Fall Newsletter 2008

Greetings members of the CCMM family!
With the hint of woods-smoke in the air, we have much to be grateful for at the Cape Cod Maritime Museum this fall.  The conclusion of a very successful summer tour of catboat Sarah, which along with her volunteer captains, visited 6 towns in 2 months.  We made many new friends and the demand for Sarah exceeded the supply! There is also much to report in terms of new educational opportunities and community partnerships. The museum also experienced record attendance during August and this seems to be continuing in to September.
Collaborations
CCMM is currently working with the town and local businesses to form a long term vision of what the inner harbor could look like as we move into the first quarter of the 21st century.  The town has just completed the Pleasant Street Park Project, which connects the boardwalk at Gateway to Pleasant street.  The park features a serpentine brick walkway inlaid with the familiar granite wave which winds its way to Pleasant street. This park abuts the Museum’s property and will bring more foot traffic on to Museum property and heightening awareness of what CCMM has to offer.  The museum, with the Town as a partner, has applied for a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts to fund public sculptures (some of which will feature a maritime theme) for the park.
   We look forward to next summer during which we will strengthen relationships formed this summer during Sarah’s summer tour. One of these is with the Osterville Historical Society. The Museum is involved in negotiations with OHS to implement a joint program next summer potentially for two weeks during which there will be educational events such as a Day in the life of the late 19th century; starting with a period house tour, a ride on Sarah then culminate with period delicacies in the form of an evening social. Collaborative efforts are also in the works with the Historical Society of Old Yarmouth, Chatham Historical Society and others.
Education
CCMM is striving to inspire and educate an ever-widening amount of people as we reach outward and onward.  We continue to strengthen existing relationships with Sturgis Charter School; Director Mark Wilkins has already visited the School to present lectures on Lusitania and WWI.  Mark is working with Jim Barrasso to develop lessons for the entire school year in selected topics in maritime history. Kate Parker has been busy –sending out over 300 letters to Principals of schools all over the Cape to offer existing programs that she and Mark have developed, as well as offering to develop specialized lessons to suit any need.
   The Museum has also formed a strategic partnership with Linda Tetreault of the Gateway Gifted and Talented Program of Barnstable Public Schools. Funding from the grant she is seeking will enable exceptional students to research and develop a small exhibit or film. Another component of the collaboration will allow kids to learn about marine biology, hydrology and ecosystems aboard catboat Sarah with Pat McCormack (Sarah’s trusty mate during the summer tour) serving as educator.  Many other possibilities exist with this important collaboration which will be developed further this fall.
   CCMM is also offering a series of hands-on workshops this fall in model-building, ship in a bottle building, lofting, knot-tying, dory-building, celestial navigation and kayak building. Check our website for a listing of classes; if you are interested don’t hesitate to call and reserve your spot in one of these interesting workshops.
   With such limited resources in a volatile economic climate, non-profits are hit hard in terms of funding and many struggle just to provide basic services. If you have been thinking about joining but have delayed for various reasons, please sign up today and join the CCMM family! We also would welcome your tax-deductible gifts that help us help you and our community.

Research/Collections
In an effort to promote scholarship and aid researchers, CCMM has added a research page to its website. Dr. Joan Bentinck-Smith (CCMM Trustee and chair of our Education Committee) is working to place notes from last year’s maritime history symposium on this page, along with a bibliography of sources for study with regards to the Cape's rich maritime history, plus we are working to put CCMM’s growing library on this page so that the public can get a sense of our holdings. Among other topics, CCMM has a very fine collection of texts pertaining to the American and European Merchant Marine, a fairly complete collection of Howard I. Chapelle’s seminal books, and much more. We are also working to develop a collection of oral histories. If you know of someone with an important maritime story to tell, please contact the Museum. Finally, this page will feature a collection of articles of interest, or pertaining to current exhibits at CCMM.
Gift shop
CCMM has a newly expanded gift shop and will soon be featuring selected items on our website. If you have input as to things you’d like to see in our gift shop please contact either Kate Parker or Erin Trainor at the Museum. CCMM will be having an evening of shopping late this fall which will feature wine and cheese and selected items will be on sale.