Special Report: Maritime Heritage Task Force Opens Meeting Series; Heritage Area Discussed

Compton Wants Ken Bounds to Present Plan for SLUP

Members of the Seattle/King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage shouldered the task of taking local maritime heritage work in a new direction last night. “We should not dwell on the past,” said City Councilmember Jim Compton, who will also chair the task force. “If we show up and contribute, this can be very important to our city.”

Vice-Chair John Chaney, executive director of Historic Seattle, said he hoped the task force would “bring a new paradigm to maritime historic preservation” in the city.

“We have not done maritime heritage justice,” said City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck.

The 16-member task force, made up of local elected officials, maritime industry leaders, educators, and heritage experts, held the first of six monthly meetings at the Naval Reserve Building at South Lake Union Park. The group will eventually recommend changes to the way maritime heritage groups have managed heritage properties and programs. The task force agreed to put the maritime heritage community’s severe organizational and leadership problems at the top of its agenda, followed by what was called a “founding vision.”

Fundraising, Site Control, Heritage Area

Fundraising and site control issues were listed near the bottom of the task force’s priorities. Site control is particularly important to some maritime heritage groups, because of doubts about permanent moorage for large vessels. Steinbrueck said he could think of three potential locations for displaying large ships. He did not elaborate, but the comment suggested that South Lake Union Park may not automatically be the home to Wawona, Virginia V, Duwamish, and other historic ships. He also wanted to expand discussions to include potential maritime heritage development on Seattle’s Central Waterfront if money is found to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a tunnel.

The task force also sought to broaden its geographic reach. The task force will focus its work on Seattle and King County, but it dropped a reference to “central Puget Sound,” opting to include all of Puget Sound maritime heritage in its deliberations. The action was prompted in part by a suggestion from Stephanie Toothman, the cultural resources lead for the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. She said the Puget Sound region has the potential to become a federally designated National Heritage Area, which would encourage not-for-profit groups, governments, and funders to work together. For more information on National Heritage Areas, click here.

Ken Bounds and Parks Dept.

The task force will now gather information from heritage groups, the maritime industry, and cultural experts. Compton said he wants to hear Seattle Parks Department Superintendent Ken Bounds explain his plans for a maritime heritage center at SLUP. Several heritage groups have complained about Bounds’ handling of heritage at the park, such as a requirement that ships be “in display condition.” Bounds also says he must follow city council requirements that forbid restoration activities at the park. But supporters of Wawona and other historic ships say a full-fledged maritime heritage center would also support restoration and repair of ships. They cite the popularity and safety of other maritime heritage facilities, such as Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Conn, which runs a traditional shipyard.

Contact: Jim Compton, 206-684-8802, jim.compton@seattle.gov

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Maritime Heritage Task Force Roster Released

City & County Councils, Developers, Heritage Groups Represented

4Culture, King County’s arts and culture agency, announced the roster for what it’s calling the “Seattle-King County Task Force on Maritime Heritage.” The group will convene on January 19 to begin discussions setting a new direction for maritime heritage in King County. The roster includes:

o Feliks Banel, Deputy Director, Museum of History & Industry
o Richard Berkowitz, Director, Pacific Coast Operations, Transportation Institute
o Michael Bittner, Executive Director, Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center
o John Chaney, Executive Director, Historic Seattle
o Jim Compton, Seattle City Councilmember
o John Cox, President, The Maritime Group, Inc.
o Bob Ferguson, King County Councilmember
o Norman Manly, Foss Maritime & Youth Maritime Training Association
o Denny Onslow, President, Harbor Properties
o Michelle Sanidad, Executive Director, United Indians of All Tribes Foundation
o Jackie Schwartz, Adjunct Faculty, Seattle University
o Joe Shickich, President of Northwest Seaport
o Peter Steinbrueck, Seattle City Councilmember
o Dick Thompson, former director, Office of Government Relations, University of Washington
o Stephanie Toothman, Cultural Resources Lead, Pacific West Region, National Park Service
o Dick Wagner, Founding Director, Center for Wooden Boats

Charles Payton, Flo Lentz, and Jim Kelly of 4Culture spent four months recruiting members of the task force. The first meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m., January 19 at the Naval Reserve Building.

A few maritime heritage supporters commented on a preliminary roster released informally earlier in the month. A Wawona volunteer called it diverse, and he was happy to see two city council members on the group. However, he noted the lack of a “heavy hitter” from the political arena. A Virginia V supporter agreed with most, but not all, the picks.

Contact: Charles Payton, 206-296-8693, charles.payton@4culture.org, or Flo Lentz, 206-296-8682, flo.lentz@4culture.org

Richard McIver: If the Parks Board Cares, I Might Care

I am glad at least two city council members recognize the importance of the issue by signing up for the Task Force. But Councilmember Richard McIver does not appear interested in maritime heritage. In a December 15 letter to me, he said “he did not quite understand the logic” behind Parks’ Superintendent Ken Bounds’ position that SLUP is not the place to conduct ship restoration. However, McIver added that he won’t “micromanage the operation of any City department.” And he said the council can’t do much, because the city charter gives most of the oversight authority to the Parks Board. “As such, I think the Council has a limited role in this issue.” He suggested getting someone on the Parks Board to champion the issue, and he would “listen to the discussion.” The Parks Board has shown little interest in the issue; two letters written by me to Parks Board Chairman Bruce Bentley have gone unanswered.

Contact: Richard McIver, 206-684-8800, richard.mcgiver@seattle.gov

Parks Reneges on SLUP Meeting Promise; Takes Written Comments

More Opportunities for Public Comments Promised

The Seattle Parks Department backed away from a promise made to heritage activists last month to hold more public meetings on the proposed design for South Lake Union Park. More than 50 heritage supporters turned out at a November 16 meeting at SLUP demanding modifications to the plan. Supporters said the plan failed to accommodate the needs of large historic vessels, such as the schooner Wawona. Native American maritime heritage activists said the plan did not place enough emphasis on their history and programs. Parks Program Manager Colleen Browne promised at the meeting that at least one more feedback session on the design would be held.

But in a December document responding to concerns raised by heritage supporters, the Parks Department said it did not see a need for further design meetings, citing the six public meetings it had held so far. It added that a group of stakeholders had met several times to review the design. (The stakeholders, known as the "Project Advisory Team," are United Indians of all Tribes, Center for Wooden Boats, Vulcan Northwest, the Mayor's Office, the Seattle Parks Foundation and Seattle Parks Department. They’ve been overseeing design and development since 2002. Download the Project Advisory Team List. Download the October 2003 SLUP Refinements List.) Parks added that the public would get another chance to air views at an as yet unscheduled public review of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). And Parks took more written comments until December 17. Download All Parks Department Responses to November 16 Questions.

Heritage supporters who learned of the December 17 deadline submitted the following suggestions:

o The proposed "land form" area (immediately south of the Naval Reserve Building) should remain as a 19th century seaport shared by all organizations and providing space for vessel maintenance, historical interpretation, and maritime heritage education.

o Replacement of the west wall bulkhead at SLUP should proceed, but should be able to accommodate the permanent display of historic vessels including the Wawona, Arthur Foss, Swiftsure, and Duwamish.

o Increased presence of Native American maritime interpretations on the east side of the park.

It’s unknown at this point whether these suggestions will be incorporated into the final park design.

Contact: Colleen Browne, Parks program manager, colleen.browne@seattle.gov

Waterfront Concerts Move to SLUP Worries Heritage Groups

It’s Also A Golden Marketing Opportunity

The Parks Department announced plans to move the popular Summer Nights at the Pier concert series to SLUP for 2005. Piers 62 and 63 on the Central Waterfront need work, and Parks decided to move the June through August concerts to SLUP. The announcement, apparently made without consulting heritage tenants of the Naval Reserve Building, worried some heritage groups who fear the large crowds would discourage people from attending their programs. Mike Foley, president of the Virginia V Foundation, told The Seattle Times that an extra 4,000 people on concert nights would “strangle” the area. Dick Wagner of the Center for Wooden Boats, also a member of the South Lake Union Maritime Organizations committee, promised to draft a letter to the Parks Department expressing heritage groups’ concerns.

However, at least one maritime heritage activist (me, also quoted in the Times article) saw gold in Parks’ decision. Since the heritage community depends on public visibility to move its agenda forward, any chance to invite people to learn about its vessels and programs is a good one. The parking problems posed by the concerts are real, and Parks should work with heritage groups and the neighborhood to solve them. But the concerts present an unprecedented opportunity to market heritage vessels and programs directly to thousands of people at very low cost. For once, we don’t have to go to them. They’re coming to us the whole summer! We should be working with the concert promoters to get the most out of this captive audience.

Goodfellow Fund Offers $40K to Finish Work on HSF

The Seattle-based Goodfellow Fund has pledged $40,000 to finish critical electrical work on the SLUP Historic Ships Wharf to facilitate the move of historic vessels to the facility. Although HSF been open six months, none of Seattle’s historic ship fleet has moved to the Wharf, and we learned recently that electrical connections were not installed. The Goodfellow Fund, which has more than $500,000 in assets and supports working boat restoration and general historic preservation, learned about the problem and offered last month to partner with maritime heritage groups and the Parks Department to finish the work. According to recent IRS 990-PF statements, the Goodfellow Fund has given $1,000 to the Fireboat Duwamish, $1,500 to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and $8,000 to the San Francisco Maritime Association. Executive Director John Goodfellow is a member of the Center for Wooden Boats.

Work on Maritime Heritage Marketing Website Under Way

4Culture has started work developing an umbrella marketing website for King County’s maritime heritage organizations. The arts and culture agency won a $3,500 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and matched the amount to fund the project, which will be developed in conjunction with the maritime heritage task force. And guess what? They hired me to manage the project. (Isn’t this heritage business just incestuous?) We’ve hired a design firm, UXMedia, http://www.uxmedia.com/, and a local business and marketing consulting firm has offered to advise us. First steps include contacting all county maritime heritage groups for information. Look for an e-mail and a call from yours truly soon!

Contact: Joe Follansbee, joef@speakeasy.net

NWS Board Member Who Suggested Sinking Wawona Resigns; Ship Gets $10K Grant

Rick Boggs, the outspoken member of the Northwest Seaport board who publicly suggested sinking Wawona as a diver’s park, resigned last month. Boggs, a member since the 1990s, left the board to take a new job in Florida. Boggs championed the cause of the tug Arthur Foss and supported many local heritage projects. However, he’s been consistently skeptical of Northwest Seaport’s ability to pull off a restoration of Wawona and manage its fleet. “I sincerely believe that if Seattle experiences a bad winter storm, Wawona will make the news again by sinking at the dock and that will be the final straw as far as the City's liability is concerned and we will see the end of that project,” Boggs wrote to me in an e-mail December 29. “NWS vessels should be dispersed to groups in the area that can give them the attention they need and a new life without the cloud of doubt that follows them under NWS ‘stewardship.’”

Meanwhile, 4Culture awarded Northwest Seaport a $10,000 grant to stabilize Wawona’s masts. Wawona’s volunteer “ship’s council,” led by Wayne Palsson, Alice Winship, and Shannon Fitzgerald, spearheaded the proposal. They had asked for $25,000. The project includes replacing worn or temporary rigging on all three masts, conditioning the wood of the masts, and installing/replacing the masts' foundations. The total budget for the project is $51,632. The grant says "work will occur at the current location at South Lake Union Park."

Contact: Rick Boggs, tugs@earthlink.net; Wayne Palsson, 206-412-4736, wpalsson@aol.com

Maritime Heritage Supporters Swamp County Council Meeting

Well, swamp might be a bit strong, but about a half-dozen maritime heritage supporters spoke up on behalf of maritime heritage before the King County Council on December 6, thanking them for supporting heritage via funding for 4Culture and direct grants to a number of organizations.

Shameless Self Promotion

Seattle Channel, Part I: Wawona and I appeared in a video produced by Kelly Guenther for the Seattle Channel. The story was about the activity at South Lake Union and mentioned maritime heritage. Click here to see the full story. Click here to view the portion on Wawona. A broadband connection is recommended.

Seattle Channel, Part II: Kelly Guenther also produced a video on local maritime heritage using Wawona as a centerpiece. Dave Wright, one of the last surviving fishermen who sailed on the ship, played a starring role. I played a supporting role in the video. The video is being broadcast now, and it will be online in a few weeks.

Pacific Northwest Quarterly: PNQ has accepted an article I wrote based on my Wawona research. The magazine is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal covering the history of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia. I don’t have a publication date, but I expect it will appear sometime this year.

Sea Magazine: Sea, a boating magazine for the west coast, published an article I wrote about the travails of the Kalakala. You’ll find the article, plus pictures, in the January issue of the magazine, now on newsstands.

Maritime Heritage Calendar

Regular Events

o Work parties every Saturday on Wawona, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Info

o Reading Tuesdays for children at OMDC, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Info

o Puget Sound Ship Modelers monthly meeting, every third Thursday, Discovery Modelers Education Center, Naval Reserve Building, South Lake Union Park, 7 p.m. Info

o Third Friday Speaker Series, 7 p.m., CWB Boathouse. Info

o Monthly Chantey Sing, every second Friday, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., aboard Wawona, FREE (donation requested). Info

Selected Special Events

o The Return of CG-83527, Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society Monthly Dinner Meeting, Jan. 5, 7 p.m. Info

o Family Boat Building, Seattle Boat Show, Qwest Field Event Center, various dates, noon to 6 p.m., $1,100 members, $1,325 nonmembers, Info

o Nameboard Carving, Center for Wooden Boats, Jan. 15, 16 & 17, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., $250 members, $300 nonmembers, Info

o The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley & Other Legendary Women of the Sea (Reading), Center for Wooden Boats, Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Info

o Oarmaking Workshop, Center for Wooden Boats, Jan. 22, 23 & 24, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m, $275 members, $330 nonmembers, Info.

Send calendar items to Joe Follansbee.

Calls for Volunteers

Wawona needs volunteers to scrape paint, reef decks, caulk seams, greet visitors, staff the gift shop, write grants, manage cookie sales at events, and just about everything else a non-profit organization needs done. If you'd like to volunteer, contact Alice Winship, 206-448-0707, walice1@qwest.net.

The 1889 tug Arthur Foss needs your help for a variety of projects, including scraping/sanding in prep for painting, diesel engine work, grant writing, program development, sign making, even sewing. Contact Lois Jerden, letloisdoit@juno.com.

Send calls for volunteers to Joe Follansbee.

Maritime Heritage Classifieds

Send job postings, items for sale, and announcements to Joe Follansbee. Postings to "Saving the Big Ship" are free. Please limit to 25 words. Don't forget contact info!

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