Compton Talks Up MH $$ at City Hearing

Former Seattle City Council member Jim Compton led a group of key maritime heritage supporters last night in a bid to persuade the council to include money for the Maritime Heritage Initiative. Compton chaired the 2005 Seattle / King County Maritime Heritage Task Force, which developed the plans that called for city participation in the effort to create new resources to preserve local maritime heritage. Last night, he and nearly a dozen supporters asked the council for $150,000 in seed money for the Initiative. The request came during a regularly scheduled city council budget hearing at City Hall.

And speaking of budget hearings, the King County Council holds two more, tonight and Thursday, to consider its own contribution of $150,000 to the Initiative. Tonight's hearing is at 7 p.m. at Kirkland City Hall. Thursday's hearing is at council chambers in the county building downtown. It also starts at 7 p.m.

MHN/Music: Bob Webb / Bank Trollers

This week's featured MHN/Music CD is Bank Trollers, by Bob Webb. For nearly four decades, the resident of Phippsburg, Maine has presented the music of seafarers, loggers, railroad men and other folk heroes and heroines. His specialties are shipboard work songs, known as "shanties," and the seagoing ballads called "forebitters" or "main-hatch songs." Buy his album from CD Baby. Listen to a sample from the album. A portion of the sale proceed supports Maritime Heritage Network.

"Perfect Storm" Tugboat In Its Own Gale

The tugboat Tamaroa, made famous by the book and movie "The Perfect Storm," is in danger of being sunk by public neglect and overcautious officials. Here's an article about the situation in the Style Weekly of Richmond, Virginia. The story tugged at my heartstrings, because Seattle has its own historic tugboat, the Arthur Foss, which at least has a home, unlike Tamaroa.

MH Supporters Testify; New Coast Guard Book

King County maritime heritage supporters are turning out to testify at budget hearings on a $150,000 contribution to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. A member of the Association of King County Historical Organizations board testified Tuesday, and a heritage volunteer testified Wednesday, capping her plea with a sea shanty that brought the house down. That's the way to get everyone's attention! The next hearing is before the city council on Monday. To see the schedule for hearings, see my Monday, October 23 blog entry.

A former officer in US Coast Guard Disitrict 13, which covers the Northwest, has published a book of her experiences. "So Others May Live" is detailed in this story at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website.

MHN Calendar: Pacific Graveyard Music, Festival

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 27-29, 2006.

• 10/29/2006: Music, Graveyard of the Pacific Maritime Music, Ilwaco Heritage Foundation, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: Contact IHM, Ilwaco Heritage Museum, 115 SE Lake St., Ilwaco, 360-642-3446, ihm@ilwacoheritagemuseum.org, Maritime music concert, part of Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week
• Oct. 21-29, 2006: Festival, Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Price: Many events FREE, Various sites near Astoria, Ore. and Ilwaco, Wash., See specific sites, 800-875-6807, admin@crmm.org, Week long celebration of the wreck of the Peter Iredale, includes exhibits, music, and lectures

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

West Coast Shipwrecks May Need Protection

The Marine Protected Area advisory committee, which covers the entire west coast, discussed protection of shipwrecks and submerged airplanes as part of the region's cultural heritage. The Coos Bay World featured a report, which says the coast of Washington, Oregon, and California is dotted with more than 10,000 shipwrecks, 286 of which are identified. The story says Washington State can designate wrecks as underwater parks, but none have been designated so far. California, the state with the most shipwrecks, offers the most protection for them. Oregon has no marine areas that focus on cultural resources.

Upcoming MH $$ Hearings; First One is Tuesday

Here are upcoming public budget hearings for the city of Seattle and King County where you can make your views known on the $150,000 contribution by each government to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The first hearing is Tuesday! Note the city for each one; the county hearings are in Kirkland, Kent, Shoreline and Seattle. The listings are from the MHN Calendar.

• 10/24/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, King County Regional Justice Center, 401 - 4th Avenue N. Courtroom 3F, Kent, 206-296-0100.
• 10/25/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 First Ave. NE, Shoreline, 206-296-0100.
• 10/30/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (City of Seattle), Seattle City Council, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Price: FREE, City Hall, 600 - 4th Ave., Second Floor, Seattle, 206-684-8888.
• 11/1/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Kirkland City Hall, 123 - 3rd Ave., Kirkland, 206-296-0100.
• 11/2/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Council Chambers, 516 - 3rd Ave., Seattle, 206-296-0100.

BTW, you don't have to live in Seattle or King County to tell elected officials what you think. I know from feedback that there's interest in this across the country. Your views are welcome, too! Here's links to webpages with contact info: Seattle City Council; King County Council. If you prefer to post your thoughts here, click the Comments link below.

Chris Roe: A Round for the Company

This week's MHN/Music featured album is A Round for the Company, straight-ahead traditional songs and tunes from North America and the British Isles, with contemporary accents, enhanced and accompanied by concertina, harp, button accordion, guitar and sundry other devices. Buy the CD at CD Baby. Listen to a sample track from the album. A portion of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Want something fun for Halloween? Check out MHN's pirate music!

MH $$: The Numbers Explained

My head is swimming with all the numbers being thrown around regarding the Maritime Heritage Initiative money and along comes Holly Taylor, a local preservation consultant, with a lifeline. She's studied the issue and she sent me some documentation that explains the situation very nicely. Send e-mail to me care of MHN and I can forward the whole document. Here's some highlights:

• Start-up funding for initial operations of the Maritime Heritage Initiative is requested from the City of Seattle, King County, the Port of Seattle, and Washington State, in equal amounts of $150,000, for a total investment of $600,000.
• The seed funding in 2007-2008 will be used to open the long-awaited "heritage shipyard" at the King County Metro Dock on north Lake Union (negotiations pending); to broaden all maritime activities at South Lake Union Park; and to link the two sites with public programs that demonstrate the full range of our rich maritime culture.
• The City of Seattle and King County are in the middle of budget deliberations now, which is why there is so much focus on these two governments.
• The requested seed money will be used in part to match two 2007-2008 Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund (HCPF) awards for important Initiative projects, both of which were recently recommended for funding by the State Historical Society (pending approval by the State Legislature): $400,000 for major capital improvements at the King County Metro Dock/Heritage Shipyard site; $235,000 for maritime-related amenities at South Lake Union Park

The City of Seattle's capital budget has a line item of $400,000 for the schooner Wawona. This line item is NOT related to the push by Maritime Heritage Initiative partners for the start-up funding.

Here's links: City of Seattle; King County.

MH Exhibit at Edmonds Historical Museum

My RSS feed reader snagged this maritime history item in the Everett Herald:

"Edmonds Historical Museum: 118 Fifth Ave. N., Edmonds City Hall, Edmonds; 425-774-0900, www.historicedmonds.org, 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays-Sundays, $2, $1 children, group tours available. 'The Changing Face of Edmonds' and 'Our Maritime Heritage,' ongoing." (Emphasis mine.)

If you have an RSS reader, subscribe to the The MHN Blog via this link:

http://mhnblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml

MHN Calendar: Broadside, Graveyard of the Pacific

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 20-22, 2006.

• 10/21/2006: Concert, Broadside/Mariide, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $10 General; $8 students, seniors, and maritime heritage organization members, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-447-9800, seaport@oz.net, All-female shanty and maritime music group Broadside with vocalist Mariide
• Oct. 21-29, 2006: Festival, Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Price: Many events FREE, Various sites near Astoria, Ore. and Ilwaco, Wash., See specific sites, 800-875-6807, admin@crmm.org, Week long celebration of the wreck of the Peter Iredale, includes exhibits, music, and lectures

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

More Meetings with City; County to Follow

Maritime Heritage Initiative partners continued their meetings with Seattle City Council members and staff yesterday. John Chaney of Historic Seattle, David Allen of Coastal Heritage Alliance, and myself as AKCHO vice president met with council president Nick Licata's arts and culture advisor Frank Video about $150,000 in seed money to jump-start maritime heritage programs at South Lake Union Park and the North Lake Union dock. Chaney, Allen and Jennifer Meisner of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation met with councilmember Sally Clark.
The MHI partners are also gearing up for meetings with King County Council members, informing them about a county contribution of $150,000, in addition to the city's contribution. Earlier this year, MHI partners met with County Executive Ron Sims, discussing conversion of the North Lake Union dock into an historic shipyard, but funding did not make it into the recently released 2007 budget.

These links will take you to contact information for the Seattle City Council and the King County Council. To check which county council member represents you, here's a link to the council district map. (Seattle City Council members are all "at large.")

Full disclosure: The MHN Blog and Maritime Heritage Network could benefit from the funding discussed above, if approved.

Anacortes MH Enthusiasts Report Summer Activities

The Anacortes Community Maritime Center wrote to me reporting on their wide range of activities in the Anacortes/Fidalgo Island area to support maritime heritage. Their season began on June 24 with a third annual picnic at Bowman Bay. Board members cleared trails on Indian Island to secure a covered picnic area. They also launched and christened a "peapod" wooden boat (shown at left), which was later displayed during the Anacortes July 4th parade and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. In the first weekend of August, Center supporters set up a children's area in the Anacortes Arts & Crafts Festival, complete with kids boatbuilding area and a paddle pool. The Center also participated in Fidalgo Bay Day, coordinating with the Samish Nation, local not-for-profits, and local marine businesses.

ACMC has long-term plans for a facility to do wooden boat-building and offer maritime-related classes. The group has taken one of the first steps, launching a new website. Visit the site and show your support! Comments are welcome below. (Photo courtesy ACMC)

The Cutters: Lowlands

This week's MHN/Music featured album is Lowlands, the 1994 collection by The Cutters, which are based in Seattle. The album features stunning vocal harmonies and driving acoustic instruments in songs about real people and real life. Buy the CD at CD Baby. Listen to a sample from the title track. A portion of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Looking for Halloween pirate music? Click here!

Discussions Underway for MHI Seed Money

Eight major heritage organizations are working together to persuade the Seattle City Council to place $150,000 in the 2007-2008 budget for the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The organizations requested the money earlier this year, but it was left out by the mayor's office. The money would jump-start operations for a planned historic shipyard at North Lake Union, help heritage orgs plan ship restorations, deliver new public programs at South Lake Union Park, and expand outreach efforts. (Full disclosure: it's possible the seed money will benefit Maritime Heritage Network.) The organizations have so far met with councilmembers David Della, Tom Rasmussen, and Peter Steinbrueck.

There will be a public hearing on the budget October 30 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

MHN Calendar: Ferry Tales, Navy Band, Decatur Drawings

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 12-15, 2006.

• 10/12/2006: Presentation, Ferry Tales, Jill Johnson, Storyteller, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Clinton Library, Clinton, Whidbey Island, 360-341-8420, story@whidbey.com, Storyteller Jill Johnson tells ferry stories historic and modern, hilarious and touching
• 10/15/2006: Concert, Navy Band Northwest, Naval Undersea Museum, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: FREE, Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport, Wash., 360-396-4148, bgalvani@kpt.nuwc.navy.mil, Big band performs
• 10/18/2006: Lecture, The 1855 Drawings of John Y. Taylor, Museum of History & Industry, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: Members: $5; General, $7; Day of Show: $10, $12, Museum of History & Industry, 2700 24th Ave E., McCurdy Park, 206-324-1126, information@seattlehistory.org, Drawings by an officer of the USS Decator, an important vessel in early Puget Sound maritime history

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

New Speciality Shop Seeks NW Maritime Art

A new speciality business in Des Moines, Wash., called "Eva's Treasures by the Sea" posted a request on craigslist for nautical art and crafts from the Pacific Northwest. The owner wants jewelry, greeting cards, glass art, paintings and photography. The owner prefers to schedule appointments, and the artist should prepare a portfolio, biography, and samples. The new shop may consider consignment sales. For more information, e-mail gigs-216902350@craigslist.org or see the craigslist item at http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/crg/216902350.html.

Puget Sound Pirates Added to MHN/Music

The newest member of MHN/Music is the Puget Sound Pirates, a professional re-enactment group that performs in costume from the period 1650 to 1740 at public events and private functions, including birthdays, parades, company meetings, and festivals. The group provides music, dance, performance and crowd interaction. Some performances are family friendly, others are intended for adults. A portion of proceeds goes to the "Irish Rose Pirate Ship" project, which aims to build a five-million dollar replica of an 18th century English warship in Port Townsend. They don't have a CD out yet, and we're waiting breathlessly! In the meantime, contact them today for a fun addition to your event. (Photo courtesy Puget Sound Pirates.)

Tom Lewis: 360 Degrees: All Points of the Compass

This week's MHN/Music featured album is 360 Degrees: All Points of the Compass, by Tom Lewis, 25-year veteran of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, although now he's comfortably located on dry land in British Columbia. His songs cover a wide range of nautical topics, from life on board H.M. ships, through the loneliness and lure of the sea, to the very funny tale of a randy canine ship's mascot called Bunts. Buy his CD at Amazon.com. A portion of the proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

P-I Publishes Story on Lightship Reunion

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a wonderful story this morning on the Lightship Sailors Reunion taking place this weekend in Seattle. A wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Swiftsure lightship, now moored at South Lake Union Park. The public is invited.

Seattle MH Supporters Seek $150K for Shipyard

Maritime heritage supporters in Seattle have stepped up lobbying efforts in the city council to fund a shipyard for large historic vessels on Lake Union. Organizations such as Historic Seattle, the Museum of History & Industry, and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation plan to meet with individual council members and ask for $150,000 to help match a $400,000 state grant that would fund the yard next to Gas Works Park in Seattle. Large vessels, such as the 1897 schooner Wawona, now berthed at South Lake Union Park, need a location for annual maintenance and restoration work. 4Culture, an independent arts and heritage funding and advocacy agency, and a sponsor of this blog, is leading the effort.

Mayor Greg Nickels did not include the $150,000 in his 2007-2008 budget submitted to the council last month, despite appeals from several historic preservation organizations. The oversight puzzles MH supporters, given that the mayor has asked for $400,000 to move the schooner Wawona from its current berth at South Lake Union Park. The $150,000 would help fund a place for her to go, as well as fund maritime heritage education programs at the park, which is positioned by the Seattle Parks Department as a maritime heritage facility. MH supporters plan to ask city council members to fix the mistake, which would send a consistent message that the city is behind long-term efforts to preserve Seattle's maritime heritage to educate future generations.

You can help this effort by writing or calling city council members and attending one or both public budget hearings this month. For more information and council contact information, go to the Seattle.gov website.

Prefer to comment on this blog? Great! Use the comments link below.

MHN Calendar: Lightship Sailors, GHHSA Fete

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 6-8, 2006.

• 10/7/2006: Presentation, Lightship Sailors Wreath Laying, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Price: FREE, South Lake Union Park, 360 Terry Ave. N., Seattle, 206-412-4736, wpalsson@aol.com, Ceremony honoring fallen lightships sailors, part of the annual Lightship Sailors Association annual reunion
• Oct. 6-8, 2006: Festival, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority 20th Anniversary, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, Price: Some events FREE, Various sites in and around Aberdeen, Washington, For specific sites, contact owner, 800-200-5239, ghhsastephanine@techline.com, Three days of events celebrating the 20th anniversary of GHHSA, the owners of the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Cheiftain.
• 10/8/2006: Festival, Lady Washington / Hawaiian Cheiftain Tours, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Price: Some events FREE, Aberdeen, Washington, For specific sites, contact owner, 800-200-5239, ghhsastephanie@techline.com, Final opportunity in 2006 to sail with tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain; includes FREE dockside tours

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

GHHSA Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority celebrates its 20th anniversary this week with three days of events, including the now traditional battle re-enactment sails of the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Cheiftain, shown at left. Other scheduled events feature a 20th Anniversary Ball, "mortgage burning," and dance on Friday, October 6; exhibits, a sea music performance by the Shifty Sailors, and a moonlight "battle cruise" on Saturday, October 7; and two battle re-enactment sails on Sunday, October 8. Free dockside tours of the GHHSA ships and facilities in Aberdeen, Washington are available all three days. For more information, call 800-200-5239. (Photo courtesy GHHSA)

Retired Lightship Sailors to Remember Lost Comrades

Retired lightship sailors from around the country will meet this week in Seattle to reminisce and remember fallen comrades with a wreath laying ceremony. Members of the Lightship Sailors Association will gather at South Lake Union Park, home of Lightship No. 83, also known as Swiftsure, which is owned by Northwest Seaport. This National Historic Landmark and former U.S. Coast Guard vessel is one of the oldest lightships in the nation and still retains her original steam engine, riveted steel hull, and canvas-covered wooden decks. The vessel served at all five west coast stations, including Cape Flattery and the Columbia Bar, before it was retired in 1960. The annual reunion begins on Wednesday and runs through Saturday. A wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Historic Ships Wharf at SLUP. The public is invited. For more information, contact Larry Ryan, 719-440-7280, or Wayne Palsson, 206-412-4736.

Toucan Pirates: Buried Treasure of the Toucan Pirates

This week's MHN/Music featured album is Buried Treasure of the Toucan Pirates, by the Toucan Pirates, a tribe of Seattle lads who play traditional tunes from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales and the Shetland Isles using concertina, button accordion, Irish bouzouki, tenor banjo, pennywhistle, and a West Indian steel drum for that original "Pirates of the Caribbean" flavor. Here's a sample of their song "Down by the Ocean Tide." Buy their CD at CD Baby. One dollar of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.