The Erie Maritime Museum Speaker Series presents “Victim of Honor: The Story of John Yates Beall and the Northwestern Conspiracy” by James E. Duffey. The talk will take place on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in the Hirt Auditorium at Blasco Library.
In September of 1864, Captain John Y. Beall led an unsuccessful attempt to free Confederate prisoners held at Johnson’s Island Prison, near Sandusky, Ohio. The U.S.S. Michigan, whose home port was Erie, Pennsylvania, was the Federal gunboat guarding Johnson’s Island. Beall’s role in the plot was to assemble a crew of men to capture the Michigan. He successfully seized the Philo Parsons, a 220 ton sidewheel passenger steamer, but his crew, sensing that Captain Carter of the Michigan had been tipped off to their activities, refused to proceed in the attempt to capture the Michigan. Beall was later arrested in another Confederate plot. Bound by his strict code of personal honor, he refused all offers of clemency if it meant compromising or betraying the Confederate cause. Beall was ultimately convicted and executed.
Jim Duffey is the author of the historical novel Victim of Honor, which tells Beall’s story. Duffey currently serves as adjunct professor of American History at Kent State, Stark Campus in Canton, Ohio, where he has taught since 1991. Mr. Duffey will be available to sign copies of his book after the program. The talk is open to the public free of charge; donations are appreciated.
The Erie Maritime Museum currently exhibits the 34 Star “Great Star Pattern” U.S. Flag used by the 171st Ohio National Guard, one of the regiments that guarded the Johnson Island prison. This rare and unique flag is on loan from Theodore Karle.
In conjunction with Professor Duffey’s talk, historical re-enactors portraying the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Company will set up a small encampment with educational displays on the lawn behind the Erie Maritime Museum from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. To help illustrate the life of a Civil War era soldier, the group will demonstrate drills and display soldiers’ equipment used at the time. The historic 83rd PVI Company was recruited from Erie, Venango, Warren, Mercer and Crawford Counties in 1861. The group fought in all of the major battles of the Civil War, but is probably best known for the Battle of Gettysburg, where Colonel Strong Vincent was mortally wounded. The 83rd lost more men in battle than any other Pennsylvania regiment. The public is welcome to visit the encampment, free of charge, throughout the day.
"Erie’s Three Lights" Opens this Year’s Speaker Series at the Erie Maritime Museum
The Erie Maritime Museum opens this year’s Speaker Series with "Erie’s Three Lights" on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in the Hirt Auditorium at Blasco Library. The Museum’s Education Committee Chairman Lance Barclay will talk about Erie’s three historic Lighthouses, and their significance to Erie harbor.
Using historical images, Mr. Barclay will explore the story of the Erie Land Lighthouse, the North Pier Light, and the Presque Isle Lighthouse. He will also talk about the history of the U. S. Lighthouse Service, and the Lighthouse Keepers who served in Erie. His presentation includes information about other types of equipment used by the Lighthouse Service, and details how the Fresnel lens works. The Erie Maritime Museum currently displays a 4th Order Fresnel Lens, formerly used in the North Pier Light.
Drake Well Museum’s Mobile Energy Education Training Unit To Visit Erie
Drake Well Museum’s Mobile Energy Education Training Unit (MEET-Unit) will visit Erie on Monday and Tuesday, September 20 and 21, 2010. The 44-foot-long trailer with exhibits will be parked next to the Erie Maritime Museum and open to the public, free of charge, from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. both days.
As a partnership between Friends of Drake Well, Inc. and the petroleum industry, MEET-U is on a mission to educate visitors about energy by explaining how petroleum is formed, found, produced, refined, used, and conserved. It addresses growing public concern about the rising costs of energy, the environmental impacts of producing it, and the search for alternative energy sources.
MEET-U’s interactive exhibits increase awareness of how dependent daily lifestyles are on energy and products made from oil and natural gas. In the 150 years since Edwin Drake drilled his well near Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859 and launched the modern petroleum industry, petroleum is used to provide light, transportation, clothing, health aids and cosmetics, communication, and food service.
MEET-U also educates audiences of all ages about the role of petroleum in the search for and manufacturing of alternative energy sources, as well as encouraging students to consider pursuing careers in science and engineering.
The exhibits include videos, scale models of tools, contemporary well-drilling photographs, and pieces of Marcellus Shale, the sedimentary rock in which regional natural gas reserves are found.
The Erie Maritime Museum is located at 150 East Front Street, Erie
The Flagship Niagara League has announced the addition of two days sails to the U.S. Brig Niagara's calendar.
The new dates are Thursday, September 16th and Thursday, September 23rd. They re scheduled for 12-5pm.
Please call the league office at 814.452.2744 x222 for information and reservations. Better hurry, places are going fast.
For more information on the internet, please visit
The Erie Maritime Museum invites you to experience “Life onboard Niagara”, a new exhibit of photographs now on display throughout the museum’s first floor. The public is invited to a free opening reception on Thursday, August 12, from 5:00 until 7:30 p.m.
The photographs are the work of Dennis O’Leary and Erie’s own John Baker. While both men have different styles, they share a common perspective, as both have sailed onboard Niagara as trainees. As crewmembers they’ve had opportunities to record the experience of day-to-day life onboard that most people don’t see on a single day sail.
O’Leary’s photos were taken while on a round trip to Montreal in July and August of 2009. He traveled across Lake Erie, through the Welland Canal Locks, along Lake Ontario and through the Thousand Islands to Montreal. Baker’s photos “round out” the experience, as, in addition to sailing, he is available throughout the year in Erie to document ship’s maintenance and crew training. While many images document the hard and seemingly never-ending work needed to sail a tall ship, others capture the camaraderie, quiet personal moments, and breath-taking views that can only be seen from aloft.
The exhibit is sponsored in part by VanTuil Photo and Imaging Center and Giardina Fine Art, and will be on display through December 4, 2010.
The Flagship Niagara League, in cooperation with the American Sail Training Association, is proud to bring eight magnificent sailing vessels to Erie in celebration of our rich maritime heritage. Ships from Germany, Canada, and the United States will arrive for a Parade of Sail into Erie's Presque Isle Bay at five pm Thursday, September 9th. From 9am Friday morning to 2:00pm school children from the Erie area will be welcomed aboard the ships. The ships will open to the public from
2-6pm that day. Public tour hours on Saturday and Sunday are 10am to 6pm.
In addition to Erie’s Flagship Niagara, seven unique ships will join the festival, and all offer the opportunity for visitors to board the ships, learn about them, and gain a greater understanding of their roles in history.
The U.S. Brig Niagara, built in 1988 and sponsored by Logistics Plus, is a reconstruction of Oliver Hazard Perry’s warship that won the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Niagara’s mission is to interpret War of 1812 history, promote Pennsylvania and Erie, and to preserve the skills of square-rig seafaring.
Built for MGM’s 1962 movie, “Mutiny on the Bounty,” HMS Bounty will also visit Erie. Presented by Eriez Magnetics, she has had numerous movie roles, including appearances in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004), “Treasure Island” (1990), and, perhaps most well-known, “Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest” (2006).
Hailing from Eckernforde, Germany, tall ship Roald Amundsen also joins the festival. Originally built as a deep-sea fish lugger, she was equipped to service the former East Germany Navy. Sailing year-round, Roald Amundsen can be found in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea and is presented by Erie Water Works.
Pride of Baltimore II, presented by Lincoln Metal Processing, was built to the lines of an 1812-era Baltimore schooner. With a three-fold mission of promoting historical education regarding the War of 1812, serving as a unique learning platform, and serving as a visual representative of American History, she offers many learning opportunities for visitors and sailors. Additionally, she won first place in her class in a 2000 Transatlantic Tall Ship race.
The youngest ship participating in the festival is Lynx, a nine-year-old topsail schooner from Newport Beach, California. Lynx was designed and built to interpret the general configuration and operation of a privateer schooner from the War of 1812. A privateer is a government-licensed pirate ship. The crew of Lynx dress in period uniform and the ship is sponsored by Highmark.
Sailed by the only all-women professional crew in the world, Unicorn, from Bridgeport, Connecticut, will also participate in the festival. Sponsored by Hamot Women’s Hospital, she was built from the metal of old German U-boats. She provides on-board leadership and development programs to teenage girls, executive women and management teams.
Twin ships, Pathfinder and Playfair, join in the festival as well, sponsored by Custom Group Industries. These two brigantines, hailing from Toronto have been sailing the Great Lakes since 1964. The crew is made up entirely of youth sail students, and the captain is the only adult on board.
Tickets will can be purchased at Country Fair, the Erie Maritime Museum gift shop and at www.tallshipserie.com.
Scheduled events include visits to the ships, day sails aboard Lynx, admission to the Erie MaritimeMuseum, private receptions, craft and food vendors, and musical entertainment.