The impact of naval advancements and technologies during the American Civil War proved pivotal in determining the war's outcome despite receiving relatively less attention than the land battles. This event will feature naval living history reenactors, CSS Neuse Museum staff members, and volunteers who will teach visitors about the life of sailors during the war, the technological advances that came about during the war, and the practices that went into shipbuilding in the nineteenth century.
There will also be two presentations by Mariners’ Museum Speakers Bureau members. In addition, we will have several naval-related activities for visitors to enjoy.
Both presentations will be live VIRTUAL events. Visitors can listen to each presentation in our theater room and ask questions since they are live. We do plan to record these presentations.
The Other Ironclads
Presenter: Dan Wood, 10 am. Virtual Presentation.
Almost everyone knows about the Monitor and Merrimac (or, more correctly, the Monitor and Virginia), but many people know little of the hundred or more other ironclad vessels that served on both sides in the American Civil War. This presentation explores the fascinating and sometimes bizarre story of these largely forgotten ironclads, along with “tinclads,” “timberclads,” and other improvised armored craft.
Speaker Bio for Dan Wood:
Dan grew up on, in, and around the waters of southern New Jersey, where he was regaled in tales of his grandfather’s and great-grandfather’s careers as US Navy officers and Inspectors for the US Lighthouse Service, as well as his great, great grandfather’s service as a Civil War surgeon. After college, Dan went to Yorktown, Va., to begin a three-year tour in the US Coast Guard, but he had entirely too much fun to leave as planned. In his 25 years of Coast Guard service, he performed various duties, including search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, port safety and security, environmental safety, personnel management and training, and inter-service emergency planning. After serving his final tour as Chief of the Reserve Programs Division in Coast Guard Headquarters, he retired as a Captain. Subsequently, Dan taught science and math at Stonebridge School in Chesapeake, Va., for ten years and has been an active leader for the Tidewater Council, Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years. He has been a longtime volunteer with the Education and Curatorial departments and a regular presenter for the Museum’s Speakers’ Bureau community engagement program. He is an avid researcher in various maritime and military history topics.
Beyond Shackles: The Fight for Freedom
Presenter: Wisteria Perry, 11 am. Virtual Presentation.
By the mid-nineteenth century, not all African Americans were enslaved. Some were free, some were abolitionists and spies, and some were part of the Underground Railroad. Others became the first African Americans to contribute and serve aboard the US Navy’s first ironclad, the USS Monitor.
Guest Speaker Bio:
Wisteria Perry has worked in the Museum field for almost two and a half decades. Wisteria is in her fifteenth year with The Mariners' Museum and Park in Newport News, Virginia, and is the Associate Curator of Community Engagement. Wisteria spends most of her time researching the collection and creating unique programs and experiences for various audiences in fun and engaging ways. When not roaming the galleries, found buried deep within the Museum’s vast collection, or outside Museum walls engaging the community, one can find Wisteria cooking up tasty morsels (she has many co-workers who have volunteered to be "taste testers"), embroidering, planning her dream trip(s), or just trying to keep up with her niece and nephew.
Admission: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and veterans, $3 for students, and free for children ages three and under.
Blue Star Museum: All active-duty military personnel with ID and their families of up to five members get free admission.
Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to learn about this often-overlooked aspect of the Civil War!
If you have any questions, please email Rachel at rachel.kennedy@dncr.nc.gov.