Meet the New Director
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Calvert Marine Museum VOL. 44 / NO. 2 SUMMER 2019 Meet the New Director By Sherrod Sturrock, Director aving served as deputy Throughout his career, Jeff director for the past two has been involved in developing Hyears, Jeff Murray is and implementing educational delighted and honored to have programs in both formal and been named the museum’s new informal settings. He is also an avid director. “I know that I have a very lighthouse enthusiast. He holds a big job on my hands,” Jeff stated. bachelor’s degree in History and “The Calvert Marine Museum German from Ball State University, has evolved and grown to be an and a master’s degree in Historical incredible multifaceted institution Administration from Eastern over the past fifty years because of Illinois University. the dedication and hard work of Jeff’s wife Laura is a program many individuals. I fully intend director and senior lecturer for to build upon their success and the Masters of Liberal Arts move the organization forward program at Johns Hopkins toward what I know will be a very University in Baltimore. Together bright future.” with their young children Alina At CMM, Jeff has overseen and Nathan, they are enjoying the the second phase of the Exhibition many recreational opportunities Hall’s renovation program, a that Southern Maryland has to project that expanded and renewed the Colorado. During his four-year tenure, offer, and they love having Annapolis, Education Department’s work, creating the museum developed a new master Washington, and Baltimore all within a classroom and storage spaces on the plan, restored a two-room 1940s era short distance from home. mezzanine level. He also directed the motel, partially renovated a one-room Education Department, was highly schoolhouse, and completed the planning involved in the development of a new site phases for the restoration of a 1920s kit in this issue… master plan, and wrote successful grants house. Meet the New Director . 1 to support new programs and exhibits. Prior to his time in Colorado, Jeff A Fond Farewell . 2 Outgoing director Sherrod Sturrock spent the majority of his career as the Paleo NOTES . 3 remarked: “I could not be happier that we curator of interpretation and collections Seahorses in the Bay!? . 4 found someone with Jeff’s qualifications, for the State Historical Society of Wm. B. Tennison Turns 120 . 5 Education Update . 6 dedication, and commitment. It has been Wisconsin’s Wade House Historic Site Exhibits Update . 7 a pleasure working with him. It gives me in Greenbush, Wisconsin. As curator, 2019 Maritime Performance Series. 8 great peace of mind to leave the museum he managed the society’s largest annual Activities & Events .. 9 in such capable hands.” event for fifteen years, helped reconstruct Volunteer Spotlight . 14 th Born at a U.S. Air Force Hospital in and interpret a mid-19 century water- Tribute to Randy Barrett . 14 Germany and raised in both Europe and powered sawmill, and was instrumental Staff Update . 15 the Midwest, Jeff has worked in museums in the design, construction, and CMM Society News Museum Store . 16 throughout his twenty-three year career. interpretation of the site’s new 38,000 Promotions . 16 Most recently, he was the director of the square foot visitor center and Wesley W. Philanthropy . 17 Lakewood Heritage Center in Lakewood, Membership . 17 Jung Wisconsin State Carriage Museum. Bugeye Ball 2019 . 18 Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums / www.calvertmarinemuseum.com every minute of it. This program at the museum. Today there position has allowed me are over 500 active volunteers, up from to use all of my skills and about 180 in 2005. Although Sherry abilities, amassed over a deserves the lion’s share of credit for the lifetime of experience, museum’s stellar volunteer program, I A Quick Look Back and a doing something I have been a full-throated supporter every Fond Farewell believe in, working step of the way. My first undertaking as number of years ago I was with amazing colleagues, and benefiting deputy was to renovate the Discovery attending a meeting of museum our community. It doesn’t get any better Room so that it reflects the high quality A directors and the facilitator asked than that. So, as I look back, I am indeed and integrity of the rest of the museum. the group what our “dream job” would grateful to have been given this gift. Then Exhibits Curator Jim Langley and I look like. For me, the answer was simple: It’s been a grand ride. I have locked horns many times over the course I was living it. By the time you read this, I worked for Calvert County Government of that project, but out of it grew a new will be officially retired. As I contemplate since August 1990 — almost 30 years. commitment to using a team approach this upcoming “passage” in my life, I am It hardly seems possible. Ironically, to exhibit development: content, design, grateful that I have had the rare privilege former director Doug Alves and I and interpretation all working together of working in jobs that were meaningful, were hired the same year. I was the from concept to completion. The first challenging, and fulfilling. My tenure, capital projects coordinator and in that event I introduced was the Solomons first as the deputy director, and then as the capacity worked on several museum Maritime Festival. For years, the Antique director of the Calvert Marine Museum projects. When he learned about my Boat and Marine Engine Show, started by has been remarkable. I have embraced background in museums and the arts, then Maritime History Curator Richard he was intrigued. He always said that Dodds, had displayed old boats and when he won the lottery he was going to antique motors for a dedicated but limited hire me. The lottery didn’t pan out, but audience. The staff had tried a variety in 2005, he recast the education curator of things to broaden the event but never position as a deputy director overseeing hit on anything that clicked. It seemed the Education Department. I started at a natural fit to celebrate all Southern Quarterly Newsletter of the the museum in May 2005, and served in Maryland traditions, not just the boats Calvert Marine Museum (A Division of Calvert County Government) that capacity until Doug’s retirement in and motors. It worked. The Solomons and the April of 2016. Maritime Festival has become one of the Calvert Marine Museum Society, Inc. (ISSN 0887-651X) As I look back over my 14 years at bookend events of the season for CMM, th Sherrod Sturrock, Director and Co-Editor CMM, there are many things I am proud celebrating its 14 year this past May. Robert Hurry, Co-Editor of. My first hire was Sherry Reid, the Working to make the museum The bugeye was the traditional sailing craft volunteer and events coordinator, and a central part of the community was of the Bay, and was built in all its glory at Solomons, the “Bugeye Capital of the together we revitalized the volunteer Continued on next page World.” Membership dues are used to fund special museum projects, programs, and this newsletter. Address comments and membership applications to: Calvert Marine Museum Society, Inc. P.O. Box 97 • Solomons, MD 20688-0097 410-326-2042 • FAX 410-326-6691 TDD 410-535-6355 Museum Store: 410-326-2750 www.calvertmarinemuseum.com Layout by Stuller Designs Former and current directors, from left, are Dr. Ralph Eshelman, Doug Alves, Sherrod Sturrock, and Jeff Murray. (Photo by Rob Hurry) - 2 - SUMMER 2019 From the Director (Continued from page 2) another intrinsic goal, and we found three years, we were able to go back to many ways to do that. First Free Friday, the county commissioners and show which started as the first Friday of every that not only were we able to care for the month, but has now settled into an boat, we were maintaining it, successfully alternate monthly schedule, and affords programming it, and saving money for many people the opportunity to see and future maintenance. The Dee is now part experience the museum after hours for of our permanent maritime collection, free. Since FFF started in 2007, almost sharing pride of place at our dock with 38,000 people have participated, enjoying the Wm. B. Tennison. music, free boat rides in season, seeing For much of my time at CMM, the otters, and learning from the exhibits. I was responsible for the Education This community event would never have Department. I am especially proud of been possible without the volunteers. how that department has grown and One or two staff people cover the event, expanded its programming. Everyone different way. I have learned so much along with as many as 20 volunteers, who at the museum is an educator, no matter about our prehistory, natural history, cover every area of the museum. their position. The educational staff are and maritime heritage, and it has stoked In 2013, we were approached by the the leaders and they do remarkable work a desire to always learn about the places Chesapeake Bay Field Lab Board about with children as young as 18 months up in which I find myself. Our ‘retired’ assuming ownership of the skipjack, Dee to senior citizens. In 2012, we developed volunteers have shown me a path to of St. Mary’s, which had just undergone a design for a large renovation project a fulfilling and rewarding retirement. major repairs. The group said that they that included new space for education; I have been privileged to work with no longer had the capacity to continue the but when the bids came in high, the people who have amazing talents and program and believed that CMM was the education space was deferred so that we prodigious knowledge that they share natural home for the first skipjack built could move forward with renovations on generously.