goal of transfor-mation is to make that happen.

MS MMaaggaazziinnee:: Sounds exciting and challenging.

RRiicchhaarrdd VViieettoorr:: Yes, it’s easily said and difficult to do.Our most far-reaching strategic goal isto become an all-weather museum. We have developed plans to build anew indoor museum on the north end,complete with exhibition galleries,theater and atrium, all using state-of-the-art technologies and integratedwith our outdoor campus.

Sometimes it can be just a simple idea.For instance, every visitor can get out onthe water on a free boat ride. To see MysticSeaport from the water is very inspiring.

We want to increase our national reputationas well. We established the America and the Sea Award to recognize those who, likethe Museum, are stewards of the nation’smaritime memories.

MS MMaaggaazziinnee:: What are other ways to connect with people?

RRiicchhaarrdd VViieettoorr:: Tangibly, with ships that our visitors can board on our waterfront. Intangibly,with exhibits that tell stories about people and the sea. For example, our newButtersworth exhibit just opened. Wenow have the largest public collection ofthese paintings, thanks to a gift from thelate Don McGraw.

We can educate and inspire even whenwe take care of our watercraft. In a fewmonths we’ll haul out the Charles W.Morgan. It’s an exciting undertakingand her restoration will be an exhibitin itself.

MS MMaaggaazziinnee:: You seem confident about the future.

RRiicchhaarrdd VViieettoorr:: I know that with our strong, dedicatedBoard of Trustees and incredibly commit-ted staff, donors and members, theMuseum can be faithful to our founders—to be educational in purpose, national inscope and inspiring for the future.

Above photo: Board Chairman Richard R. Vietor, and his wifeRosemary, at the annual Mystic Seaport America and the SeaGala, held last fall at New York City’s Rainbow Room.

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Richard Vietor, Chairman of the Museum’s Boardof Trustees, speaks to Mystic Seaport magazine.

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Mystic Seaport’s second annual America and the Sea Award gala was held on October 24,2007 in the Rainbow Room at 30 Rockefeller Center. The award recognizes an individual ororganization whose contributions to the history, arts or sciences of the sea best exemplifythe American spirit and character. This year’s event honored David McCullough, notedauthor and historian, for his prowess in telling the sea stories of our nation.

Following the live auction, Linda Hart assists Chairman Richard Vietor in pulling the winning ticket for one of the evening’s raffle items. A bottle of Mystic River water was a humorous and attention getting auction item that went for $2,000.

Mystic Seaport President and Director Douglas H. Teeson, his wife Phyllis and Chairman Vietor welcome the McCullough family, David, his wife Rosalee and their daughter Melissa McCullough McDonald. (Right)

Munson Institute professor and historian Bill Fowler also assisted in introducing the honoree, emphasizing what a profound influence David McCullough has had on his life’s work. (Left)

Honoree David McCullough and his wife Rosalee were the first up on the dance floor. (Middle)

Museum trustee Charles Mallory proudly shows off the Nelson H. White painting for which he submitted the winning bid. (Right)

Second annual

america&W

the Seaaward GaLa

O N C O U R S E T O T H E F U T U R E Celebrating

OlinA special

Centennial Celebration is taking place this spring

at Mystic Seaport.

April 13, 2008, was no ordinary day. It marked the 100th birthday of America’s preeminent yacht designer of the 20th century,Olin J. Stephens II.

How do you celebrate someone’s centennial?Well, at Mystic Seaport, we believe it’s worth celebrating for more than one day. In fact, to paytribute to a legendary figure like Olin, we’re celebrating for 100 days.

A special celebration in honor of Olin is beingheld in May. Want to attend and become a friendof Olin? Go to www.mysticseaport.org/olin to learn more.

Meanwhile, when you’re on grounds, stop by the Olin Stephens Reading Room in the G.W. Blunt White Building for a look at Olinthrough the years. Additionally, you can visit www.mysticseaport.org/olin for more about theman who, while working with the world-famousyacht designers Sparkman & Stephens, designedsome of the most well-known boats in history, including our own schooner Brilliant.

At Mystic Seaport, we think there’s oneword to describe Olin’s work—brilliant.

Former Museum Chairman Bill Forster and his wife Linda Hart. (Left)

Following the award presentation, Chairman Vietor, honoree McCullough andPresident Teeson show off the handsome award, a Simon Pearce glass sculpturetitled “Flame.” (Right)

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Introductory speaker and documentary filmmaker Ric Burns spoke of his long time respect for author McCullough. (Pictured left to right are Robert Hoerle, David McCullough, Burns and Jacquelin Robertson.

Incoming Museum trustee Robin McGraw and his wife Elizabeth enjoyed the music of Alex Donner’s dance band. (Right)

Olin J. Stephens II, world-renowned yachtdesigner, turned 100 in April.

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Spring in New England can be wet! We’re all tired of being

cooped up in the house for months. Parents and children alike

dream of warm breezes and sweet green grass to roll in. There are many

rainy days in the spring that help the new plants grow, but it can be too

chilly to play for long in the rain.

D R I Z Z L E & D R I P D R A W I N G Perhaps a rainy day art project

will pass the time! Draw a collection of lines and shaded shapes with

magic markers on a piece of thick paper. Put your raincoat on and

step outside with your drawings for a few seconds. The marks

will run! Now back inside, move the paper around to create

dazzling trails of mixed colors and new shapes. Have fun!

TEXTURE SCAVENGER HUNT

Here’s an art project you can do outside

on a dry day. Get a large piece of paper

and a peeled crayon. In your yard, col-

lect as many textures as you can, with-

out overlapping them. Place the tex-

tured objects under the paper, and with

your peeled crayon, rub on the paper,

over the object. Ask a parent or friend

to try to identify the texture samples.

You’ll be surprised how difficult it is to

identify them.

When you visit Mystic Seaport, you’ll

see and feel hundreds of different tex-

tures. Bring some paper along with

you, and by the end of the day, you will

have enough for a special scrapbook of

Mystic Seaport textures.

D r i z z l e , d r i z z l e ,d r i p , d r i p .

-Barbara Jarnigan

Sometimes we can see texture, but can’t feel it. Other times, we can

feel and see it. For many people, making rubbings of textures

helps them “capture” a texture to keep for their own.

Kids, don’t miss the fun at Mystic

Seaport this summer, with summer

camps for all ages, and daily activity

programs, including our all-new daily

drop-in program, Hands-On History!

For more information on programs for

kids and family at Mystic Seaport, go

online to www.mysticseaport.org!

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W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G AT M Y S T I C S E A P O R T

MAY 9–10 AND 16–18Boat-building: Greenland KayakLearn to build a Greenlandkayak in an intensive weekend course.

MAY 17–18Brilliant sailing weekends for adults beginWeekend sails for adults available in May,June, Sept. and Oct.

MAY 24Frozen In: Captain George Comer and the Inuit of Hudson BayA new exhibit opens in theSchaefer Gallery.

MAY 24–26Lobster Days

JUNE 7Member reception for opening of Frozen In

JUNE 17–21Plein air painters of theMaritime Gallery paint onlocation at Mystic Seaport

JUNE 21Art opening, Plein Air Painters of The Maritime GalleryExhibition open through September 1.

JUNE 16–AUGUST 29Brilliant teen sailing programs beginChoose a five- or ten-day program and experience theadventure of sailing aboard the classic schooner Brilliant.

JUNE 22–AUGUST 1Joseph Conradsummer camp beginsYouth ages 10-15 learn tosail on the Mystic River by day and sleep aboard a tallship by night.

k k k

To register for a class or program at Mystic Seaport, go to

www.mysticseaport.org/registrationor call 860.572.5322.

May

JUNE 23–AUGUST 15Summer day camps beginSign up your kids (ages 4-14) for aseries of fun summer programs,including “Junior Explorers” and“Mystic Seaport Sampler.”

JUNE 13–15Sea Music FestivalSing along with live music fromthe world’s oceans and coasts.

JUNE 14Introduction to Half-Model ConstructionCarve your own half-model of a classic sailboat.

JUNE 15–18NOAA Whaling Symposium

JUNE 21Summer Solstice Party

JUNE 27–29WoodenBoat Show

JULY 1–6All American Picnic Week

JULY 4Independence DayJoin the parade and patrioticceremonies while celebratingIndependence Day 1876-style.

Also...New Lighthouse exhibit opens

JULY 7–AUGUST 22Summer Community SailingLearn to sail on the MysticRiver. Classes available atall levels for families, adultsand youth.

JULY 16Celebration of Volunteers

JULY 28–29Antique & Classic BoatRendezvous

JULY 31–AUGUST 1Moby-Dick Marathon

AUG 1–3A food & wine festival atMystic Seaport

AUG 9–10A 100th birthday celebrationfor the steamship Sabino

Jul~ AugJune

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Number of school /youth groups that visited Mystic Seaport in 2006: 1,130

Number of students, teachers, parents and other adults who

participated in Education Department programs last year: 34,604

Number of teachers who traveled from Florida to participate in

the 2007 Black Hands, Blue Seas Teacher Institute: 5

Number of types of guided tours, Planetarium programs, outreach

programs, home-school programs, overnight programs, Elderhostel

programs, summer day camp programs, teacher institutes and role player

and chantey programs offered through the Education Department: 46

Number of different states that schools came from in 2006–07: 10

Number of miles a school group from Milwaukee, WI, traveled

to visit Mystic Seaport: 1,012

Number of kids who climbed ship’s rigging during Mystic Seaport

overnight programs and Joseph Conrad camp: 1,618

Number of pizzas eaten during Anchor Watch overnight programs

for scout groups: 136

Number of reproduction harpoons used for on-site and outreach programs: 4

Number of times one of these harpoons gets darted into

the river during tours and overnight programs: 2,000

Number of logbooks sewn out of sailcloth during a year’s

worth of programs: 500

Number of scrimshaw pieces etched by students: 1,000

Number of lanyards made by students: 1,500

Number of miles put on the new outreach van during the

first year of owning it: 5,306

BY THE NUMBERS:E D U C AT I O N

-Lisa Marcinkowski, Director of Education

Join the fun! Learn more about our great programs atwww.mysticseaport.org, or call 860.572.5322