Rededication of Essex Shipbuilding Museum’s A.D. Story Shipyard, September 20th

September 10, 2008

When: Saturday, September 20th, 2008, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Essex Shipbuilding Museum, 66 Main Street, Essex

The North Shore of Massachusetts has a rich maritime heritage. From Newburyport to Essex and Salem, some of the finest clipper ships in the world were built and launched in the waters and rivers that surround us.

The Essex Shipbuilding Museum, which maintains one of the best maritime collections in the region, tells the extraordinary story of Essex, Massachusetts, small New England village that built more two-masted wooden fishing schooners than any other place in the world.

The museum helps preserve the history of the wooden shipbuilding industry, an integral part of the economy and culture in New England and the United States since the 1630s.

In the early 1990’s, the Essex Shipbuilding Museum purchased the site of the A.D. Story Shipyard where shipbuilding had flourished for over 300 years. This historic site is where the Story family operated its shipyards from 1813 to the end of World War II. The yard is still active and showcases machines, tools, materials and boats.

For the past several years access to the shipyard has been limited due to contaminants discovered in the soil as a result of centuries of shipbuilding. During this past winter and spring, the shipyard went through a comprehensive remediation program to meet stringent EPA standards.

Over the summer, the museum embarked on a comprehensive program to enhance and improve the grounds, signage, and access to exhibits, both old and new.

On Saturday, September 20, 2008 Essex Shipbuilding Museum will rededicate A.D. Story Shipyard. The rededication will celebrate the re-opening of the shipyard, its exhibits, and honor those who have given so generously of their time over the past several years.

Tours will take place throughout the day, great food will be available, as well as terrific music.
Here is the schedule of events: