Robert Schwemmer of NOAA points to photos that confirm the discovery of the steam-powered Coast Guard revenue cutter McCulloch that sank off the Central Coast near Santa Barbara on June 13, 1917. Photo: Paul Kuroda / San Francisco Chronicle
Tom Glebas, who piloted the remotely operated vehicle that photographed the wreckage, shows the equipment that helped confirm the old ship’s identity. Photo: Paul Kuroda / San Francisco Chronicle
Maritime archaeologists and the Coast Guard announced the discovery Tuesday of what remains of the celebrated Coast Guard cutter McCulloch, which sank 100 years ago off the Central California coast.
The McCulloch was a famous ship in its day. It fired one of the first shots in the battle of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish-American War, and then served on rescue and patrol duties out of San Francisco Bay for 20 years, including service in Alaska and the Bering Sea.
Identifying the wreckage of the ship “is a great day for the Coast Guard,” said Rear Adm. Todd Sokalzuk, commander of the Coast Guard’s 11th district in Alameda. The story of the McCulloch and its crew over the years “is an important part of our heritage and legacy,” he said.
The ship — 219 feet long and steam-powered — was the largest revenue cutter of its time, and also one of the fastest. But it sank in 35 minutes on the morning of June 13, 1917, after a collision in fog with the passenger liner Governor off Point Conception near Santa Barbara.
Formal identification of the ship’s wreckage was announced at a news conference at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. The tale of the ship’s career and its abrupt end was part history lesson and part underwater detective story.
The McCulloch was built in Philadelphia in 1896 for the Revenue Cutter Service, forerunner of the modern Coast Guard. The ship was assigned to service in the Pacific, but instead of sailing the usual route around the tip of South America, it was sent through the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean to its new station in San Francisco. The Panama Canal had not been built yet.
When the McCulloch reached Singapore, it was clear that war between the United States and Spain was in the air. The McCulloch was attached to the Navy’s Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey.
When war broke, Dewey’s fleet sailed for the Philippines, then under Spanish control, where it surprised and sank a Spanish squadron at Manila Bay. The American victory there helped establish the U.S. as a Pacific power.
Though the McCulloch was a revenue cutter — essentially a patrol ship — it carried guns and fired the first shots at Manila Bay. The McCulloch’s chief engineer, Frank Randall, was the only American fatality in the battle.
Later, the ship sailed into San Francisco, which became its home port. It was assigned to rescue missions, including responding to a major shipwreck off Bolinas, and to patrol duty in remote sections of Alaska and the Bering Sea.
When it was not on patrol, the McCulloch was a familiar sight in the bay. Its usual base was riding at anchor just off Sausalito, ready to put to sea on short notice.
In June 1917, the cutter was heading back to San Francisco from Los Angeles Harbor when it was sunk in 300 feet of water.
The wreckage lay undiscovered on the sea bottom until modern sonar detected a mysterious shipwreck 4 miles off Point Conception.
Not long afterward, marine archaeologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard mounted an expedition to dive on the wreck. Robert Schwemmer, NOAA’s West Coast maritime heritage coordinator, described how scientists used a small remotely operated vehicle to explore the wreckage.
Though only a skeleton of the ship remained, Schwemmer used what he called “clues” — part of the ship’s unique torpedo tube, one of the ship’s guns and the steering wheel — to identify the wreck as the long-lost McCulloch
They also tracked down the grave of John Johansson, a McCulloch crew member who was injured in the collision and taken off the ship. He died in a hospital a few days after the accident and was buried with honors at a cemetery in San Pedro, at the edge of Los Angeles harbor.
There are no plans to raise the ship.
Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf
This new video from Mystic Seaport featuring papercutting artist Nikki McClure is a compelling example of presenting an artist, art form, and exhibition in an online video. Please take a minute to view this excellent short piece.
In the early 2nd century, paper was invented in China by Cai Lun.
Almost at once artists of one fashion or another began using it to create art. Instantly we think of the masters who dabbed paint on that paper to create breathtaking art. But others chose a very different route. They created art simply by cutting it.
Papercutting has been embraced for more than 1600 years in countries as varied as Indonesia, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Israel, the Philippines and throughout China, Japan and India.
The art initially took the form of religious iconography, but over the centuries, artists expanded their subject matter. From high art to folk art, papercutting allowed people to celebrate and remember loved ones, special events like marriage contracts or favorite animals, floral designs, holiday images and, of course, historical, political and religious figures.
The art form has inspired millions with its intricate and delicate designs. The Chinese paper-cutting form has even been recognized by the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List as representing the cultural values of the Chinese people.
When Mystic Seaport saw the work of Washington State papercut artist Nikki McClure they were inspired by both her skills and her vision. She was invited to create Away, a 59-foot long mural that is on display in the lobby of the Thompson Exhibition Building.
Additionally, 36 pieces of her work were curated into Life in Balance: The Art of Nikki McClure on exhibit now in the C. D. Mallory Building. The exhibition also includes sketches, notes, and an examination of her process of creation.
If you’re only exposure to papercut art is the silhouette of your first pet or girlfriend, then you may well be surprised by the scope and intricacies of the art of cut paper.
Current Situation: The United States Lighthouse Society (USLHS) Library, officially named the “Unites States Lighthouse Society Wayne Wheeler Library,” currently occupies about 200 linear feet of shelf space. (At this time the Society is only interested in transferring its books, but would also consider including its photo and document collection if circumstances warrant.) We anticipate two more significant book collections to be added to the current library, resulting in about 400 total linear feet. Our current facility in Hansville, Washington, will not allow us to accommodate this expanded library. Furthermore, the remote location of Hansville does not make the library readily available to potential users.
USLHS is therefore conducting a nation-wide search to find a suitable home for the library.
Preferred Library Considerations:
Climate control, fire and intrusion detection systems.
Professionally trained staff.
Non-lending research library.
Accessible location with parking and good public transportation.
Maritime and/or technical focused collections.
Open to the public on a regular basis (can be by appointment)
Conditions of Library Transfer:
USLHS library will be a long-term transfer, but ownership of the library will remain with USLHS. Length of term of transfer is negotiable.
Other than the two collection additions mentioned above, occasional small additions to the library will be permitted to the collection.
Any duplicates between the hosting library and the USLHS collection must remain in USLHS collection.
USLHS library will be so identified and kept together in one contiguous section of the hosting library.
An annual hosting fee, if necessary, is negotiable.
USLHS will pay for all costs related to the move of library to the hosting library.
USLHS staff will be available to help with answering lighthouse-related research requests.
Who we are:
The United States Lighthouse Society is a nonprofit historical and educational organization dedicated to saving and sharing the rich maritime legacy of American lighthouses and supporting lighthouse preservation throughout the nation.
The USLHS Wayne Wheeler Library includes many 19th century publications, including Annual Reports of the U.S. Light-House Board, Light Lists, and technical publications related to optics and fog signals. Secondary sources include guidebooks, popular and scholarly work, and some periodicals. An inventory of the collection is available upon request. Any duplicates will be removed and disposed of before transmission. Although the collection deals primarily with the United States, books on international lighthouses are also included.
USLHS is in the process of creating a large digital archive for lighthouse research. Most of it is derived from primary sources. The archive will be made available online through the Society’s website <uslhs.org>. This archive, along with the physical library, will bring together vast resources for research on lighthouses, which in turn will produce more books and articles that would be available in one central location.
For more information or expressions of interest, please email Candace Clifford at candace@uslhs.org.
Please take a look at this grant announcement for automotive and BOAT restoration.
Who we are:
The Restoration Preservation Membership (RPM) Foundation provides the pathway to careers for the next generation of automotive and marine restoration and preservation craftsmen and artisans through formal training and mentorship.
What we do:
We promote interest in collectible cars and boats by developing the next generation of enthusiasts, restorers and craftsmen. By providing funding through scholarships and grants to organizations that have a proven history of being committed to the ‘hands-on’ training of young people, we are securing the future of the automotive and marine restoration and preservation industries.
What RPM is looking for:
We are concerned about the future and the fact that fewer young people are learning the trades and skills that will help preserve our heritage. To that end, we help organizations who are dedicated to instructing and training young people, primarily 18-25 year olds, to restore and preserve vintage cars and boats, as well as providing them with a pathway to careers.
Typical Grant Awards & Expectations:
An average first-time grant award is about $10,000. Grant awardees are required to submit progress reports including posting photos with captions, as well as videos on a private, secured KoolProjects website throughout the term of the grant. Applicants should also provide information about other funding sources should RPM only award a portion of the applicant amount requested.
To some degree, we have supported relevant museums by underwriting the cost of student tours and internships, and even helped organizations purchase restoration tools and equipment, but you have a better chance of receiving an RPM Foundation grant if you have a hands-on training program that provides a pathway to careers for students 18-25 years old. Our highest priorities today are student scholarships, internships and apprenticeships. We never fund salaries. Please note that we rarely support institutional infrastructure or equipment needs, or start-up programs. Established programs with a track record really get our attention.
Whether you attended the 2017 CAMM Conference in San Francisco or not, I encourage you to visit the CAMM Annual Conference Webpage to view photos from the April meeting hosted by the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and to mark your calendars for next year’s meeting: April 4-6, 2018 in Bermuda – hosted by the National Museum of Bermuda.
2017 CAMM Annual Conference, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Photo: SFMNHP
Also, by subscribing to our Blog Page. You will get the latest conference information and CAMM updates right to your inbox. No spam, just information from other maritime museum professionals and member institutions. As always, inquiries and submissions should be sent to the CAMM Administrator.
Organization: Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) Title: Executive Director Reports to: Board Chair, Kelly Williams Location: Nantucket, MA To apply: Please send resume and cover letter to NHAED@pbrsearch.com
The Nantucket Historical Association seeks an experienced, visionary, entrepreneurial executive director to lead the organization into a vibrant, dynamic, and sustainable future.
Background: The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) tells inspiring stories of Nantucket through its collections, programs, and properties. Over the past twenty years, the organization has gone through an extraordinary transformation, first with the building of the new museum and renovation of administrative offices and more recently with the creation of a wide array of public and educational programs. With a budget of $4M, a professional staff of 30, AAM accreditation, and a stellar national reputation, the NHA is considered the premier nonprofit organization on the island of Nantucket. Visited by more than 54,000 people annually, the NHA is comprised of the famous Whaling Museum, which displays permanent and changing exhibitions; a research library; an extensive collection of objects; fourteen historic properties, including the oldest house on Nantucket; and nearly year-round public and education programs enjoyed by local residents and tourists alike.
Position: Following on an exceptional period of growth that included the building of a new museum, the creation of dynamic public programming, and the completion of an ambitious capital campaign, the NHA seeks an executive director to work closely with the board, staff, and community to define and implement plans for the organization’s future. The ED will serve as the primary face and voice of the NHA, cultivating partnerships and funder relationships with nonprofit and business leaders and year-round and summer residents. S/he will provide leadership and management to the staff, ensuring that people are working together to serve the overarching mission of the organization and that exhibits, programs, and the interpretation of physical properties enhance and amplify one another. In addition, s/he will bring rigorous business discipline to the organization, ensuring that the NHA maintains and builds upon its robust fiscal health. Finally, the ED will be a creative force aware of best practices and innovations in the field of museums and will draw on that knowledge to ensure that NHA remains a forward-thinking and acting organization.
Registration begins this evening (5:00-6:00pm) for the CAMM Annual Conference with sessions starting tomorrow morning at 8:45am. You can access the CAMM 2017 Program here. Registration tonight is at the Park’s Visitors’ Center at the Argonaut Hotel. All tomorrow’s sessions are in the Argonaut Hotel in Golden Gate C Room (495 Jefferson Street, San Francisco, CA).
Registration Bags are ready to go for the 2017 CAMM Conference
Thank you San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association for hosting the meeting this year.
Tag or follow along on social media at #CAMMConference.
Mystic Seaport announces Christopher Gasiorek has been named Vice President for Watercraft Preservation and Programs. He succeeds Dana Hewson, who will be retiring at the end of this month after 41 years at the Museum.
A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, Gasiorek is a professional mariner with more than 25 years of experience in a diversity of maritime positions. He holds an unlimited tonnage master’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard, and he has served on tugs, bulk carriers, research ships, training ships, and racing yachts. He has circumnavigated the world twice.
Christopher Gasiorek, new Vice President for Watercraft Preservation and Programs at Mystic Seaport. Photo: Mystic Seaport
Gasiorek was the Director of Watercraft Operations and Training at the USMMA from 2007 to 2014, where he oversaw the operation of more than 100 vessels ranging from the 224-foot Kings Pointer to sailing dinghies. He was responsible for maintenance, cadet training, shoreside support, facilities improvements, and the command of cadet-crewed training voyages.
As a maritime educator, Gasiorek has served as classroom and underway instructor for numerous Safety at Sea Seminars, including training for NOAA’s shipboard officers and USCG-approved instruction in Bridge Resource Management, Leadership and Management, and Safety of Life at Sea. He is involved with Tall Ships America and is a past relief captain and mate of South Street Seaport’s 1893 schooner Lettie G. Howard. He currently serves on the board of the USMMA Sailing Foundation, where he has been intimately involved in their yacht donation program.
“Chris Gasiorek brings to the position demonstrated experience and expertise in strategic planning, budget planning for a multi-million dollar waterfront operation, personnel management, and close work with government and civilian stakeholders at all levels,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White. “We believe his extensive maritime experience, proven leadership, and knowledge of sail education and waterfront management will serve the Museum well in the years ahead.”
Gasiorek is a resident of Mystic, CT. He will assume his duties in early June.
This directory is part of the Resources page on the CAMM website featuring resources from CAMM Member institutions. CAMM members may add or update a collection by downloading the CAMM Ship Plans Survey and returning the completed survey to maritimemuseums@gmail.com
Reading Room of the Maritime Research Center at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park . The Maritime Research Center provides access to the library , archives and museum collections and encourages research in maritime history and humanities. The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park will be hosting the CAMM Annual Conference April 18-21, 2017. (NPS photo/K. Kvam)
Please remember to register for this spring’s annual conference by the April 5th deadline. The conference planning team at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and San Francisco Maritime National Park Association are putting together a fantastic event, including harbor and museum tours that will highlight the maritime landscape of our host city. This includes an engaging three-day program of presentations and panels, as well as optional excursions to Point Reyes Lighthouse and the museum’s large artifact storage facility at San Leandro (please register in advance for optional trips).
Scow schooner Alma with sails set, running with the wind on San Francisco Bay, with the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands in the background. Photo: NPS
Conference Details:
Dates: Wednesday, April 19 – Friday, April 22, 2017
Hosts: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, San Francisco, California
Registration: Full 3-day registration is $195 (covers sessions, Friday box lunch, evening reception, and final dinner); the companion rate for the social events is $125. The one-day registration rate will be $110. To register, please complete the 2017 CAMM Conference Registration Form (It is recommended you download and save the form to your computer. Once completed, follow form instructions for email or hard copy submission and payment).
Registration Deadline is April 5, 2017.
Note on lodging: the conference hotel – the Argonaut Hotel, 495 Jefferson Street, San Francisco is located on Fisherman’s Wharf within walking distance of all the conference activities. The Argonaut is offering a special rate (the normal government rate) of $267 plus tax. At this late date, you will need to contact the hotel’s Sales Director, Mark at 800-790-1415 or email mbenefield-tuten@noblehousehotels.com to arrange the special conference rate.
