Camel Tracks
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CAMEL TRACKS Year 2011 Phone (707)745-5435 email: [email protected] website: beniciahistoricalmuseum.org Nov. / Dec. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The mission of the Benicia Historical Museum is to engage the community in the Museum Docents James Lessenger, M.D. evolving history of Benicia and the Arsenal and their influence in the development of our ♦ country. Louis Alfeld President The Museum complex is the center where history is seen, enjoyed and preserved. ♦ Toni Haughey Through exhibits, events and educational programs we enlighten the public about the Tania Borostyan Vice President history of this unique city. ♦ Karen Burns Mary Marino Revised and adopted 2006 ♦ Secretary Robert Cates Ian Toner ♦ Sonny Flores Treasurer ♦ Louis Alfeld David Galligan ♦ Treasurer Assistant Kimble Goodman John Halliday ♦ Toni Haughey Larry Lauber ♦ Carol Scott Jim Lessenger ♦ Bill Scott Mary Marino Susan Sullivan ♦ Lori Morris Jim Trimble ♦ Bill Warren Leonide McKay ♦ MUSEUM STAFF Lorraine Patten ♦ Elizabeth d’Huart Bob Rozett Executive Director ♦ Tania Borostyan Eric Sargeson Office Manager ♦ Jessica Sargeson Charles Pregeant Complex Caretaker ♦ Carol Scott VOLUNTEER STAFF ♦ Bill Scott Harry Wassmann ♦ Curator Emeritus Susan Sullivan ♦ Beverly Phelan Sharon Toner Curator ♦ Bill Venturelli Roberta Garrett Registrar We are always looking for Bob Kvasnicka new docents. Please contact the Museum to learn about Registrar the docent training schedule Jim Garrett and the benefits accrued to docent members and Multitask Volunteer nonmembers. Lorraine Patten We are always exited to Museum Educator work with high school and Toni Haughey college students to help build their applications Gift shop manager Come buy your Christmas tree at our Tree Lot for institutions of higher Lou Alfeld learning and future and support your Museum and Genesis House. employment. Docent Coordinator Let your friends know we have Fred Paine Start building your application and resume now! Computer Consultant the best trees in town!!! Camel Tracks Page 2 searching in our documents and archives and doing work online? Director’s Corner More on this later…but it is important to know and remember, because it underscores what we do, how we do it, and how well Coming into a new organization as we do it on the shoe- string budget we have. That we are able to Executive Director is a bit like buying accomplish so much is a testament to those people who do it for a new house…similar thinking, similar love of Benicia, past and present, and for the Benicia Historical process. Reviewing and analyzing Museum. what is in place, determining what needs to be done, going through old Part of the “who” at BHM is Tania Borostyan. You may know her papers and new software programs,, by her moniker Info@..., but you need more info on Tania! Tania talking to those “in the know”, and hails from Peru, (land of the Paddington Bear, she reminds me), then outlining and memoing and growing up in Cusco. Tania is passionate about learning. While emailing and getting the “to do” list attending her all-girls parochial school, she also studied English going. What policy and procedures at the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano and French at need revisiting or refining? What takes priority? What do we the Alianza Francesa. Upon graduating, she attended the need to attend to in terms of physical plant, i.e., the buildings and School of Art Diego Quispe Titto and the exhibits? Where are we in our programs and events, and in San Antonio Abad del Cusco University scheduling the meetings, within the BHM and without, to address to study physics and math. Our all of these things? Fortunately, not much needs fixing, per se, multi-talented Tania got a job teaching thanks to BHM staff, the work done by our docents and other English as a foreign language in Peru volunteers, and our board members past and present, who are, and then came over to the states, where remember, volunteers also. This is an appropriate time and she continued her EFL courses at the place to thank all of our BHM family for their work. David University of New York in Buffalo. She Galligan, our President for the last several years, has cycled off, returned to Peru to train other teachers as our bylaws require, and Jim Lessenger is our new, very before coming back to the U.S. again to “hands on” President. Although their styles may be different, reunite with then- “beau” Steve. Tania their dedication to the Museum, passion, and hard work are very and Steve got married in 1992 and lived much the same. Duplicate and then multiply these two by the for a time in England when Steve was transferred there by his dedication and interest of our BHM board members, docents, company, taking their seven year old Alexandra with them. Alex sponsors, donors, BHM membership and visitors, and you may - a beautiful girl with her mother’s smile - has, this year, started have an idea as to how we can keep the Museum open, install her own college education. Tania remembers when her little girl new exhibits, create and run educational programs, while, at the came to the Museum office to “help”. Our Office Manager and same time, also running the nonprofit that actually does all of this perpetual student Tania has studied network administration at “two-for”, or even “three-and –four- for- the- price-of-one” Solano College and has worked for the Museum for ten (yes, nonprofit museum complex and organization. I say that because ten!), years. Tania deserves our thanks and praise… she is a the Museum is actually a number of small, free-standing talented and hard worker, devoted to BHM, and a much loved museums, with exhibits, as well as a research center and and respected colleague. archives. Did you know that a hefty 50% of the Curator’s time is Elizabeth d’Huart spent providing information to individuals and organizations from Executive Director Benicia and beyond, answering questions, providing photos, It is certainly the premier legacy of our West Coast maritime Curator’s Corner story. He was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio in 1825. The first ship Many times subjects for the museum he built was a schooner GEORGE R. ROBERTS for Lake Erie exhibits are reflective of the museum’s service. By 1850 he came to California via the Mississippi River, collection. At other times, a noteworthy Isthmus of Panama. After 3 years of gold mining he bought his subject is the focus. Next year, the first ship, the schooner TORANTO. For 15 years he was a museum is planning three major exhibits Pacific pioneer ship captain. In 1856 he was awarded by Queen with three different themes. As a Victoria for lifesaving at the Straits of Magellan. reminder in February, which is Black History Month, the museum will present In 1866, he discovered cod fish in the Pacific in the Amur River an exhibit on the African American region and in Alaska, Shumagin Islands. Two years later he built experience in the Benicia area. In April, his first ship, NAUTILUS, and sailed to Tahiti in 17 days, bringing there will be a Girl Scouts of America-100th Anniversary exhibit fresh fruit back to California in 19 days. He developed the in cooperation with local Girl Scout representatives. (By next “Turner mainsail”, a unique and distinctive West Coast and year, it will be two years since the Boy Scouts 100th Anniver- Pacific Rim sail rig. sary.) In June, an exciting and beautiful lady’s hat exhibit will By 1875, he opened his first shipyard in San Francisco at open with many surprises! Please watch for these upcoming Brickyard Point, China Basin and built 80 ships in 6 years there. exhibits! By 1883, he moved to Benicia where bedrock rises to water’s My very favorite historical character in Benicia is Matthew edge for his ship’s ways and built another 160 wooden ships. Turner. The Turner legacy is second to none among notables The GALILEE was a brigantine built in 1891 at Matthew Turner such as Levi Strauss, A. P. Giannini, Leland Stanford or others. Shipyard in Benicia. Her overall length was 132.4 feet; beam See Curator, Page 3 Camel Tracks Page 3 Curator Message From the Coming from page 2 33.4 feet and depth 12.6 feet. The ship was built to be used on President of the the packet line between San Francisco and Papeete, Tahiti and carried passengers as well as merchandise. She was a fast Board ship and set a record on her maiden voyage of 21 days sailing time from Tahiti to San Francisco. By 1905-1908 the Galilee At the last board meeting, the new served as the carrier for the Carnegie Oceanic Magnetic Survey members got to work with an agenda for of the Pacific Ocean. the next year. Probably the most important accomplishment was the work In 1902, Turner received another award for lifesaving on on committee assignments. We have a strong committee Malden Islands by the King of Norway. working with children's education and strong committees working After the death of in the areas of finance and exhibits. In the future year, the most Matthew Turner in important thing will be to recruit and train members, volunteers, 1909, the Galilee docents, and board members to increase our access and was sold to the outreach to the community as an integral tourism, education and Union Fish Compa- research resource and tool. ny in 1911. She Toni Haughey is once again spearheading the Christmas tree was converted to a sale event that we do in conjunction with the Genesis House of three-masted Vallejo. We anticipate a strong sale this year.