The Star Spangled Banner - Reedville Fishermen's Museum

Summer 2012
The Star Spangled Banner
O say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous
fight
O'er the ramparts we watch'd were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bomb bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there,
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream,
'Tis the star-spangled banner - O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto - "In God is our trust,"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
http://va1812bicentennial.dls.virginia.gov
www.pbs.org/wned/war-of-1812/historic-sites/chesapeaketheater
http://www.warof1812.net/
http://www.bing.com/images/search?
q=american+flag+over+ft.+mchenry+photo&id=47ABED5
CA17CC
As we approach Independence Day, a wonderful
celebration in Reedville and across the nation,
American flags are proudly displayed and
waved. 2012 marks the bicentennial of the penning
of The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott
Key as he watched the battle between the British
and Americans at Ft. McHenry in Baltimore.
America was engaged in a war whose
motto was "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights." The
declaration of war against Great Britain on June
18, 1812, was in response to their blockades of the
Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, boarding and
destruction of ships and goods, as well as the impressments
of thousands of merchant sailors. The
enemy captured Tangier Island, establishing a fort
there and made numerous incursions into the rivers
and towns of the Northern Neck. Ultimately,
America won the victory over the mighty British
forces.
If you live on or near the Chesapeake Bay,
you may be able to see the Tall Ships of Op-
Sail2012 sailing by. Celebrations of America's victory
are taking place from Norfolk to Baltimore
and beyond. Consider participating in some of
them!
This short war (2 1/2 years) impacted the
citizens of the U.S. in many ways not the least of
which was demonstrating the need for a better
trained navy and a professional army able to protect
America's trade, commerce and newly won
power. Numerous websites document the Bicentennial
of the War of 1812, visit a few and your
pride in America will swell. -JH

From the Pilothouse
Make the
Reedville
Fishermen’s
Museum
a Big Part
of Your
Summer
Plans!
To paraphrase that wonderful Gershwin song from Porgy and Bess—
Summertime and the living is busy! At least, that’s the way it is around the Museum.
As always, everything goes into high gear around here in early May and continues
through the end of the year. It’s wonderful to see the Museum grounds come
alive each spring with visitors, special educational groups, extra activity in the Boat
Shop and the Model Shop, and committees busy planning for all of the upcoming
events: the Antique and Classic Boat Show in September, the Oyster Roast in November,
and Christmas on Cockrell’s Creek in December.
Our summer exhibit, Views of the Chesapeake and More,
opened the first of May. It is an exhibit of maritime art, ranging from original paintings,
prints and photography covering the time period from the mid-19 th century to
the current day. This exhibit will be open until the end of October and gives another
perspective on our maritime heritage.
And who could ever forget Reedville’s very special Fourth of July celebrations
which this year will all take place the weekend after the fourth. The weekend’s
activities will start with the fireworks display on Friday evening, July 6 th . Saturday
will encompass the Firecracker 5K race and activities at the Museum, followed by
Reedville’s unique two-way July 4 th parade up and down Main Street. Activities
will wrap up on Sunday afternoon with a patriotic concert performed by the Festival
Halle Chorale at Festival Halle.
Summer is never complete without cruises on our skipjack the Claud W. Somers
and our buyboat, the Elva C. Both vessels will be taking visitors for fun and
educational trips starting in June. Just call the Museum office at 453-6529 for times.
There’s plenty to do. We welcome you at any and all of our activities!
Views of the Chesapeake
...And More
An Exhibition of
Art and Photography
At
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
1 May—31 Oct. 2012
Daily 10:30—4:30

FROM
THE PRESIDENT
event!
The Ladies of the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum sure know how to put on an
RFM’s 2012 Marsh Madness Gala was a tremendous success, with ticket
sales and auction netting over $25,000 for the Greater Reedville Association.
First off a shout out is in order for Susan Tipton. This was Susan’s second
year as the Chair of the benefit auction and the event could not have been better. Of
course, Susan knows how to muster up a good team and she was assisted by Maureen
Gillmer, Lynn Hower, Pam Wiseman, Susan Carter Hughes, Betty Mountjoy and Lila
Brent. I hope I didn’t forget anyone. Thank you for a job well done!
Elizabeth Miller and Marguerite Slaughter are two of the most creative women
I have ever met. Those of you who were at March Madness know what I am talking
about! If you that missed the event; be assured that words cannot describe the festive
decorations that were a result their imaginations and hard work. Thank you Elizabeth
and Marguerite!
Also a shout out is in order for all the other volunteers and donors that made
this a financially successful event. Your dedication and continued support of the
Greater Reedville Association is most appreciated and ensures our future success.
Finally, a special note of appreciation to Martha Tallent. Martha, what you do
for our organization is beyond words.
Thanks!
Keith

Greater Reedville Association
and
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
2012Board of Directors
Officers
President – Keith Dobson
Vice President – Monty Deihl
Secretary – Betty Mountjoy
Treasurer – Ted Hower
Directors
Blaine Altaffer
Bill Brent
Mason Brent
Gordon Burgess
Wayne Clarke
Dick Doyle
Gus Dunaway
Bob Gwaltney
Julie Pritchard
Walter Rogers
Director Emeritus
George Frayne
RFM Staff
Director – Katrina Lawrimore
Office Manager – Karen Rogers
Bookkeeper – Denise Munns
CONTACT RFM
Office: (804) 453-6529
FAX: (804) 453-7159
Email: office@rfmuseum.org
Website: www.rfmuseum.org
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 306, Reedville, VA 22539
Committees/Chairperson
Boat Collection – Dudley Biddlecomb
Boat Donations – Clif Ames
Boat Shop – Dick Doyle, Pete Kauneckas
Buildings & Grounds – Gordon Burgess
Claud Somers –
Curatorial – Donald George
Docents – Sue Lindsey & Katrina Lawrimore
Education – Betty Mountjoy
Elva C. – George Butler
Exhibits – Katrina Lawrimore
George Frayne
Gift Shop – Debby Fitzgerald
Landscape & Gardening – Chesapeake Bay
Garden Club
Model Shop – Bob Dillon
Starry Banner – Jeanne Hickey
Walker House – Nancy Banes
Webmaster – Paul Kimball

THE HAVEN
Occasionally the Boat Shop turns out a
product that is so special, so excellently
crafted that it needs to be brought to the
attention of our membership. The annual
Raffle Skiff, a lovely dead rise, is always a
boat worthy of applause. As she is trailered
from venue to venue in the pursuit of the
eternal sale of raffle tickets, she is seen and
appreciated by thousands in the Northern
Neck. Although she will be rightfully jealous
and some of her builders a bit miffed,
she gets more than her fair share of publicity
and does not need additional praise in
this issue of the Starry Banner. Instead, let
us consider
THE HAVEN. …..
Somewhere around the turn of the century
a group of wealthy New England yachters
who wished to have a small craft in which
their very privileged children would learn
the art of sailing, commissioned Nathanael
Herrshoff, one of the finest boat designers
in the history of American naval architecture.
The requirements for the boat were
that she be easily handled, yet imitate the
handling of a larger craft, be safe, strong
enough for rough water, and be beautiful to
look at. Herrschoff's completed sixteen
foot wooden sailboat became an overnight
classic; the standard by which all fine
small sailboats are measured.
Today there are several versions of his
original Herrschoff 12 1/2 and I believe the
designer himself would be very proud of
the one that is nearing completion at our
Boat Shop.
About five years ago a man called the RFM Boat
Shop to ask if we would be interested in a donation;
the moulds and plans for a Haven 12 ½. He
wanted his life and his wife back! The version
he wished to donate was slightly modified from
the original in that The Haven has a centerboard
that runs through an abbreviated keel rather than
a full keel. In this way the Haven is able to ply
shallow waters. The Haven had neither local
history nor connection to our area, but it was
universally known and appreciated and it is a
perfect example of brilliant design, so RFM accepted
the donation and the challenge.
FIVE YEARS….is what it has taken to get her
ready to leave our shop. Five years of study,
painstaking craftsmanship, fitting and refitting.
There are a few small boats more complicated to
build, but a very few. There have been many
hands on the Haven but the unqualified leader of
construction has been Dave Abbott. Dave, and
his right hand Peter Dunlop, as well as left hand
Tom Friel, have all applied energy, skill and persistence
to achieve this remarkable goal. They
took slabs of juniper, rough mahogany, white
oak boards, chunks of lead, hundreds of bronze
screws and nails and turned them into a piece of
art.
She is stunning,! She is magnificent! She will
take your breath away! She may now be admired
on the Pavilion of our museum! Come and see
the Abbott, Dunlop, Friel Haven before some
lucky collector responds to our ads for her sale
and takes her home.

Dreams Can Come True
for Adventurous RFM Members!
Only 5 Berths Left!
The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race
"Racing to Save the Bay"
October 10-16, 2012
Baltimore to Portsmouth and home to Reedville
Aboard The Mystic Whaler
$900 per person
Contact 800-697-8420 or email
info@mysticwhaler.com
(More details in the Spring 2012 edition
of Starry Banner).
Cocktails on the Creek
Fridays 5:30—7:00 pm
RFM
All Members and Guests Welcome
Hosts Needed
$1.00 donation requested
BYOB and Bring an Hors D’oeuvre

HELP WANTED!
Be the Face of Our Museum
Like meeting new people and sharing with
them the wonders of living in the Northern
Neck?
As a docent you will greet our visitors,
introduce them to the Museum and make
them feel at home.
You will also be helping out in the gift
shop.
Docent hours are 3 hours longmornings
10:30-1:30
or afternoons 1:30-4:30.
Don’t worry, we will train you on everything
you need to know.
Trimmers and Cutters
Wondering how you can help? We have a
new John Deere tractor waiting for drivers!
If you prefer the artistry of hedge trimming,
bring your own clippers and start sculpting!
CALLING ALL GARDENERS !
JOIN US TO KEEP
THE RFM GARDENS TENDED
The Chesapeake Bay Garden Club has been the main
source of labor for the gardens at the museum for many
years. As the years go by, the number of gardens has increased
but unfortunately the number of gardeners has
not. Consequently we are asking RFM members to join
us in our efforts to keep the museum gardens tended.
We gather once a month to plant, weed and water.; usually
the 4 th week on Wednesday or Thursday around
8AM to avoid heat in the summer. As the saying goes,
many hands make light work, and we could really use
some additional hands. Please contact Joy Young at 580-
8042
Hosts for Cocktails on the Creek
Sign up on Friday evenings or call RFM office

2012
Reedville
Independence Day Celebration
**Friday, July 6**
Fireworks Extravaganza
9:00P.M. Visible over Cockrells Creek
Fairfields Volunteer Fire Department Fireworks Cruise
7P.M. – 10P.M. Tickets available through Fire Dept.
Firecracker 5K
Festival Halle
6:45A.M. Registration / 8 A.M. Start
**Saturday, July 7**
Independence Day Parade
www.reedvillerun.org
Kid’s Events begin at 10:30 A.M.
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
Down Main Street
3:00 P.M.
Fun Old-Fashioned Games Build A Boat Kid’s Pie Eating Contest
Fire Truck Hose Down Tattoos & Face Painting
Bake Sale Hot Dogs Hamburgers Sodas
Artist’s Arena Craft Fair & Vendors
Bethany Campus 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Boat Display at R.F.M. Pier
**Sunday, July 8**
Patriotic Music Performance
Festival Halle 3:00 P.M.
For More Info. Please Visit—www.rfmuseum.org

Boat Donations and Sales Program
Please Consider Donating Your Boat to the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
Replace the unpleasant prospect of marketing your boat with the gratifying knowledge that the gift will work for you
and your community by strengthening the educational and preservation programs of the museum.
The RFM is a fully certified not-for-profit organization under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is
funded by gifts and grants from its supporters. A form of support that appeals particularly to some is the donation of
a boat to the museum. Such "in-kind" contributions may offer the donor the advantages of an income tax deduction
for the market value of the boat. A donation demands much less of the donor's time and emotions than the usual
brokerage procedure. All types of boats - traditional or modern, work or pleasure, sail or power, wood or other material
- are eligible for this program.
The process is relatively simple, involving the exchange of ownership documents and a contract of acceptance. The
donated boat will be sold through normal channels or at auction. Proceeds will be used for museum operation or endowment.
Boats that are particular examples of traditional designs may be retained in the collection if the limited resources of
the Museum are sufficient to maintain them in proper fashion. The Museum retains the right to decline a gift if, in its
opinion, the condition of the boat is such that a buyer cannot be located with a reasonable effort.
Boats Currently For Sale
• 1985 Bayliner 18 foot Capri 2.1 liter Volvo I/O with trailer. Asking…..$2,000
• 1971 Windjammer 17 foot fiberglass sailboat and 1997 Venture trailer. Asking ...... $1,600
• 1985 Mistral Equipe windsurfer. Asking…..$300
• 1992 Yamaha jetski with trailer. Asking……….$300.
• 1934 Hartge built Chesapeake 20’ Sail boat and trailer, glass over wood. Asking..... $4,000
• 1990 21' Sunbird fiberglass O/B 200 HP Johnson, good condition. Asking…… $2700
• 1971 20 foot Highlander Sailboat and 1998 Venture Trailer. Asking…. $2700
• 1982 22’ Catalina sailboat with 8 HP Honda 4 stroke O/B…..Asking.... $4,500
• 1997 14' JY Daysailer with roller furl jib and launching dolly……..Asking….. $1200.
Listings subject to change.
If interested, please contact
Committee Chairman Clif Ames through the RFM
Coming September 8—RFM ANTIQUE BOAT SHOW
Can’t wait? Take a day trip to the Norfolk waterfront to visit the new exhibit at
NAUTICUS— www.nauticus.org

2012 Lecture Series
If success is measured by fascinating and useful information shared and camaraderie,
then the 2012 RFM Lecture Series was quite a success! The season
kicked off with Barney Barnham’s intimate discussion of his Medal of Honor
award and what it means to be a Marine serving our country. WRAR’s Jon Stallard
followed with a very personal discussion of Robert E. Lee; the side of
Robert E. you normally don’t hear! Our next guest was Richard Schwartz, an
avid researcher of Hurricanes. According to this expert, we had better be preparing
for the 57 year catastrophic hurricane that he anticipates very soon. (Pick
up his extensive and extremely informative book at the RFM Gift Shop for more
details.) We concluded our series with my personal favorite – Remembering
Reedville – A Salute to the Women.
It was great fun and very interesting to learn about life in Fairport, Fleeton and
Reedville from the early 1900’s through the 1960’s from the perspective of
women who grew up here on the Northern Neck. Those in attendance were
sworn to secrecy, but a dvd of this presentation may soon be on loan from the
Museum.
I plan on continuing the lecture series, but need your help in finding fabulous
lecturers, programs, and topics for the 2013 series. I hope to hear from you
soon!
- Betty Mountjoy
Do have some remembrances you would like to share about an interesting
character in or around Reedville? Have you recently read a good historical
or nautical book about Reedville, the Bay or the fishing industry in our area?
We are looking for writers! If you have an essay, poem, song, or story that
would be appropriate for The Starry Banner, please submit it to
jeanne@smithpointmarina.com. Thanks!

RFM
Annual Oyster Roast
If you like to interact with lots of people, hear good
music, and, love to eat...especially roasted or raw
oysters, then this is the event to volunteer for! The
fun-filled fall fundraiser requires over 150 volunteers
to be successful. Some jobs require a few hours and
others, many, but all are volunteers are appreciated!
(Please understand that all volunteers who expect to
eat, must buy a ticket and should do so early on as
tickets sell out fast.)
Carol Towne, who did a terrific job of organizing and
chairing this important event, has passed the baton to
long-time volunteer, Betty Mountjoy. If you are
ready, willing, and able to help Betty make this the
best RFM Oyster Roast ever, please call the Museum
office (453-6529) and leave your contact information.

July 8 Concert—Reedville Festival
Chorale
RFM CONCERTS
RFM CONCERTS
Calico Jack
Sunday, June 24 th at 6:00 PM
Janie Meneely and Paul DeBlasi, the popular and dynamic folk duo from
Annapolis, return. Their music celebrates the maritime history, characters,
and traditions of the Chesapeake Bay.
Pint and Dale
Saturday, July 21 st at 6:00 PM
Returning artists William Pint and Felicia Dale are known primarily for
nautical music and sea shanties. They are among the best-known performers
in that genre in the United States. Their instruments include the
hurdy-gurdy, guitar, mandolin, and whistles.
Cousins
Sunday, August 26 th at 6:00 PM
Mac Walter and John Cronin play folk, jazz, country, and blues, with an
amazing acoustic finger style. They perform often in the Baltimore/
Annapolis/Washington area.
(GOOGLE these artists to see what a treat you are in for!)
Picnic on the lawn… or sit under the pavilion
to enjoy this FUN concert series!
ALL CONCERTS
6:00-8:00 PM
A $5.00 donation is requested.
For information, call 804-453-3004, or visit rfmuseum.org
June 29, 30 & July 1 Family Boat Building -
RFM
8:30am-4:30pm
July 6 FIREWORKS !!!! - 9:15pm-
10:00pm
July 7 5K Run - Begins at Festival
Halle alle
4th of July Parade & Festivities
8:00am-10:00am
3:00pm
3:00pm
July 21 Concert—Pint and Dale 6:00pm
August 26 Concert - Cousins 6:00 pm
September 8 Antique Boat Show, RFM 9:00am - 4:00pm
November 10, 2012 Oyster Roast - RFM 2:00pm-5:00pm
(RFM Closed) Winter Market Festival
Halle
December 8-9,
2012
Christmas on Cockrell's
Creek
December 24-25 RFM Closed –Christmas
9:00am - 2:00pm
10:00am-5:00pm
11:00 –4:00pm
December 31 New Year’s Eve 10:30-12:00

Presorted
Non-Profit U.S. Postage
Paid Permit No. 6
Reedville VA 22539
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Greater Reedville Association
Reedville Fishermen’s Museum
P.O. Box 306
Reedville VA 22539
To check Operation Schedule of RFM, go to
www.rfmuseum.org
RFM will be open daily May 5-October 31
From November 2—December 30, RFM will be open
Fri-Sun.
The RFM Office is open Mon-Fri.