Maritime History

Leffingwell House Museum invites you to Midsummer Maritime History Day on Saturday, August 8, 11-3pm, $8. We will have a special display, from our Archives, of two actual accounts of Whaling voyages written by Thomas Crocker-Blacksmith and John Perkins-seaman, both men from Norwich. You will see a 4 language sea document used in 1812 on the ship Amazon out of Salem MA. In addition, visitors can speak with Mary Brewster, wife of the captain of the Whaling ship Tiger, who went a-whaling with her husband in 1845 on the same voyage as John Perkins! Learn about her life aboard ship, as recorded in her journal during the voyage. Discover what happened to seaman John Perkins?? Thomas Crocker will tell you about his voyage a-whaling and the role of a blacksmith on a whaling ship. Learn about Sea Shanties and their role aboard ship with Gretchen, who will sing a few shanties for you. Watch blacksmith Scott Weeks of Hickory Forge work metal and talk with Jon the native Trader about the role Native Americans played in the revolution! The US Naval Landing Party will be on site with information about Naval history! Men from CT went down to the sea, as did some courageous women!
Come ....immerse yourself in History at the Leffingwell.