Steamboat Era Museum

Museum Publishes Expanded Edition of Against the Tide

The Steamboat Era Museum is proud to announce the publication of a new edition of Against the Tide, the Turbulent Times of a Black Entrepreneur.  Readers will find additional illustrations, newspaper articles and more in this second edition of the book in which, Julie H. Sullivan tells the story of her great-grandfather, Captain H.C. Bayton (1863-1927).  Bayton was one of a very few African American steamboat captains who plied the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay during the Steamboat Era. 

Through hard work and determination, Hansford C. Bayton rose from humble beginnings to become the captain and owner of two steamboats and two steam launches for excursions and mail delivery up and down the Rappahannock River during the late 1800s and early 1900s. He would acquire wealth and the respect of both blacks and whites. Nevertheless, his boats were burned one by one. But with each malicious burning, he would build again.

This book illuminates a time in American history when the surge of progress made by freedmen was sharply curtailed through the enactment of segregation laws and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan. As a result, Hansford C. Bayton died poor, but his story is one of dignified courage and determination when faced with overwhelming odds. Truly, he was a man who swam against the tide.

J.H. Sullivan, PhD, is the author of papers, two books, including Against the Tide, and is a full-time professor at Arizona State University, where she teaches healthcare ethics, community health and culture and health. She and her husband live in Scottsdale, AZ.

The 140-page illustrated book includes a forward by Ambassador Andrew J. Young, Jr. Published by the Steamboat Era Museum, it is now available for pre-publication sale at 20% off the retail price through November 20. The retail cost of the hardcover version is $29.99 and the softcover version $19.99. Books bought through the pre-publication sale will be shipped near the end of November. The book can be ordered online at shop.SteamboatEraMuseum.org

In addition to the book, the museum has mounted an interactive exhibit about Captain Bayton. Museum hours are Thursday, Friday and Monday 10am-4pm and Sunday from 1pm-4pm. It is located at 156 King Carter Drive, Irvington.

PURCHASE THE BOOK

 

Author: SEM Executive Director

  • Museum Publishes Expanded Edition of Against the Tide

    Museum Publishes Expanded Edition of Against the Tide

    Museum Publishes Expanded Edition of Against the Tide

    The Steamboat Era Museum is proud to announce the publication of a new edition of Against the Tide, the Turbulent Times of a Black Entrepreneur.  Readers will find additional illustrations, newspaper articles and more in this second edition of the book in which, Julie H. Sullivan tells the story of her great-grandfather, Captain H.C. Bayton (1863-1927).  Bayton was one of a very few African American steamboat captains who plied the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay during the Steamboat Era. 

    Through hard work and determination, Hansford C. Bayton rose from humble beginnings to become the captain and owner of two steamboats and two steam launches for excursions and mail delivery up and down the Rappahannock River during the late 1800s and early 1900s. He would acquire wealth and the respect of both blacks and whites. Nevertheless, his boats were burned one by one. But with each malicious burning, he would build again.

    This book illuminates a time in American history when the surge of progress made by freedmen was sharply curtailed through the enactment of segregation laws and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan. As a result, Hansford C. Bayton died poor, but his story is one of dignified courage and determination when faced with overwhelming odds. Truly, he was a man who swam against the tide.

    J.H. Sullivan, PhD, is the author of papers, two books, including Against the Tide, and is a full-time professor at Arizona State University, where she teaches healthcare ethics, community health and culture and health. She and her husband live in Scottsdale, AZ.

    The 140-page illustrated book includes a forward by Ambassador Andrew J. Young, Jr. Published by the Steamboat Era Museum, it is now available for pre-publication sale at 20% off the retail price through November 20. The retail cost of the hardcover version is $29.99 and the softcover version $19.99. Books bought through the pre-publication sale will be shipped near the end of November. The book can be ordered online at shop.SteamboatEraMuseum.org

    In addition to the book, the museum has mounted an interactive exhibit about Captain Bayton. Museum hours are Thursday, Friday and Monday 10am-4pm and Sunday from 1pm-4pm. It is located at 156 King Carter Drive, Irvington.

    PURCHASE THE BOOK

     

  • Family Holiday Weekend at the Steamboat Era Museum

    Family Holiday Weekend at the Steamboat Era Museum

    The Steamboat Era Museum is hosting special activities for children and families during the July
    Fourth Holiday Weekend.

    On Thursday, June 29, the museum will offer extended hours for a special viewing of the new exhibit Children’s Lives Around the Northern Neck: 1880’s to 1930’s. Visitors will learn about what schools were like from Caleb, Eleanor and Henry: how they traveled to school, what subjects they studied and the textbooks they used. Kids can write their names on a vintage slate board, see period McGuffey
    Readers and discover the art of penmanship. There are also plenty of stories about fun, games and mischief.

    The exhibit includes film clips of school children in the 1920’s-30’s captured by local resident James Wharton. Visitors will also hear the stories of Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, Sallie Holley and others who helped educate Black children during Jim Crow. Not to be missed: the rules teachers had to follow in 1915 and the “computer of the day,” the Chautauqua Industrial Art Scroll.

    Extended museum hours on Thursday, June 29, are 4-6 pm. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served.

     

    On June 29, our Friday morning children’s program takes place from 10:30 am to noon. Participants will learn about life during the Steamboat Era in the Northern Neck and Chesapeake Bay, including our new exhibit. Kids can step aboard the Potomac pilothouse and turn the wheel and ring the engine order telegraph bell. The group will play children’s games popular during the Steamboat Era.

    Attendees will also make a wooden steamboat and test its buoyancy in the water. The fee is $5 per child. Adult(s) are admitted free for the tours. To make a reservation, call the museum at 804-438-6888.

     

    On Saturday, July 1, Edie Hemingway will be signing her new book, That Smudge of Smoke, from 10am to 3pm. Spanning 1929 through 2015, this middle grade novel tells the story of two 12-year-old children and how they navigate major changes in their lives. It is a multi-generational story of hope, friendship, family and of the far-reaching influence of history and music. Edie Hemingway is the co-author of two Civil War novels. Her middle grade novel, Road to Tater Hill won a Parents’ Choice Gold Award.

    That Smudge of Smoke is available in softbound and hardbound formats. Each book at this event will be imprinted with “Museum Edition.”

  • Book Debut at the Steamboat Era Museum July 1

    Book Debut at the Steamboat Era Museum July 1

    July 1, 2023, Book Debut at the Steamboat Era Museum 

    A cover for the book "That Smudge of Smoke" three images, a steamboat, a little girl writing, and a young man playing a woodwind instrument against a waterside backdrop blend together to form a lively children's book cover.Join us July 1, 2023, at the Museum for the museum debut of Edie Hemingway’s newest middle grade novel That Smudge of Smoke! Edie will be available beginning at 10:00 am to sign softbound or hardbound books, all imprinted with “Museum Edition.”

    That Smudge of Smoke spans the years from 1929 to 2015 in a middle grade novel about these two 12-year-olds navigating crucial changes in their lives.  The diary, known as Dorie, becomes the vital link between Piper and Garrett, and soon takes on the unexpected role of narrator, a compelling character in itself.  This is a multi-generational story of hope, friendship, family, and of the far-reaching influence of history and music.

    Edith (Edie) Hemingway is co-author of two Civil War novels, both licensed by Scholastic Book Fairs and optioned for films.  Her middle grade novel, Road to Tater Hill (Delacorte Press) won a Parents’ Choice Gold Award and was listed on Bank Street College’s Best Books List and several state lists.  That Smudge of Smoke (BeaLu Books, 2023) is her newest middle grade novel set in two timeframes and told from different points of view.  An MFA graduate of Spalding University’s Naslund-Mann School of Writing, Edie taught writing for children and young adults as a member of their faculty for nine years.  She served four years as Regional Advisor for the MD/DE/WV chapter of SCBWI and is an active member of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC.

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  • Friday Morning Kids Activities Begin at the Steamboat Era Museum

    Friday Morning Kids Activities Begin at the Steamboat Era Museum

    The arrival of a steamboat was a big event. Children loved to go to the pier to see it. Children who participate in the museum’s Friday morning activities will learn what it was like being a child during the Steamboat Era

    Friday morning children’s activities will begin June 24 at the Steamboat Era Museum. Kids from 4-12, accompanied by an adult, will learn about the history of how steamboats impacted the communities around the Chesapeake Bay. They will have fun imagining what being a child over a century ago was like.

    Children will learn about the Steamboat Era in the Northern Neck and Chesapeake Bay by viewing photos of children and adults from the Steamboat Era, turning the Potomac pilothouse wheel and ringing the engine order telegraph bell, playing children’s games popular during the Steamboat Era and making a wooden steamboat and testing it in the water

    The museum is also offering two new children’s scavenger hunts in 2022. A special hunt has been developed for younger visitors which includes a steamboat coloring page.

    Kid’s activities are every Friday from June 25 through August 19, 10:30 – Noon. The fee is $5 per child. Adult(s) are free for the tours. To reserve a space for Friday morning children’s activities, call the museum at 438-6888

  • Steamboat Era Museum Announces New Board Members and Officers

    Steamboat Era Museum Announces New Board Members and Officers

    Mary Burgess and Ollen Richey have been elected to the Board of Directors at the Steamboat Era Museum. 

    Burgess graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. In the late 90s she moved to Richmond and built a successful real estate business.  Granddaughter of steamboat historian and author, Robert H. Burgess, she heard many stories about the Steamboat Era during her childhood.  In 2015 she moved to the Northern Neck full time. Burgess, an Irvington resident, continues selling real estate and racing at Rappahannock River Yacht Club. 

    Ollen Richey and his wife Linda Caron settled in Irvington in 2018.  Ollen is a retired Marine who has seen service around the world.  Since his retirement from the Corps, he has worked in the national security sector, most recently, in the Middle East and North Africa.  In January, he co-founded a national security consultancy and is busy now getting the company off the ground.  In his free time, Ollen is an avid sailor and fisherman.  

    Board President Keith Kehlbeck

    Keith Kehlbeck was elected President of the Board of Directors. Kehlbeck is an historian, author, and dad. He has written two books “Gone to God: A Civil War Family’s Ultimate Sacrifice” and “Aim High: The Life and Times of John Arena. When not focused on the Civil War, Keith served as Executive Director for Select Registry, Distinguished Inns of North America and CEO for Distinguished Restaurants of North America. He previously served on several boards including the Marshall Historical Society and the Michigan Barn Preservation Network. Keith has a bachelor’s degree in history from Wabash College. 

    New officers of the Steamboat Era Museum board of directors include: Vice President, Greg Kirkbride, Secretary, Cay Bradley and Treasurer, Jeff Ewing.

    The board thanks retiring board members Will Hubbard and Fred Pevahouse for their leadership and contributions to the museum.

     

     

  • Steamboat Era Museum Begins Summer Hours on June 2

    Steamboat Era Museum Begins Summer Hours on June 2

    The Steamboat Era Museum will be open June 2- September 5 Thursday-Saturday and Monday 10am-4pm and Sunday 1-4pm. It will be closed July 4.

    Activities at the museum include docent-led tours and a children’s scavenger hunt, including a new hunt for younger children.

    Discover the Stories of the Steamboat Era. 

    Interactive exhibits include the story of Hansford Bayton, an African American steamboat owner. He tells his story of how tell how he navigated Jim Crow laws to run a successful fleet of steamers—until arson literally sent his business up in flames. 

    Meet young Walther Fidler, and his friends, who snuck aboard steamboats to play the slot machines. 

    Watch a video, in one of the crew quarters in the restored Potomac Pilothouse, the largest remaining piece of a Chesapeake Bay steamboat in existence. Experience the restoration and installation of the pilothouse in 2019. 

    Mark your calendar for two of the museum’s signature events. The Irvington Crab Festival is scheduled for September 17 and the Holiday Marketplace on November 25, 26 & 27 and December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18. 

    Admission to the museum is $6.00 for adults, $3.00 for youth 12-17. Active military and children under 12 are free.  For groups of ten or more the admission is $5.00

    For further information please call 438-6888 or email shop@SteamboatEraMuseum.org  

  • Museum Thanks Donors, Members and Dedicates New Plaques

    Museum Thanks Donors, Members and Dedicates New Plaques

    On Saturday evening, May 14, the Steamboat Era Museum held a reception for museum members and donors. President Keith Kehlbeck welcomed the attendees and thanked them for their support. He introduced the Board of Directors and officers of the board. Fred Pevahouse and Will Hubbard were thanked for their time on the board. 

    Museum Executive Director Steve Humphrey reviewed the highlights of the museum’s 2021 season, which are included in the newly released 2021 annual report. He also spoke about the funds and grants raised during 2021.

    The highlight of the evening was the dedication of two plaques located in the restored Potomac Pilothouse. They joined plaques in the wheelhouse installed in 2020.  One plaque is in memory of Benjamin and Willoughby Colonna who saved the Potomac pilothouse from destruction. John Morgenthaler, a shipwright and master craftsman is honored in a second plaque for lovingly restoring the pilothouse

    The plaques dedicated during the reception are in memory of Anne Long McClintock and Dr. Lee and Teensa Williams all original founders of the museum.  Families and friends of the honorees were present at the reception.

    The Williams were original founders and long supporters of the museum. Both passed away this past summer. 

    Dr. Williams was very familiar with the Potomac. He first visited the pilothouse, at age five, as a passenger in 1929.  After swallowing a penny, his mother called Captain Archibald Long for help. Deciding the penny would pass on its own, he invited the young boy to visit the wheelhouse, a very special honor. 

    Ninety years later in 2019, at age ninety-five, he revisited the wheelhouse and once again turned the wheel. The plaque in memory of the Williams reads: 

    The Potomac Wheelhouse is in Loving Memory of

    Dr. M. Lee and Teensa Williams

    Dr. Williams first visited the

    pilothouse, at age five, as a passenger on the Potomac in 1929.

    Ninety years later in 2019, at age ninety-five, he revisited the

    wheelhouse and once again turned the wheel.

    They were original founders of the museum.

    Anne Long McClintock was the granddaughter of Archibald Long, the longest serving captain of the Potomac. The museum and the restoration of the pilothouse were close to Anne’s heart, and she worked hard to make each successful. 

    One of Anne’s greatest joys was the publication of her short stories about the Steamboat Era. Working with former museum Executive Director Barbara Brecher, she collected her stories written for local newspapers and, with Brecher’s design support, We are Who We are Because Steamboats Were was published by the museum in 2014. The first printing sold out in one day at the museum’s Holiday Marketplace.

    Anne passed away in January 2020, but she was present in May 2019 when the restored pilothouse was raised over the museum and installed in the exhibition hall. Anne’s plaque reads: 

    The Captain’s Quarter

    is in

    Loving Memory of Anne Long McClintock,

    an original founder of the museum.

    The Pilothouse restoration was close to Anne’s heart.

    Archibald Long, the longest serving captain of the Potomac (1903-1929),

    was Anne’s grandfather.

    He spent many nights in this cabin.

     

  • Getting Ready for 2021!

    Getting Ready for 2021!

    During the winter we have been busy getting ready for the 2021 season.

    While we are not sure what the season will bring as far as Covid restrictions, we are hopeful to open in the spring.

    New exhibits include the completely restored pilothouse and a wall hung with sections of the pilothouse in their original state. Visitors will get an appreciation of the work involved in bringing the pilothouse back to its beautiful “like new” condition.

    A new video, about the restoration of the pilothouse, will be shown in one of the crew quarters!

    Click through the presentation below to see a preview of what is to come

    If you’re on mobile, you can scroll to the lower right of the presentation to make it full screen, or click here, then swipe to navigate.

  • Museum Welcomes New Executive Director

    Museum Welcomes New Executive Director

    The Board of Directors is pleased to announce Steve Humphrey as the museum’s new Executive Director.

    Humphrey served 29 years as the executive director of the National Canal Museum and Hugh Moore Historical Park in Easton, Pennsylvania. He was responsible for a six-mile-long historical park where he oversaw the restoration of an historic canal, as well as the implementation of a mule drawn canal boat ride, bike paths and other recreational facilities.

    His last position before retiring in 2017, was executive director of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) in Columbia, Pennsylvania. The NAWCC operates the National Watch and Clock Museum, an internationally renowned library/archives on timekeeping and timepieces and an extensive publishing program.

    Between his two executive director positions Steve served as Business Administrator for the City of Easton, Pennsylvania.

    Steve and his wife Sandy relocated to Virginia after retiring to be near his daughter Rachel, son-in-law Steve and four grandsons who live in Middlesex and own Yours Truly Photography in Kilmarnock. Their other daughter Andrea resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

    “I am looking forward to working with the Steamboat Era Museum and getting to know the community.” Humphrey stated. “In addition, the board and I are pleased to announce Brecher Design Group, led by former museum executive director Barbara Brecher, has been retained to continue the marketing efforts of
    the museum.”

  • The Steamboat Era Museum Publishes New Book

    The Steamboat Era Museum Publishes New Book

    The Steamboat Era Museum is proud to announce the publication of a new book.

    Published in November 2020, Chesapeake Bay Steamboat Era 1813-1937 A-Z  is an alphabet book about the Steamboat Era.
    The book is full of historic photographs, newspaper articles, and other images from the museum’s archives and exhibits. Author Shelly Ford makes the story for each letter informative and fun to read.
    Barbara Brecher, the museum’s Executive Director created and designed the book. After more than seven years as director, Brecher will be leaving the museum at the end of the 2020 year. This book is her thank you gift to the local and museum community for the strong support and guidance she received during this time. In the dedication she thanks people with whom she worked to re-imagine the museum and restore and install the Potomac Pilothouse. Brecher and her husband Michael Geissinger, the museum’s “official photographer “ for the past seven years, have donated 50 copies of the book to be sold at the Museum’s Virtual Marketplace. All proceeds from the sale will support the museum.
    The coiled bound 32 page book measures 11” x 8.5″ and is printed on heavy cover stock. It costs $18.99.