THE WATCH HILL CONSERVATOR NONPROFIT ORG. 222 Watch Hill Road U.S. POSTAGE PAID Watch Hill, Rhode Island 02891 WESTERLY, RI PERMIT NO. 26 Return Service Requested © Puffin Enterprises THE WATCH HILL CONSERVANCY NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2011 VOL. 4 NO. 3 WATCH HILL, R.I. Horsing Around in the Off-Season: Preserving the Flying Horses of Watch Hill If you ask for directions to any- Anderson, who teaches marine carving where in Watch Hill, the reply often at Mystic Seaport Museum, is an artist who begins with “Do you know where the spends most of his time recreating and restor- Merry-Go-Round is? Well, from ing historical objects in wood, bronze, and there…” An icon of summer fun, a trig- paint, as well as carving signs, working in ger for happy memories, a geographic clay, painting, and drawing in pen and ink. He reference point: the flying horses of has been care-giver for the 20 carousel hor- Watch Hill are all of these and more. ses for 18 years. Working with the Watch But even they leave Bay Street in Hill Fire District, which owns the carousel, THE WATCH HILL CONSERVANCY CALENDAR the winter. Most go into storage at the and the Watch Hill Improvement Society, 222 Watch Hill Road Memorial Building of the Library and which shares in their maintenance, he contin- ues in the tradition of many former crafts- Watch Hill, Rhode Island 02891 Improvement Society; some are moved men. “My guess is there have been dozens (401) 348-6540 • Daily, through September 2, Watch Hill Memorial to the workshop of woodcarver Gary Anderson for major or minor surgery or involved in their upkeep over the years,” he Library and Improvement Society, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. notes, naming Ed Barber, the Larkins, Lido Directors and Officers a cosmetic make-over. Photo courtesy Gary Anderson • Sundays, through September 11, Watch Hill Chapel Mochetti, Bill Street, and Gil Beebe, and Frederick B. Whittemore, Robert Severud “Basically, these are the original horses that have been here noting that there were countless others whose work is not recorded. Like President and Chairman Grant G. Simmons III Roman Catholic Mass, 8:30 a.m. since at least the early 1880s, and were probably made in 1867,” his predecessors, he repairs and repaints the animals in an on-going cycle Richard H. Sayre, H. Brian Thompson Nondenominational “Union” Service, 10 a.m. Anderson explained early this summer in an illustrated presentation of maintenance, often finding himself repairing previous repairs. Vice President,Vice Chairman, Henry Toolan at the Ocean House. The Watch Hill horses are the only surviving • August 26, American Songbook, Ocean House and Treasurer Richard G. Unruh, Jr. example of horses made by Andrew Christian when he was working Chaplin B. Barnes, Charles S. Whitman III oceanhouseevents.com with Charles Dare, and demonstrate the evolution of the rocking horse (cause of innumerable injuries and occasional deaths) to the Vice President and Secretary Advisory Council • August 28, 5 p.m., Hymn Sing, Watch Hill Chapel Peter B. Griffin, safer “spring rockers” with their outstretched front legs, designed to Charles M. Royce • August 30, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Concert in the Park, Vice President Thomas P. Sculco stay clear of the floor on the downward thrust, and finally to the Jane B. O’Connell, Thomas R. Wall IV Watch Hill carousel horses we see today. “These steeds have been subjected to Vice President • September 2, Cabaret on the Lawn, Ocean House damp nights and hot days and hostile environments for over 140 James R. Barnes Staff years,” he notes, “but they have been lovingly cared for as well.” Chaplin B. Barnes, Executive Director oceanhouseevents.com Elizabeth W. Bean Like anything else made of organic material (the horses are all Marian C. Burke Judith H. Kelley, Office Manager Lyn Traver, Administrative Assistant wood, with leather harnesses and saddles, real horse hair tails and Harvey C. DeMovick III manes, and cloth blankets), the “tethered treasures” have inherent T. Wilson Eglin, Jr. The Watch Hill Conservator threats to their longevity. Add to that generations of children climb- Donald R. Kelly Joan Youngken, Contributing Editor ing on them in salty, wet bathing suits and sneakers, hundreds of Susan Kozel Design, Puffin Enterprises thousands of metal rings being collected and plunked over painted Deborah Lamm For information about community events, ears, wind-driven sand blasting from the nearby beach, and other Joan A. Lemp Photo courtesy Gary Anderson lectures, concerts, nature walks, educa- traumas, and it’s no small wonder that they are still able to be Charles E. Long tional programs for children, and others, enjoyed at all. Thomas F. McWilliams see the Conservancy’s website below. Photo Deb Stallwood www.thewatchhillconservancy.org Photo Julia Royster Contents copyright 2011 The Watch Hill Conservancy© 2 7 “There have been so many repairs over time that the repairs themselves have left EMBERSHIP ORM their mark,” Anderson explains. There are joints and nails and a variety of glues where UPDATE: M F wood has been scarfed in, a connect-the-dots of nail holes, filler materials ranging from The Watch Hill Conservancy is a not- wood to epoxy to cement, each adding a new challenge to the restoration/preservation Westerly Harbor process. Management Plan: Watch for-profit organization. Your membership supports the protection of the natural and Anderson credits Harriet Chappell Moore and her book, Around and Around: the Story of the Watch Hill Carousel, with nurturing an awareness and better stewardship of Hill Cove, Napatree, and cultural resources of Watch Hill, a variety these Watch Hill treasures. But even the best care can’t halt their inevitable deterioration Little Narragansett Bay of programs, and educational publications, over time, and even a wooden horse can withstand only so many knee replacements, including this newsletter. replaced tails, (real horse tails), and eye transplants. Is it time to retire them completely, and preserve what remains of the original materials? This summer, Westerly’s Harbor Chart NOAA Member name:__________________________ “We’re constantly faced with the question of use vs. preservation,” Anderson reflects. Management Commission has been review- “Is it more important to maintain these horses as pure artifacts or to keep them in service ing public input on sections of the Town’s Harbor Management Plan that relate to Watch Hill’s ______________________________________ harbor areas. The Watch Hill Fire District, the Conservancy, and the Watch Hill Yacht Club for the enjoyment of this and future generations? We’ve decided, for now at least, to keep Preferred mailing address:_________________ them flying. I firmly believe that the more we take care of these things from our past, the have continued to provide information and have submitted a draft plan and implementation better future we will have. There’s a whole new generation of kids in Watch Hill who love Photo courtesy Gary Anderson language presenting their recommendations. A number of other Westerly shoreline organiza- ______________________________________ tions have been contributing to this process by providing local area information. them, so I’m sure they’ll be around for a long time.” JY ______________________________________ The public waters of the State of Rhode Island, including those off Westerly, are held in trust for all to enjoy. The State has delegated the authority to devise local harbor management ______________________________________ plans to the towns with coastal resources, with final approval of all plans by the R.I. Coastal City:__________________________________ Resources Management Council. Hence the Town of Westerly’s Commission has been pro- State:_____________Zip:__________________ The Great New England ceeding diligently on developing a plan and implementing ordinances, gathering information and ideas from all affected parties along the way. This is no easy task. Phone:_________________________________ Hurricane of A draft Watch Hill portion of the Plan was submitted to the Commission in July with Email:_________________________________ additional information following in August. Continual emphasis has been placed on the _______________________________________ September 21, 1938 importance of recognizing Napatree as a wildlife habitat conservation area, while at the same time preserving its superb recreational values for local beach-goers, tourists, and wildlife enthusiasts. Balancing the impacts of these activities is crucial to the support of both func- INDIVIDUAL: $25 The end of summer always brings to my Photo: Seaside Topics, November tions. No: ___ Total: $_________ mind the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. Reproduced from Watch Hill Through Time, Chaplin For example, the draft Watch Hill submission seeks to encourage and guide recreational BUSINESS: $75 September 21, 1938. I had not yet been born, but Bradford Barnes uses to areas that have the least impact upon terrestrial and marine habitats while retaining full No: ___ Total: $_________ my childhood at Watch Hill in the late 1940s and enjoyment by the public. The habitats include the dunes and dune grass areas, areas of the 1950s was nonetheless overshadowed by the AMILY Photo Richard C. Youngken beaches used as nesting sites, the eel grass beds in shallow water near the north side beach, the F : $100 recent memories and stories of that storm, the lagoon, and other areas of the beach that not only support endangered wildlife, but also help Shortly after 3 p.m., the full force of the No: ___ Total: $_________ greatest natural disaster ever to hit New An early morning report from the Cunard stabilize Napatree from the ravages of weather and erosion. The goal is to protect this fragile Corinthia, storm swept across Long Island Sound and SUPPORTER: $250 - $499 England. liner located off Hatteras, of physical resource from any loss that would diminish its overall environmental character and extremely low barometric pressure failed to onto the Connecticut and Rhode Island The first thing to know about the Hurricane its recreational values, while at the same time allowing for public enjoyment of the area.