update

This Sunday: Custom House Marks 175th Anniversary of the US Supreme Court Decision that Set the Amistad Africans Free

Join NLMS head docent Bill LaRoue and guest art historian Laura Macaluso for talks and presentations this Sunday, March 6^th at 2pm at the Custom House Maritime Museum. The event is FREE for NLMS members and is included with the $7 museum admission for all others.

The presentation will include an overview of the Amistad story and a look at Amistad-inspired artwork created over the course of 175 years.

Ms. Macaluso’s new book, Art of the Amistad and the Portrait of Cinque will be published later this month, and she will share examples of murals, paintings, prints and quilts, demonstrating the enduring appeal and cultural importance of the Amistad story to generations of Americans–and beyond.
For more information, visit the New London Maritime Society’s webpage.

One of six murals by Hale Woodruff in a series called Rising Up, depicting the trial that followed the uprising on the Amistad and commissioned in 1938 to commemorate the 1867 founding of Talladega College and “celebrate its success as one of the nation’s first all-black colleges.” The murals portray “heroic efforts to resist slavery as well as moments in the history of the college, which opened in 1867 to serve the educational needs of a new population of freed slaves.” — One of six murals by Hale Woodruff in a series called *Rising Up*, depicting the trial that followed the uprising on the *Amistad* and commissioned in 1938 to commemorate the 1867 founding of Talladega College and “celebrate its success as one of the nation’s first all-black colleges.” The murals portray “heroic efforts to resist slavery as well as moments in the history of the college, which opened in 1867 to serve the educational needs of a new population of freed slaves.”

–from the blog U.S. Slave

Help Celebrate New London Landmarks’ 40th Anniversary

New London Landmarks’ 40^th Anniversary/Annual Meeting is March 24^th. Visit their website to learn all about their current work and the great program they’ll have on the 24^th from 6-8 p.m at the Harris Building Atrium, 165 State Street, New London.

Admission is FREE, and non-members are welcome.

The mission of NLL is to promote the preservation and development of the urban environment of New London, Connecticut, including significant individual structures, streetscapes, neighborhoods, and open spaces.

This year’s Annual Meeting features Wick York, Sharon Churchill and Dale Plummer, who will share history and stories about New London Landmarks since its 1976 origins with Union Station Railroad Trust. A special nod will be given to former board directors and awards will be presented to:

Restoration Award – Michaela Ionescu, 16 Tilley Street
Volunteer Award – Don Presley
Clifford Stone Award – Flock Theatre

Click here to RSVP.

We’re Incorporated!

The Thames River Heritage Park Foundation, which is what the new non-profit entity will be called, received its certificate of incorporation this week, bringing it one step closer to 501 c 3 (tax-exempt) status.

You can read the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation here.

We’ll keep you posted on the next steps, including the appointment of the new Board of Directors and the upcoming presentation to heritage sites and municipalities within the Park so they can better understand how we can all work together for the benefit of individual organizations, residents, and the thousands (dare we say hundreds of thousands?) of visitors who will now be taking advantage of all that the Heritage Park area has to offer.

Take a look at what’s happening on Fishers Island Sound!

Okay, here’s something really cool.

I think it’s the only one currently operating nearby, and it is UCONN’s live “Lighthouse Cam” at Avery Point, mounted on top of the Marine Sciences building and looking out at Ledge Light, Race Rock Light, and over to New London Harbor and the Thames River. You can adjust the camera to look where you want (just wait your turn in the queue if someone else is messing around with it before you).

See what’s happening out on the water. It was great during last week’s storm! Watch out for seagulls . . .

Transition Team discusses finances, incorporation, and its upcoming conference

The Transition Team as a whole met Wednesday, January 27^th, in the conference room at the always-picturesque Fort Trumbull State Park, and were joined by guests Judy Benson reporting for the Day and Jeff Harris from the Port Authority of New London. Jeff wanted us to understand his role and hear that the Port Authority and the New London Maritime Festival were highly enthusiastic about the Thames River Heritage Park. He urged the team to continue furthering relations with the Port Authority dock master in order to make sure that the future water taxi initiative ran smoothly and in coordination with all other waterfront events and activities.

The Finance Committee gave a brief report on current funding, and reported that the Transition Team has a cash balance of $33,497.40. The water taxi marine survey is currently being conducted. The Finance Committee will have a budget and fundraising plan by February.

We’ve spent about $12,000 of our original funds and are planning to send an invoice to the state for reimbursement. As you may recall from previous posts, the State has approved $100,000 per year for two years to offset the costs of boat operation.

Proposals for water taxi operations are due mid-February and we expect to receive several proposals from very well-qualified companies, both in Connecticut and out of state.

The Team also discussed different office space options as presented by the subcommittee in charge of this issue.

The Team reviewed the draft Certificate of Incorporation, and voted to file it as soon as possible, pending some small changes to wording. At next month’s meeting the Bylaws will be reviewed and hopefully approved, so they can be submitted as well.

Chair Chris Cox and Penny Parsekian discussed the upcoming “Benefits and Opportunities” conference that TRHP is sponsoring at the Garde Theatre’s Oasis Room on March 31^st. We’ll be posting more about it here and on Facebook, and invitations will be sent out to all representatives and Boards of parks, host communities and state agencies involved in the Park. Guest speakers will include Alan Plattus, lead for the Yale Design Workshop’s Park Plan. Mr Plattus will review the plan and explain to all attendees how we hope that collaboration between all parties will benefit the region from a tourism, education and economic standpoint. The event will also be videotaped by Atlantic Broadband. Please watch here for more details as the date draws near.

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