<![CDATA[THE WHALING MUSEUM - Blog]]>Tue, 12 May 2026 22:05:03 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[On This Day in 1857: A Whaling Ship Makes History]]>Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/on-this-day-in-1857-a-whaling-ship-makes-history​By Casey Nyvall
PR & Collections Intern
A watercolor of the whaling brig Richmond sailing a choppy Bering Sea. Land and ice are visible, the ship is about to sail into the ice.
Framed watercolor of the Richmond moments from disaster. E. F. Tufnell.
The Richmond was one of many whaling ships in Cold Spring Harbor’s fleet that set out to search the sea for great, majestic whales. The fleet consisted of nine vessels which sailed between 1837 and 1862. The Alice (six voyages), Edgar (one voyage), Huntsville (five voyages), Monmouth (twelve voyages), Nathaniel P. Tallmadge (four voyages), Richmond (two voyages), Sheffield* (three voyages), Splendid (five voyages), and Tuscarora* (six voyages). Not bad for a company of community investors! But don't be fooled; the Richmond was unlike the rest of the fleet. Behind the Richmond’s stately name lies a tale unpredictable as the ocean waves—a couple separated by miles of ocean, a shipwreck, and even a court battle!
Philander Winters was captain of the Richmond. With a name that distinct, who could forget him? Definitely not his wife Martha, who stayed on shore, dealing with her own struggles far away. Be sure to check back for our March post, which will dive deeper into Martha’s story! But for now, back to her husband. He relied on his first officer Henry Robinson to keep track of daily occurrences on the Richmond, chronicling the progress of the voyage and the crews’ daily lives at sea. The logbook was even used as evidence in the court trial!
The prospect of an easy hunt and holds filled with valuable oil and bone lured many captains into the Bering Sea. At the time when the Richmond was sailing these waters, the whales of the region did not yet fear the whaler. To quote many a thrilled captain, the "whales are plentiful." The Bering Seas had only been opened to American whalers by Captain Thomas Welcome Roys a season before the Richmond's​ ill-fated voyage.
Framed print, right whaling in Behring Straits & Arctic Ocean. Made from an original attributed to Benjamin Russell. In this image you can see whaling vessels at various stages of pursuing and processing the whale.
Framed print, right whaling in Behring Straits & Arctic Ocean. Made from an original attributed to Benjamin Russell. In this image you can see whaling vessels at various stages of pursuing and processing the whale.
Bathsheba Demuth, author of Floating Coasts: An Environmental History of the Bering Strait, writes of floating coasts of gelatinous ice. “Each winter, cold hardens the sea… Ice crystals form, skimming the ocean’s surface when the temperature drops… As the cold deepens, icy crystals intertwine into a greasy film, thicken, and become slush. Sometimes, ocean swells ball the slush into lily pads of ice. Sometimes the young ice rolls over the ocean’s surface like an oil slick, still carrying enough brine to be elastic. Sheets of slushy ice slide and adhere to each other on the waves… It was these formations that Yankee captains feared: the slurry hardening around their hulls, then turning solid and opaque. Slabs of yearling ice will build four, five, six feet thick between October and May, hundreds of miles of sea covered over by a suspended coastline." Whaling in the Bering and Arctic seas was full of danger, storms, ice flows, fog. “[F]or a copper-plated, wood-hulled sailing vessel, the ice was treacherous. In a night, a rime could grow over the ocean and clog the rudder. In a day, solid ice rumbled toward ships on wind and currents… Sailors looked out onto ice hidden in April fog, or late-summer gales bearing icebergs able to pierce their vessels.”
In very poor weather conditions, sailors relied on a technique called dead reckoning. Navigators used the vessel’s last known coordinates and speed to chart a course forward. This method was used frequently in the Arctic Whaling Grounds. In 1849, the Richmond sailed into a dense fog in the Bering Strait, forcing Winters to rely on dead reckoning. While the ship wrecked on a reef, no one was hurt. Though that alone might sound news-worthy, the story doesn't end there. It begins! 
As the ship was in no state to keep on its voyage, Winters signaled to surrounding ships for help. According to the Steamship Historical Society of America:
“Flag signals became the principal means of naval communications by the early 18th century. Flying the national ensign upside down is an internationally recognized distress signal. At night, flares can signal distress. A blue flare, which is often hand-held, signals that a vessel requests a pilot.” 
The captains of the nearby vessels saw. They agreed to rescue Winters and his crew if he sold them the Richmond’s cargo in return. Winters took the deal, and the captains purchased the cargo before bringing the crewmembers aboard to safety. However, the captains then sold the cargo among various ships. 
Years after the shipwreck, John H. Jones, co-founder of the Cold Spring Whaling Company, sued the captains (one of whom was named William Post). He claimed the deal struck between Winters and the captains was not valid. By law, contracts (the terms of a deal) are valid only if both the creator and the person who accepts the contract are on equal footing—the person who accepts the contract’s terms must do so of their own free will. There can be no coercion involved. In simpler words, there can be no circumstances that force the acceptee into the deal. Jones argued that Winters was cornered into selling the cargo, because his only other option was to remain stranded with his crew on a wrecked ship as part of an unfinished voyage. His side made the case the captains should have salvaged the cargo, rescuing Winters and his crew while accepting some compensation. This would have left the Cold Spring Whaling Company with more money from the cargo, with the captains making less of a profit than they actually did. 
An image of a scan from the log of the Richmond. These pages record the hazardous weather conditions and the final decisions made by the Captain and Crew before they ran aground in the Bering Strait.
Final entry from the Log of the Richmond. These pages record the weather conditions and final decisions made by the Captain and Crew before they ran aground in the Bering Strait.
This final entry, written in another hand, suggests that the log was admitted as evidence during one of the early cases. It reads: Referred to by Cha- H. Reeves as an (illegible). 17 & 18 Sept. 1850. Two signatures follow this entry.
This final entry, written in another hand, suggests that the log was admitted as evidence during one of the early cases.
The case went to district court, the first level of federal courts, also known as the level which handles trials. Unfortunately for Jones and the company, the judge ruled in favor of the captains, represented by William Post. The case Post v Jones was closed. It had an unhappy ending for the Cold Spring Whaling Company …Or so it would seem! Jones would not give up. He appealed, asking the courts to re-examine the case. He believed during a second trial, a judge would see he was right. The appeal meant bringing the case up to circuit court, the next-highest level of the tiered court system. Circuit courts deal particularly with appeals, going over cases another time in search of legal mistakes that might have led to the district court ruling. If they find mistakes, they change the ruling! If not, they leave the decision as it was. Jones must have been nervous waiting for the results of his second chance.​
This time the judge and jury ruled in his favor instead, asserting the contract between Winters and Post was not valid, and that Post, along with the rest of the captains, only had the right to salvage the Richmond. Jones was ready to close the case once and for all! But now Post was unsatisfied. Post appealed the case this time, and in doing so brought the case to the Supreme Court. Whatever this court decided, it would be the most definitive ruling yet.
On January 28th, 1857, after hearing the case and deliberating, the Supreme Court justices made their decision. They held the previous ruling, but specified that Post and the other captains were entitled to half of the money made off the cargo. Jones was still content, having been proved right, and Post and the other captains were compensated for their trouble. This ship’s story proves even unsuspecting people can end up impacting our nation’s history. The Richmond was truly a notable addition to the Cold Spring whaling fleet! 
​
*The Tuscarora was named after an Indigenous American tribe, known for their hunting skills and medicinal hemp. 
*There was a mystery surrounding the Sheffield, solved in this post! 
Sources: 
]]><![CDATA[A Sick Sea Turtle]]>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/a-sick-sea-turtleBy Baylee Browning
Collections & Exhibits Associate
An image of the Whaling Museum's taxidermy Hawksbill Sea Turtle. In this image you can clearly see the dangling beak. Skull bone is visible behind this.
A taxidermy Hawksbill Sea Turtle. Over the summer our education team noticed that the beak was falling off! These things can happen, this taxidermy is at least fifty five years old!
Hello, my name is Baylee. I am the Collections and Exhibits Associate here at the Whaling Museum. Museums are stewards of our collective history, and many of our stories are shared through artifacts in exhibits and educational programming. My job is to take care of all of the old stuff in the museum because I want them to last for a very long time. Did you know that only a very small percentage of our collections and archives are on display?!  We have a lot of objects in our collection, from whaling tools to works of art. We only have one taxidermy, have you seen it? This is a Hawksbill Turtle. Hawksbill Turtles are a tropical species with a distinctive hooked beak especially designed to help them eat their favorite snack, sea sponges! This species was put on the ESA endangered species list in 1970 because they were hunted for their beautiful shells.
This taxidermy was donated to the museum in 2016, it has been greeting visitors from its net ever since. Over the summer our education team noticed that the turtle's beak was coming loose. In order to care for the turtle we reached out to Rachael Arenstein, a conservator who specializes in taxidermy pieces.
Conservators Rachael and Anne working on the Museum's taxidermy turtle. There was a lot of debris in the head, where most of the insect activity had been concentrated. Here the team is using cotton swaps to gently clean the remaining debris after a more thorough cleaning with picks and tweezers.
Rachael and Anne working on the Museum's taxidermy turtle. There was a lot of debris in the head, so they used tweezers, quills, and cotton swabs to gently clean it away.
​In September Rachael and her coworker Anne King came to give the turtle a check up and stabilize it for display. The Whaling Museum’s collections team was present as well. Working like a team in the operating room, the four of us removed the turtle from the net and placed it shell side up on an “operating” table. Rachael and Anne were able to see something we could not from the ground. Our poor turtle was infested with a destructive ​museum pest!
Debris pulled from the head cavity and the tools used to do it. These tools are a special quill pick and household tweezers.
Debris pulled from the head cavity.
Thankfully the infestation was old. Rachael and Anne, working carefully with brushes and tweezers, discovered that the beak had come loose because the soft tissues and keratinous material had been eaten away by these hungry critters. After examining some insect casings found in our turtle’s head the conservation team determined that the culprit was likely the Varied Carpet Beetle, a common house and museum pest. This beetle belongs to the Dermestidae family, which gets its name from their snacking habits. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the name derives from Greek dermestes (skin eater) and edmenai (to eat). As they grow, these skin eating beetles feast on organic materials from fibers to soft tissues, making them a serious threat to many museum collections, not just taxidermy specimens. Thankfully for our turtle, the beetles living within the shell had died long ago. Unfortunately they left quite the trail in their wake.
Debris pulled from the head cavity.
Debris pulled from the head cavity.
An image of the varied carpet beetle, a common and dangerous pest for museum collections. This beetle is so small that they can be difficult to see. When fully grown they are round with mottled black, white, and brown bodies.
The varied carpet beetle, a common household insect and the likely culprit for the damage done to the turtle's beak.
An info graph showing the wear and damage identified by the conservators. Items of concern included an unstable beak, insect boring and debris, lifting shell plates, and dust.I wasn't feeling my best. Take a look at my medical assessment.



​Our turtle was not looking its best. The conservation team found other points of concern. In addition to the loose beak, they found:
"A substantial amount of frass, larval casings and debris around the head, flippers, legs and tail with boring along the edge and in some cases through the shell… [T]here was no sign of live activity. Additionally frass lacquered to the ventral surface of the shell suggests that the specimen was infested at the time of preparation. The extensive pest damage to the turtle’s head destabilized the beak with cracks and breaks at several points… Several shell plates were lifting and there was minor damage to the proper right flipper. The dorsal side of the specimen was dusty and grimy with packing tape residue across the shell."
​
Our turtle got a full work up and emergency stabilization. This means that the turtle was stabilized so it could safely go back on display, but in the future more work will need to be done. Displaying objects for long periods of time risks exposing them to levels of humidity, light, pollutants, and pests that can cause more damage over time. The conservators used hand-held vacuums and brushes to clean the frass from the shell and crevices. Conservators are the chemists of the museum world. They used special chemicals to safely remove grime and residue, and to adhere loose bits back to our turtle. Rachael even had a special color pallet she used to blend and hide the repairs. She did such a good job that, if I didn’t know where to look, I would not be able to see the repairs at all!
As a small museum we do not have a conservator on staff or extensive professional training in conservation. Working together with professionals like Rachael and Anne provides us with great insight into what to look for in preserving and conserving the artifacts we care for. Professional conservation consultants also assist us in other ways, such as conducting assessments and providing reports to advise staff and support us in getting grants to support important initiatives. For example, with support from Rachael the museum received a grant for conservation supplies from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network in 2024 or 25, including this vacuum. Equipped with a HEPA filter, this vacuum has become an important member of the collections team.
​Our turtle is feeling great again thanks to Rachael and Anne. Due to time and financial constraints Rachael and Anne had to focus on stabilization and reinstallation. In the future more work will need to be done to make sure our turtle continues to greet visitors for years to come.
Images from left to right, moving clockwise:
  • A conservator's painting pallet, used to mask repairs as much as possible.
  • Tess, our collections intern this past fall, helping to fit the turtle back in its harness.
  • Our poor turtle had to wear a bandage for a week, to allow the adhesives to set.
  • "Hello there, I'm all better now!"
An info graph showing the work done to stabilize the turtle. Work included brush vacuuming and dry sponging to clean debris, stabilizing select areas using adhesives, shoring up weak points to support repairs with microballoons.
A lot of work was done in a short amount of time. Check out my chart!
Sources:
https://amartconservation.com/about/
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/hawksbill-turtle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varied_carpet_beetle
https://www.britannica.com/animal/dermestid-beetle
]]><![CDATA[What Did Whalers Have to be Thankful For?]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:55:22 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/what-did-whalers-have-to-be-thankful-forBy Casey Nyvall
PR & Collections Intern
Now that the holiday season is underway, it is common practice for many of us to take a moment and reflect on what is most important in our lives. In that spirit, for this Thanksgiving, let's take a look back at what 19th century whalers had to celebrate! The life of a whaler was not easy. The hours were long (sometimes five years long), the work was hard and dangerous, the cabins were cramped, and the social scene was almost non-existent. While the life of a whaler was rather difficult, there were a few things that they could celebrate: 
An image of a galley on a whaling ship. The table is set for a meal with cups and china. The table has raised borders to prevent food and tableware from sliding as this ship rocks in the waves. Six places are set.
A galley on a whaling ship.
An undated memo for food totaling $321.66. Items on the list include potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, onions, pickles, barley, peaches in sugar, rice, eggs, and cabbage.
An undated memo for food totaling $321.66. Items on the list include potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, onions, pickles, barley, peaches in sugar, rice, eggs, and cabbage.

Equal Opportunities for Crewmembers of Color

Whaling was America’s first integrated industry at a time when racial discrimination against Americans of color was normalized. It was very difficult for many to find meaningful and well paying employment on land, however, the business of whaling was one in which race was not as relevant. Marginalized groups were still stereotyped into specific roles. Indigenous whalers frequently found themselves taking on “hunting” positions as spotters in the crows nest or as harpooners during the chase. Whalers of color, more often than not, were initially placed in more service oriented positions on board, such as cooks or cabin boys. Even so, many found it a little easier to climb through the ranks and be validated for the passion and effort they put into their work than they would have on land. Whalers of color were generally able to enjoy the same standards of living as their white shipmates of the same rank on board.  Americans of all shades and backgrounds found themselves on a whaler, and many foreigners did as well. Because dissertation was so common, captains found themselves replacing large portions of their crew with each call to port. Even with such a diverse crew, with an entire ship sharing the same goal, many whalers saw each other not so much through the lens of race, but by their work ethic and skillsets. 
Six whalers seated on the deck of a ship. They are surrounded by sails and rigging. Reflecting the multicultural nature of the industry, many of these whalers appear to be from different areas of the world.
Six whalers on a ship.

Close-Knit Communiy

Whaling was often a local undertaking, it was not uncommon for entire families or even communities to see their brothers, fathers, uncles, and neighbors all go out to sea. Whalers came from all corners of the world, but once aboard the crew did not often interact with people who were not fellow whalers, except when the ship stopped for supplies and provisions. As a result, there was a sense of camaraderie and even friendship among whaling crews, which we can see in the records and literature from the time. Personally, I recommend reading Moby Dick to get a sense of the dynamics that occurred between crewmembers. Of course, the book is an excellent depiction of whaling life in general, as Melville himself was a whaler!

Special Meals

Although the food on whaling ships was infamous for its less-than-gourmet status, being provided with steady meals could be an incentive to join a whaling ship. The captain and those in higher-ranking positions, such as the ship’s mates, were able to eat better quality dishes than the lower-ranked crewmembers. The captain and his family ate first, followed by the ship’s officers. They could expect to enjoy the finer things, such as butter and sugar, on china plates! Skilled workers, like the harpooners, coopers, and blacksmiths, ate next. Their food was usually similar to what the officers ate, except they got molasses instead of sugar. The whalers ate last, usually from a wooden tub. They were not given any sugar or molasses to sweeten their food or drink. Holidays were recognized at the Captain’s discretion, but when holidays were celebrated the crew could expect to enjoy food that was a little nicer and more flavorful than the usual fare, such as donuts (fried in whale oil, a special treat after a successful hunt), duff (a steamed pudding with dried fruits), and dandyfunk (sea biscuits baked in molasses). 
Whalers lining up for mealtime. A line of five whalers on the deck of a ship. Some are holding dishes for food. Something is being passed to the whaler at the head of the line from a dark room, which is likely the kitchen. There is a hand coming from the room with a block of an item that is likely food, but nothing easily recognizable.
Whalers lining up at mealtime.
A whaler stands holding his mug and a plate that appears to have food in it.
A whaler at mealtime.
Thanksgiving didn’t become a national holiday until 1863! If you would like to read about why whalers celebrated Thanksgiving, you can check out our post from Thanksgiving 2020!
From everyone at the Whaling Museum, have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
A colored illustration of the ship Maria, of New Bedford. According to the original caption, when this print was published in 1854 the Maria was the oldest ship in the United States.
An illustration of the ship Maria, of New Bedford. According to the original caption, when this print was published in 1854, the Maria was the oldest ship in the United States.
]]><![CDATA[Summer of Sea Glass!]]>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/summer-of-sea-glassby Casey Nyvall
PR & Collections Intern
​ 
July is the month of beaches and long hot days. And, sea glass! 

In case you are unfamiliar with it, this is sea glass: 
Assorted pieces of sea glass in various colors.
Sea glass!
These vibrant ocean rocks are gorgeous—but how are they made? When it comes to the creation of sea glass, the process seems straightforward. But underneath, there is an enigmatic transformation. 
​
Let me take you on the journey. Close your eyes, imagine you are at the beach, with a glass bottle of juice. Imagine you finish your juice, and place it next to you on the sand while you look at the ocean. Then, when the tide comes again, it takes your empty bottle.

Open your eyes. What do you think happens next? 

You're right if you guessed a chemical process called oxidation. During oxidation, salt water shifts the chemical makeup of the bottle's glass. If the bottle you lost were to roll against your flip-flop on the same beach, years later, it would likely look something like the bottle on the right: 
Two Cold Spring Harbor Company glass bottles. One has been oxidized by years in the sea (left), and one has only been subject to the passage of time. The bottle has effectively been transformed into sea glass.
Before and after; two once-identical bottles, but the right bottle has been oxidized and the left has not.
These Cold Spring Harbor Company bottles were initially the same. However, the left bottle has only been affected by the passage of time on land, while the right bottle spent years in the tumultuous ocean waves. This resulted in the glass's drastic modification, from clear with a tinge of green-blue to something nearly unrecognizable, cloudy and pale. This is generally what occurs when sea glass forms; instead of whole bottles, it often sands down the edges of broken glass or bottle shards, making pieces appear more like stones when they wash up on shore. 

After glass undergoes oxidation, it can become discolored and opaque; this is how the colorful tones develop in sea glass pieces found on the beach. Additionally, salt water can alter the texture of glass. Who can say what these pieces from the museum collections might look like if they underwent oxidation, like the bottle in the image above! 
A glass amber flask currently held in the museum collections.
An amber flask that has found a home in the museum collections.
An olive green glass bottle stored in the museum collections.
An olive green bottle, also from the museum collections.
​(You can find more images of items held in the museum by looking on our collections page.)
There are other names for sea glass, such as beach glass, mermaid tears, and pirate glass. Pirate glass is a specific type of sea glass. Pieces of it are especially dark in color, but under bright light, a lighter hue becomes visible. 

Along with multiple names for the pieces themselves, the sea glass collecting community has their own terminology for the many different aspects of finding sea glass. My favorite is “seaglunking.” It is the colloquial term meaning to go searching for sea glass. To me, the phrase really captures the playful nature of hunting for sea glass on the shore. 
​
Today, sea glass is commonly seen in the form of jewelry! Now that we have the environmental awareness of the 21st century, sea glass is either found on the shore, made from bottles and glassware that accidentally enter the ocean, or is crafted artificially by inundating glass with salt water and sand, and even acidic chemicals.
Three sea glass necklaces, showcasing the beauty of sea glass as well as its relevance to the modern world.
Sea glass jewelry!
Part of what is so beautiful and entrancing about sea glass is that each piece, each bottle or fragment of a bottle, is a fragment of someone’s story we will never really know. This gives sea glass an air of mystery that, when coupled with legends of creatures in the sea, contributes to public perception of the sea as an unknown in human history. The lost stories behind sea glass are a manifestation of how much we still don’t know about the world—and each other.
Further reading: 
  • Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte (revered as a definitive guide to sea glass)
  • ​Sea Glass Hunter’s Handbook by C.S. Lambert
  • New England Sea Glass: A Vibrant History by Roxie J. Zwicker. ​ 
Bibliography 
  • Created by Niki. (n.d.). Day In The Life Of Running A Sea Glass Jewellery Business With Created By Niki. Kernowcraft. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://www.kernowcraft.com/blog/meet-the-jeweller/day-in-the-life-of-running-a-sea-glass-jewellery-business-with-created-by-niki
  • Geology In. (n.d.). What is Sea Glass, and Where Can You Find Sea Glass? Geology In. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://www.geologyin.com/2017/05/what-is-sea-glass-and-where-can-i-find.html
  • Hissong, K. (2019, June 12). Beachcomber’s View: Science of Sea Glass. Coastal Review. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://coastalreview.org/2019/06/beachcombers-view-the-science-of-seaglass/
  • International Sea Glass Association. (n.d.). Genuine vs. Artificial: Know the Difference. International Sea Glass Association. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://seaglassassociation.org/genuine-vs-artificial/
  • Lambert, C. S. (2010). Sea Glass Hunter's Handbook. Down East Books.
  • ​Thompson, R., & The Sea Glass Company. (n.d.). The History of Sea Glass | The Seaglass Company. The Sea Glass Company. Retrieved July 10, 2025, from https://www.theseaglasscompany.co.uk/copy-of-about-sea-glass-1​
]]><![CDATA[The Bark Alice Returns to Port!]]>Thu, 03 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/the-bark-alice-returns-to-portby Baylee Browning
Collections and Exhibits Associate
In 1974 the Whaling Museum gift shop was selling bottle bound models of the Cold Spring Whaling Company fleet. Once a part of the collection of the Kappel family, the Bark Alice recently made its way back to port, this time without its usual load of whale oil and bone!
This is the Bark Alice inside a glass bottle. The ship is set as if it were sailing on a blue sea. The bottle is mounted on a whale carved from wood.
​​A ship-in-a-bottle model of the Alice.
The Alice was built in 1830 and by 1844 she had been purchased by the Cold Spring Whaling Company and sent out on her first whaling voyage under Captain Freeman Smith. The Alice was sailing during the golden age of American whaling. She could hold two hundred and eighty one tons and required a crew of at least twelve men. By 1862 the Alice and her various crews had traveled the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans between six voyages and returned with a total of 298 barrels of Sperm oil, 11,276 barrels of whale oil, and 131,711 pounds of whale bone. After her final voyage in 1862 the Alice was retired and sold to Brown and Wilde of Boston. The following year she was sold again in Liverpool and lost to history.

The Whaling Museum’s archives are full of accounts detailing the day to day on the Alice. These include bills, memos, crews lists, payments, letters, and even the details of a suit from a sailor who felt shorted on his pay in 1846! Perhaps the most interesting story is the account of how a harpoon from the Alice also found its way home. 
A scrimshaw tooth depicting a dangerous whaling scene. Etched ink media carved into a sperm whale tooth. In the foreground a whale with two harpoons in its body flips a whaleboat, spilling a crew of three men into the ocean. In the background are two large icebergs and a larger whaling ship is in the distance.
A scrimshaw tooth depicting a dangerous whaling scene.
Picture
A damaged harpoon with the name "Alice" inscribed on its surface.
A full view of the harpoon. It is slender, with a curved end on the right side, and a moveable piece on the left.
Full image of the damaged harpoon.
During one of her voyages a harpoon was successfully struck fast to a whale, but before the whalers could finish the job the whale managed to escape. This fragment is from the very same harpoon. The whale was pulling the boat with such force and ferocity that the shaft broke and the harpoon, and the whale, were lost to the crew. The whale had escaped… for now!
Close-up of the harpoon's broken section, which was caused by the injured whale. The piece is jagged with a slightly pointed end.
This harpoon broke off as the whale escaped the crew of the Alice. It was not recovered until the whale was caught once again, decades later!
During one of the voyages of the Andrew Hicks of New Bedford (1884 and 1908) a severed harpoon head was discovered, buried in the blubber of a whale they had caught. The harpoon finally made it back to Cold Spring Harbor by 1932. The Whaling Museum Society had this to say about the find:
This harpoon is still in good condition, and it must have been imbedded deep in the tissues of the whale, because its many years… in salt water did not destroy this piece of fine old wrought iron; it must have been thrust into some part of the whale which moved just a little, for witness that the groove of the moveable harpoon head has worn much against the shank and frayed the edge of the groove.
The next time you visit the whaling museum, make sure to stop by the workshop to see our display of Ships in a Bottle, donated to the Museum in 2023 by the Kappel Family. Before you go, pose in front of our famous ship wheel in If I Were a Whaler. Local legend says that this ships wheel once steered the Bark Alice!
A wooden ship wheel, on display in the museum. The wheel is set against a backdrop of the open sea. The wheel itself measures about five feet.
This ship's wheel, a prominent feature of the Whaling Museum's If I Where a Whaler gallery space, is purported to belong to the Bark Alice.
]]><![CDATA[National Siblings Day: Whalers Liked to Keep it in the Family!]]>Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:13:22 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/national-siblings-day-whalers-liked-to-keep-it-in-the-family
Text for Screen Readers:

All In the Family: Brotherhood on the Waves
National Sibling Day is April 10

In the golden age of American whaling, the industry was often a family affair. Brothers on Long Island found themselves drawn to the same legacy, sharing the hardships, adventures, and camaraderie.

THE LEE BROTHERS
Shinnecock Reservation | Southampton, NY
The five Lee brothers were all whalers: Milton, Ferdinand (who became captain), Notley, James (also known as Robert), and Garrison (also known as William). The oldest and youngest were separated by seventeen years.

They collectively sailed at least 25 times on whaling trips. Their participation highlights the significant role that those with Black & Shinnecock heritage played in the maritime industries of that era. Unfortunately, Ferdinand and William both perished on the Amethyst, which was lost in the Arctic.

(Photo: 1881 photograph of the vessel Young Phenix, which Ferdinand Lee sailed on, at dock in New Bedford with seaweed and whale oil barrels in foreground.)
THE JONES BROTHERS
Cold Spring Harbor, NY
John and Walter Jones were instrumental in establishing the Cold Spring Whaling Company in the 1830's. Facing challenges in their woolen mills due to foreign competition, the brothers diversified into whaling, capitalizing on the booming markets for whale oil and related products. Their investments led to the creation of a local fleet.

(Photos show formal oil paintings of Jonas and Walter in fine clothing, and a "Whaleman Wanted" posting calling for "experienced and Green Hands for the Cold Spring Whaling Company" who should "apply immediately to John H. Jones, agent."

THE WINTERS BROTHERS
Sag Harbor, NY
When 29-year old Captain Philander Winters sailed the Richmond up the Bering Strait and into the arctic, he was searching for one final whale when the ship encountered heavy fog and struck a reef, running aground. The crew evacuated safety and waited for another ship to come along - and the one that did carried none other than Philander’s older brother, Captain Jonas Winters, who rescued them.
Philander mentally and physically struggled to recover, becoming ill and dying a month later. This wasn’t the first wasn’t the first time Jonas had to bury a brother at sea: just a few years earlier, Jonas buried his 27-year old brother Parmenas at sea, who was working as a second mate on Jonas’ ship when he tragically fell from the main yard.

(Black and white portrait portrait photograph of Jonas Winters, wearing spectacles and a white beard with a serious expression; sketch of the Richmond stranded on rocks in the arctic with three nearby ships.)

]]><![CDATA[Whaleships Which Became Slaveships]]>Mon, 24 Feb 2025 20:46:33 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/whaleships-which-became-slaveshipsAlthough uncommon, there are instances of whaleships carrying people living in slavery.
​​Transporting enslaved people offered astronomical profits. 
Even though the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed in the US in 1808, illegal kidnapping and transports of enslaved African people continued. As the whaling industry started to wane, some saw an opportunity to refit the ships into a horrific new role. 

While New York passed an act to gradually abolish slavery starting in 1799, involvement in the slave trade here did not end. Research shows that select whaling ships were refitted locally and used to transport kidnapped African people who were sold into slavery in Central and South America, including Cuba and Brazil. 

In 1854, a whaleship could bring in about $16,000 in annual income; a slaveship carrying 600-800 captured African people could earn $150,000-$200,000 per trip. A captain could earn a salary of $900 by whaling - or $9,000 transporting enslaved people.  

There is a reason why Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address spoke of "American slavery," and not of “Southern slavery."

WHALESHIP
transporting enslaved people
DATE
PORT
Laurens
1841
Sag Harbor, NY
Cynosure
1841
Stonington, CT
Fame
1844-47
New London, CT
Herald
1845
Stonington, CT
Brutus
1856
Warren, RI
Margaret Scott
1857
New Bedford, MA (Sunk in 1862 in Charleston harbor as part of the Stone Fleet, where aging ships were deliberately sunk to obstruct Confederate shipping channels) Read more.
Augusta
1857
Sag Harbor, NY (Retrofitted in Greenport for the slave trade)
Even when slavery ended in New York in 1827, New Yorkers continued to support, and profit from, slavery.
  • Pre Civil War, 40% of goods shipped out of New York City were southern cotton.
  • Major companies such as Aetna, JP Morgan Chase, and New York Life financed plantations and continued to profit from slavery by insuring slaves or accepting slaves as loan collateral.
  • Slaveships continued to anchor and restock in New York Harbor.
  • New York merchants sold plantation owners their supplies.
  • Even New York City’s 1863 mayor, George Opdyke, who ran on anti-slavery platform, made his fortune selling cheap clothing for enslaved people on Southern plantations.
  • Newspaper editors fueled white workers' fear that the end of slavery would flood the city with cheap competition for their jobs.
  • African Americans continued to face ongoing discrimination and anti-Black violence. The brutal New York Draft Riots in 1863, when Irish American working-class mobs attacked at least 2,000 Black people and killed 120, changed local demographics: the New York Black population decreased ​from 12,472 in 1860 to 9,943 in 1865.
]]><![CDATA[The Second Life of Logbooks]]>Mon, 19 Aug 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/the-second-life-of-logbooksBy Baylee Browning
​Collections and Exhibits Associate
An image of the box where the logbook of the Alice is kept while in storage. It is grey, and reads
Log from the Ship "Alice", 1854-1858.
In 2023 Long Island University's Palmer School of Library and Information Science digitized a collection of logbooks and ledgers. The aim of this ongoing work is to preserve the history of Long Island communities by making materials accessible digitally, and to help train the next generation of librarians and archivists in digitization technology. While I was looking through some of these logbooks I made a discovery. Between and sometimes over pages of valuable historical and environmental data I discovered that someone had drawn all over the pages! Rather than pointing the finger at a college student of the 21st century, we should be looking for a student from the 19th to 20th century.
A painting of the bark Alice by E. Tufnell. The Alice floats in the background of a calm but gloomy sea while a whaleboat crewed by five men rows past in the foreground.
The Bark "Alice" by E. Tufnell
​​Log books were used by captains and crewmates to record their voyages out at sea. They would be used to record weather conditions, location in latitude and longitude, activity among the crew, and, of course, whales. After these logbooks returned from their voyages they were kept for a time as part of the company's records. Some logbooks belong to historical associations like the Whaling Museum, others belong to private collectors or were unfortunately lost. Bound books and paper were expensive during the 19th and early 20th century; because of this, records like logbooks often had a second life after their time at sea. Some were used to store useful or interesting information. This appears to have happened to the logbook of the Sheffield. This book, recording the 1845 to 1848 voyage, contains several pages that have been pasted over with illustrations, stamps, sheet music, and articles. These clippings range from short stories to poetry to natural history to news and politics. Several articles that caught my eye include a "New Style of Ghosts" in theater and a moving argument for the value of "Keeping a Diary." Some logbooks, though, enjoyed a second life as school primers.
On this page a young learner was practicing their words and hand writing. Along the left side are a series of simple words. In the middle of the page, in much larger handwriting, is written
On this page, our young learner was practicing forming simple words and sentences.
This image goes a partially completed alphabet in script. It tapers off towards the end into scribble.
A partially completed alphabet
Primers, broadly, are workbooks where young learners practice reading and writing. It looks like someone found the Alice Logbook and used it to practice words and forming simple sentences. They also liked to draw.

The young student who left their marks in this logbook could have been the child of the whaling captain. By the time the Alice was sailing it would have been uncommon, but not unusual, for the captain's family to accompany him on the long voyage. I have found no record of Captain George Penney's family being on this voyage. As the whaling companies fell into decline the need to keep and preserve these vital business records also went away. It is just as likely that our young learner found this book in an attic or basement long before it found its way into the Whaling Museum's archive. We will never know the specifics of this logbooks second life.
A close up of a child's drawing of a flower.
A child's drawing of a flower
A child's drawing of a woman holding an umbrella next to a cat floating in empty space.
A child's drawing of a woman and cat
A child's drawing of two flowers. They appear to be a pansy and a black-eyed Susan.
A child's drawing of some flowers
Another artist was the whaler himself. Crewmember James C. Bingham kept this log during the 1854-1858 voyage of the Alice in pursuit of whales. His signature appears frequently throughout the pages, as do his fellow shipmates. There was a lot of down time on a whaling voyage. Whalers occupied their time by cleaning the ship, managing supplies, and creating beautiful artwork like scrimshaw and ships in bottles. Some whalers made due with a pencil and paper, as Bingham appears to have done. He also left us an unflattering image of his employer, the principle agent of the whaling company, which I can't share in its entirety here. This is especially surprising because Mr. Jones would have, at some point, looked over this record of the whaling voyage.
An illustration of the bark Alice, likely done by the crewman James Bingham. Some color was added to the waves and hull, likely colored ink or other pigment.
An illustration of the Alice, likely done by James Bingham
An illustration of a house, likely done by the crewman James Bingham.
An illustration of a house, likely done by James Bingham
It looks like the two artists could have inspired each other.
A simple boat drawn by our young learner. It has a hull and a square sail.
A boat drawn by our young learner
A house drawn by our young learner. This house has eight windows.
A house drawn by our young learner
Logbooks are fascinating records in themselves but when their use outlives their original purpose they can tell us even more about the people they came into contact with. Historical institutions are filled with important documents that have been stored in boxes, bookshelves, and drawers. Some are pristine, some are less so. If you are caring for a piece of history be mindful of where they are and in what conditions they are being stored. And please, please make sure that there are no primary sources hidden within the primary books as the little ones return to school this fall!

A link to our newest digital collection, the Log Book and Manuscripts Collection can be found on our collections page.
]]><![CDATA[Cold Spring Harbor History Makes its Way Back Home!]]>Tue, 21 May 2024 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/cold-spring-harbor-history-makes-its-way-back-homeBy Baylee Browning
Collections and Exhibits Associate
A decorative pipe fragment of white clay. This pipe fragment resembles a woman leaning into fronds of foliage decorating the pipe. The woman is unclothed, but covered by leaves and branches.
Stummel end of a clay pipe found beneath the kitchen of an old family home. Donated to the Museum by Nan R. in 2024.
The museum recently received a clay pipe with a special connection to the Cold Spring Harbor community. Nan R, who donated the pipe, shared her story about how it was discovered:

"In 1965 my parents purchased the house at Turkey Lane in Cold Spring Harbor. Lovers of rescuing old houses, they intended to restore it to a functional abode for our family of six. They had been told it once had belonged to a whaling captain, which is most likely a stretch, as the house is not of the size nor quality typically associated with a sea captain.

Be that as it may, we set out to make the dilapidated house habitable again. First on the list was to make sure there were no varmints hiding anywhere. To this effort I, being the smallest and most gullible 9-year-old, was sent into the crawl space under the kitchen to see if there was anything under there. While crawling around on my belly with a dim flashlight my beam hit a white object amid the dirt and rubble. I pocketed the object and retreated as quickly as I could wiggle out of the creepy space, thoroughly spooked even though I hadn’t encountered a single varmint.
​
Once I felt secure in the knowledge that my parents would let me keep the object (it did have a naked lady on it after all!), my mom told me it was the bowl end of an old clay pipe. It has stayed with me, neatly boxed, tucked away, and forgotten for nearly 60 years. I recently came across this quirky little piece of Cold Spring Harbor’s history gone astray at the bottom of a long-ignored box and felt it should go back to whence it came."

​What Nan found under her kitchen floor was the stummel part of a pipe, the largest part of a pipe where the tobacco was lit.
A diagram illustrating a standard clay pipe. Parts identified are the stem, stummel, and bowl. These pieces are used for storing and smoking tabaco or similar products. Whimsical bubbles are blown out of the bowl of the pipe.
Diagram of a clay pipe.
With the help of Robert Hughes, the Huntington Town Historian, museum staff are able to share details about the house under which this remarkable find was recovered. According to a Building-Structure Inventory form from 1979, this house was once the Henry Roger’s Farm House, built somewhere around or before 1839. It has been the home for families like Nan’s for quite some time. From what we can tell, the main structure of the house is a wonderful time capsule in itself. It is “a fine example of its period and almost entirely unaltered” according to the report, with shingles and hewn beams. “The house as it now stands is important for its multiple association with the Roger’s family, the earliest and largest owners in the valley through which Turkey Lane runs.” Though this was likely a farmhouse originally, given the maritime nature of our community, I would not be surprised if there was a sailor living here at some point in the past. He probably spent some time wondering where his beautiful pipe went!
Nan is not the only local to have brought our museum clay pipes as donations to our collection. The following two examples were donated to the museum by Guy Cozza in 1997; they had been found on the nearby property of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Stummel end of a clay pipe uncovered on the property of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. This pipe fragment is a worn brown color with a ridged textured bowl.
Stummel end of a clay pipe uncovered on the property of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. One of three donated to the Museum by Guy Cozza.
Stummel end of a clay pipe uncovered on the property of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Elaborately decorated, this stummel and bowl resemble a curving chicken's claw with scales and feathers.
Stummel end of a clay pipe uncovered on the property of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. One of three donated to the Museum by Guy Cozza.
An image of the Cold Spring Harbor Through the Years display case located in the Whaling Museum gallery. Displayed are an assortment of artifacts that represent the history of Cold Spring Harbor including Nan's pipe, our newest addition.
Nan's beautiful pipe has found a new home in the Whaling Museum. The next time you visit, see if you can find our newest piece, now on display in our Cold Spring Harbor Through the Years case!
For more information on historic clay pipes, start with these two posts:
“Clay Trade Pipes” published by the Peach State Archaeological Society:
https://peachstatearchaeologicalsociety.org/index.php/12-pipes/157-kaolin-clay-trade-pipes

“White Ball Clay Pipes” published by the University of Virginia:
https://explore.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/show/layersofthepast/multiplenarratives/imported_pipes
]]><![CDATA[The Narwhal Ball - In Rhyme]]>Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:26:02 GMThttps://www.cshwhalingmuseum.org/blog/the-narwhal-ball-in-rhyme
Picture
The event title "Narwhal Ball" was first conceived by Anthony Sarchiapone, the museum's Board President. The idea grew from an original event idea for an adult crowd, and shaped over time into a wintry celebration for children, complete with crafts, ice cream and an appearance by Elsa -- and, hopefully, learning a thing or two about arctic whale species! We took inspiration from a previous frosty event the museum held at the height of the "Frozen" film craze. In 2023, our museum team was delighted to welcome 400 visitors at our new event and see such positive interest from the community.
​Let’s all go to the narwhal ball,
Where narwhals dance
In the narwhal hall.
Where snowy friends come together
And no one minds the frosty weather.
Invited here are bear and fox,
Walrus, seal, and the musky ox.
People too, from northern places,
Bring their music and smiling faces.

Moonlight makes the hall shine bright,
All are welcome this special night.

At 11am the dance takes place
And narwhals rush to fill their space.
Swimming in circles, a beautiful sight,
They raise up their tusks to the great winter night.

​They dive under water, without making a sound,
And waive with their tails to friends gathered ‘round.
They spout mist from their heads, and churn ice into cream,
From under the waves, they move in a dream.

Then the whales jump, each in a swirl,
“Narwhals, we love you!” shouts one little girl.
Always with music, they swim in a line.
Tapping their tusks to keep perfect time.
It’s only seen once, on these special nights:
Narwhals in color from the great northern lights.

With tails in the air, narwhals say, “Bye!”
And tears swim away from more than one eye.
Then ice cream is served after the show,
Churned by the whales from ice and from snow.
Guests at the hall, sit down to rest,
Each tells the other, “This ball was best!”

So, ask any seal or artic hare,
Any fox, ox, or polar bear.
People too from norther places
Will all agree with smiling faces:

​There is no ball like the narwhal ball,
Where narwhals dance
In the narwhal hall.
Where snowy friends come together
And no one minds the frosty weather.
By Anthony Sarchiapone
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