A New Exhibit Washes Ashore!

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This life vest is representative of the first ever commercial version, and is now on display in the exhibit. From The Mariners' Museum Collection.

Hello again readers, and welcome back to the library blog! I have some exciting news for you today – there’s a brand new exhibit in The Mariners’ Museum Library, and it’s FREE to come look at!

The new exhibit is called “Illustrating the News: Shipwrecks in the Popular Press.” It follows the history of shipwreck imagery in newspapers and periodicals from the 1830s through 1912, a time before the widespread use of photography. Before this period, most publications didn’t have much imagery to accompany their stories. This exhibit covers the era when publications began using illustrated images to showcase the shipwrecks of the time, and didn’t always stay true to the reality of the situation. One can see dramatic illustrations of shipwrecks, rescue attempts and survivors, and the display includes panel text describing the artistic techniques the artists used to convey their message. There’s even a display with old lifejackets from the time period, one of which is made of cork!Read more

Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation

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WAC sliding into home base during an HRPE WAC softball game

For the past few months I have been lucky enough to view the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation (HRPE) Collection at The Mariners’ Museum Library. This collection includes over fifteen thousand photographs donated in 1946 by Brigadier General John R. Kilpatrick, former commanding officer of the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation.

Previous to World War II, HRPE served as a military port in the Spanish-American War and in World War I. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, HRPE was reactivated. These photographs, taken by the United States Army Signal Corps, depict the various aspects of life at HRPE during World War II.Read more

Secrets in the Stacks

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Join us tomorrow, Wednesday September 7, at noon for this this month’s Secrets in the Stacks. Tom Moore, Senior Curator of Photography and Photo Archivist, will share the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation Collection. This extraordinary collection of photographs visually illustrates the role of Newport News as one of the major military Ports of Embarkation during World War II.

On December 7, 1941, war came to America with the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In a few short months, the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation was activated. A giant natural harbor, Hampton Roads served the nation as a military port in the Spanish-American War and World War I. During World War II, port headquarters was established here in Newport News and the port ranked third in the nation, after New York and San Francisco, in volume of troops and war materiel shipped to both Europe and the South Pacific. The urbanization of Newport News since the 1940s has erased many of the landmarks that defined the area at the time, and most of us would not recognize very many of those which remain. The important role of the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation in the war effort will be highlighted by this amazing collection of images.Read more

Secrets in the Stacks

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The Mariners’ Museum Library invites you for a walk into the museum’s past. Please join Jennifer Anielski for a Secrets in the Stacks that will have you saying, “ I remember when …” as we look at photographs of the museum and park from yesteryear. As an added bonus, a few faces of the past may appear as well.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, August 3rd at noon.Read more