NJ Pine Barrens Maritime-Culture-Landscape 1 1 2024

Howard I. Chapelle Biography
Chapelle was born on February 1, 1901. In 1936 he became the survey director as
the New England Works Progress Administration’s Historic American Merchant
Marine Survey (HAMMS). Here he documented the design and technical evolution of
vessel types by making measured drawings of existing vessels, ship models, and
builders' half models; by making a photographic record of significant vessels; and by
compiling written data of America’s maritime commercial and sailing vessels. In
Nautical Quarterly #40 Winter 1987 p 110
Author Peter Spectre
1957 he became Curator of the Division of Transportation at the National Museum of
History and Technology, The Smithsonian Institution and then transitioned to the role
of senior historian. Retiring in 1971 he was uniquely honored as the historian
emeritus. His book American Small Sailing Craft (1951) is considered a classic
among boat builders to this day. Howard I. Chapelle was author to numerous articles
and books on America’s maritime vessels and heritage
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