Maritime museum in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie Maritime Museum
is a
maritime museum
located on
Presque Isle Bay
which rests on the waterfront in downtown
Erie, Pennsylvania
. It is managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (
PHMC
).
[1]
When it opened its doors on May 21, 1998, it became the first new Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission-affiliated museum in twenty years.
[2]
Alongside its extensive indoor exhibits, it serves as the homeport for the
US Brig
Niagara
, a modern recreation of the 1813-
US Brig
Niagara
which served as
Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry
's relief
flagship
during the
Battle of Lake Erie
. While the museum focuses on the War of 1812 in the "frontier", it is designed to celebrate Erie's rich maritime heritage.
Administration
[
edit
]
The Erie Maritime Museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is partnered with the Flagship Niagara League, a 501(c) non-profit, educational associate which is chartered by the PHMC to facilitate the brig
Niagara
.
[3]
History of the building
[
edit
]
The Erie Maritime Museum is housed inside the former Penelec Front Street Station. From 1917 until the 1980s, the building was used to generate Erie, Pennsylvania's electricity and steam heat.
[2]
Inside were five coal-fired steam generators. Remnants of Penelec's presence on the property can be found to this day. Visitors to the museum can view the original smoke stack which rests to the west of the parking lot. Additionally, once inside, guests are able to view a
General Electric
steam-powered generator and the station's original crane, which still works today.
[4]
When Penelec decided to shut down their Front Street operation, the goal was to tear down the structure. Plans changed after local officials convinced Penelec to save the building for future use.
[2]
When the current version of the US Brig
Niagara
was completed in 1990, it needed a new home. In 1993,
Niagara
was berthed at the end of Holland Street, just to the east of its current location.
[2]
Finally, in 1997 the Erie Maritime Museum began constructing its exhibits and displays.
[2]
In May 1998,
Niagara
was moved to her current home and the Erie Maritime Museum opened its doors.
Permanent exhibits
[
edit
]
The Live Fire section of the brig
Lawrence
illustrates damage from various types of 19th-century naval artillery
The museum offers a wide range of multimedia and interactive exhibits coupled with interpretive programs that illustrate the region's maritime heritage. When in homeport, the
Niagara
herself is the major "exhibit". Berthed within yards of the museum,
Niagara
is visible from the building's bay side picture window. The present-day
Niagara
is a sail training vessel, meaning she is not always present at the museum for deck tours. Oftentimes during the warmer months, she can be found in ports across the Great Lakes.
Indoor exhibits
[
edit
]
Former
General Electric
steam-powered electricity
generating station
from the Pennsylvania Electric Company's Front Street station.
[4]
Julian Oliver Davidon's
epic painting of the
Battle of Lake Erie
is on display on the main floor. The 54-by-102-inch (1,400 mm × 2,600 mm) masterpiece focuses on the climax of the Battle of Lake Erie. Painted from 1885?87, the artwork captures the Brig Niagara, "
Crossing the T
" and opening fire on both
HMS
Detroit
and
Queen Charlotte
thereby leading to the British surrender at Put-In-Bay, the first time in world history that an entire British squadron surrendered to their enemy.
[5]
[6]
The
Battle of Lake Erie
exhibit covers a thematic background, featuring information about the issues behind the
War of 1812
, size differences between the American, British, and Canadian forces, Uniforms, and why Erie, Pennsylvania was chosen for building the American Great Lakes fleet.
[7]
Located on the main floor, this exhibit depicts the gun deck of the brig
Lawrence
.
The centerpiece exhibit on the first floor of the museum features a reconstruction of the
midships
section of
USS
Lawrence
. The replicated
Lawrence
, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's first flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie, comes complete with
mast
,
spars
and rigging to foster hands-on learning in the ways of sail handling. Another display is the adjoining section of the
Lawrence'
replica that has been blasted with live ammunition from the current
Niagara
'
s own
carronades
at the National Guard training facility in
Fort Indiantown Gap
, near
Harrisburg
. This "live fire" exhibit of
Lawrence
recreates the carnage inflicted upon both ships and men during the Battle of Lake Erie and throughout the Age of Fighting Sail.
[7]
Fighting Sail
presents a life size upper-portion of a working mast taken directly from the current iteration of
Niagara
shortly after the Museum's opening in May 1998
.
This exhibit focuses on the construction of wooden sailing vessels, shipboard life, 19th Century Navy medicine, a gun deck recreation from
Lawrence
, shipbuilding tools, knots, and more.
[8]
On the second floor of the museum is an exhibit dedicated to the crew and officers of
USS
Wolverine
(formerly USS
Michigan
), the United States Navy's first iron-hulled warship and 19th-20th century Navy.
[9]
The ship's original prow serves as the exhibit's centerpiece, and includes models of the vessel, armament, uniforms, and personal articles.
Other exhibits inside the museum include: Model Making, Lighthouses and Lifesaving in Erie, Lake Erie Fishing Industry, Joe Divell's Lake Diving,
Maritime Archaeology
, US Brig Niagara Reconstruction, etc.
Location
[
edit
]
The museum, which adjoins the Raymond Blasco Erie County Library, is located at 150 East Front St.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission"
.
PHMC.gov
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Magoc, Chris J. (2001).
Erie Maritime Museum and U.S. Brig Niagara
. Stackpole Books & Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. p. 33.
ISBN
0-811727564
.
- ^
"About the Erie Maritime Museum"
.
Flagship Niagara League
. Archived from
the original
on February 17, 2019
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
"General Electric Exhibit"
.
Flagship Niagara League
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
- ^
Bloom, Loren (2008).
"Information about the epic battle painting by Julian O. Davidson"
.
The Battle of Lake Erie:
Julian Oliver Davidson
's Painting
. Erie Maritime Museum
. Retrieved
August 25,
2011
.
- ^
Curtis., Skaggs, David (2006).
Oliver Hazard Perry : honor, courage, and patriotism in the early U.S. Navy
. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press.
ISBN
1591147921
.
OCLC
70122382
.
{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link
)
- ^
a
b
"Battle of Lake Erie Exhibit"
.
Flagship Niagara League
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
- ^
"Fighting Sail!"
.
Flagship Niagara League
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
- ^
"USS Wolverine"
.
Flagship Niagara League
. Retrieved
February 16,
2019
.
External links
[
edit
]
42°08′12″N
80°05′12″W
/
42.1366°N 80.0867°W
/
42.1366; -80.0867