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Cape
Cod's long
and rich maritime history. From the clambakes
of early native Americans, to the heroics of 19th century
sea captains, to today, the sea continues to play a vital role
in the economic and recreational lives of Cape Codders and visitors.
Ours is a colorful history captured in images, local historical
societies, private collections and museums across the country.
The
Cape Cod Maritime Museum Opens
Its Building to Public, Spring 2004. Surprisingly, Cape
Cod had been without a maritime museum until 2004. This void had
long resulted in local maritime artifacts being donated to museums,
universities and libraries off-Cape and diluting the remaining
local stock of artifacts. Our maritime legacy was being dispersed
rather than being preserved here. Now
we have a center where the region's maritime history is celebrated
and studied.
However,
considerable work preceded the
opening of the facility. Individuals began organizing the museum
in 1998. Boards of Directors and Advisors were assembled, private
and federal money was raised to get the Museum off the ground. In
February 2004, the Barnstable Town Council granted the museum a 99-year
lease for a half-acre of town-owned waterfront property at 135 South
Street. Itincluded a 1950's era building that was renovated to
house the Museum.
The
Museum showcases the Cape's maritime history with a variety of
permanent and temporary exhibits. The exhibits are designed to
appeal to all age groups. Maritime art, educational programs,
classes, lectures and entertainment are part of the Museum’s
lineup of activities. In
addition, the
Museum will establish its own permanent collection of artifacts
and displays. |
Waterfront
Location. The Museum has an extraordinary waterfront location with
direct access to the working marina in the center of Hyannis. This
site enables it to engage in hands-on maritime activities including
the spectacular launch in Septmber 2007 of Catboat
Sarah, the
restoration of a 1886 Crosby catboat carried out on the museum
premises.
Cape
Cod’s Maritime Present and Future. Important themes of the
museum address the present and future as well as past: the importance
of the waterfront to tourism, declining fishing fleets, ocean science
technologies, exploration of shipwrecks and the ocean floor and protection
of the marine environment. |
HISTORY ARCHIVE
2003 TO 2007 |
2003 Winter The
Cape Cod Maritime Museum celebrated the arrival of the 1880’s
Crosby catboat Sarah and had the presentation of its first boat building
project at an Open House - Saturday November 29, 2003. A $175,000
grant from the federal agency - the Institute of Museum and Library
Services - serves to strengthen museums and libraries across the
country. Starting in Spring 2004, the Museum will begin the hands-on
construction of its first exhibit – a replica of the working catboat
Sarah. The boat is on loan from Tom Church of Osterville, MA . The
Sarah was built in one of the Crosby boatyards on the Osterville waterfront
in 1886.
September
3: The CCMM hires its first full-time administrator, Hope
Ratner of Yarmouth Port.
July
11: The CCMM submitted a proposal to the town to lease the property
at 135 South Street in Hyannis where the Board of Directors plans
to establish the Museum. We were the only bidder for the property.
July
11: The cruise for the Museum's supporters aboard the 1935 Trumpy
yacht was a great success. About 40 friends gathered on the 85-foot
boat for a sunset tour of Hyannis Harbor. John Carter, a CCMM director,
arranged the event.
June: Robert
Hassey joins the Board of Directors. Mr. Hassey is the Director of
Administration and Finance for Sea Education Association in Woods
Hole.
May: Peter
O’Keeffe, a Hyannis attorney, and Tony Davis, owner of Arey’s
Pond Boat Yard in Orleans, join the Board of Directors. Newspaper
Publisher Glenn Ritt joins the Board of Advisors.
May
10 - Cape Cod Maritime Festival
March -
www.capecodmaritimemuseum.org launched
February -
Senator Edward M. Kennedy obtains a $175,000 appropriation for the Museum
in the federal budget.
2004 May
15: The Cape Cod Maritime Museum began construction of a
replica of the 1886 Catboat SARAH. She is being built using period
techniques and materials. She is open to the public every Tuesday
and Thursday 11-4, and by appointment. The project is open year round.
Her launch is scheduled for Spring of 2006. She will ultimately serve
as a floating classroom for school children, and people of all ages
and walks of life.
April
5, 2004: The Cape Cod Maritime Museum announced a significant
contribution from Cape Cod Bank and Trust (CCBT) at a press conference
at the Museum's new site at 135 South Street Hyannis. CCBT has had
a long record of supporting cultural institutions on Cape Cod and
has also been involved with the creation of the Walkway to the Sea
which will lead to the harbor and the Museum.
May
8, 2004: 3rd Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival - Aselton Park
The
Festival will have displays of wooden boats, boat building demonstrations,
crafters, artists, retail stores selling nautical items, historical
societies, museums, musical performers, children's activities, environmental
organizations and food. The event is being organized by the Cape
Cod Maritime Museum, the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, and the Cape
Cod Commission. It is one of many events taking place during Cape Cod
Maritime Days (May 8 -16)
May
8-16, 2004: Cape Cod Maritime Days The 11th annual celebration
of Cape Cod's seafaring and fishing heritage is sponsored by the
Arts Foundation of Cape Cod and the Cape Cod Commission.
February
20: Cape Cod Maritime Museum finds home in Hyannis | Full
story
The Barnstable Town Council granted the Cape Cod Maritime Museum
a 99-year lease for a half-acre of town-owned waterfront property
at 135 South St., the site of the former Anchor Outboard building
and Barnstable Youth Center. Town leaders and the Museum's Board
of Directors say the Museum will help promote Cape Cod's maritime
identity and revitalize downtown Hyannis by drawing visitors. |
2005 November
5: Cape Cod Maritime Museum opened the doors to it's newest
gallery exhibit "For Those in Peril On the Sea".
This exciting interactive show, designed and installed by Director/Curator
Mark Wilkins, explores local shipwrecks and traces the development of
lifesaving and lighthouses on Cape Cod. Tales of tragedy, heroism and
inspiration are depicted in displays that include : artifacts from the
lost vessels Sparrow-Hawk, Jason and Portland; items
from the US Lifesaving Service; video re-enactments of beach rescue
drills; and reproductions of paintings by Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer
and other great American artists. A fully restored 1930s Surfboat forms
the centerpiece of the exhibit. A specially designated Childrens Corner
has plenty of hands-on activities including an art station, quizzes,
scavenger hunts and Mystery Objects. Along with the exhibit the Museum
opened a small gift shop, stocked with an array of books and nautical
gifts for the whole family.
April
1st, 2005: Cape Cod Maritime Museum hired two full-time staff
members. Mark Wilkins, formerly the the Museum's part-time boat-builder
and educator, was employed as Director/Curator. Cathrine Macort is
the new Administrator/Educator.
2006 This
has been a great year for the Maritime Museum, with over 2500 locals
and tourists visiting "For Those in Peril on the Sea" and
the Catboat Sarah project. Many more enjoyed musical performances
by local folk and chantey performers; attended lectures and booksignings
by authors James L. Nelson, Matthew Murphy, Michael Tougias and Polly
Burroughs; participated in maritime archaeology classes, and absorbed
our nautical heritage at the Cape Cod Maritime Festival.
Children
had a fun time too: Boy and Girl Scout troops learned about Morse Code,
signal flags and semaphore, and took imaginary voyages to distant tropical
islands in search of buried treasures; students from the local schools
watched boatbuilding demonstrations and competed in scavenger hunts,
and our younger guests hunted for pirate booty and tasted some shipboard
grub from the Age of Exploration.
Don't
worry if you missed out on any of these programs - we'll be offering
even more in 2007!
February
2006: With the help of several volunteers and Board members,
Replica Catboat SARAH was heeled over onto her starboard side to facilitate
installation of the lowermost port-side planks. Mark successfully
fitted and fastened the portside garboard plank (adjacent to the keel)
on February 17th - a great day for staff and catboat alike.
January
2006: Work continues apace on the Replica Catboat SARAH.
With all her frames in place Mark began planking the hull in Fall
2005. Both port and starboard are now sporting three strakes apiece. |
