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The Isaac H. Evans is Celebrating 125 years!
Mid-coast, MAINE—It's been 125 years since the Isaac H. Evans first slid down the ways and Captains Brenda and Brian Thomas are planning a party to honor everyone who has helped keep her going.
On Saturday, June 11th at North End Shipyard, Captains Brenda and Brian will welcome previous owners, guests, crew, captains, wooden boat enthusiasts, and the general public for an evening of music, food, dockside boat tours, and fun.
Music will be provided by Old Grey Goose, Bob Stuart and possibly Captain Ed Glaser who has a song or two about the Evans. The Captains plan to serve appetizers, beverages, and a feat of dessert engineering – a scrumptious cupcake tree – to be supplied by the Sabrosa Cupcake Co.
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Finally, the captains are preparing a museum-style display of Evans memorabilia and ephemera. They are collecting anything and everything related to this magnificent ship and are asking anyone who might have souvenirs, pictures, fond trip memories, poems, songs or fun stories to share to please get in touch with the Captains Brenda and Brian Thomas and plan to come on down!
History of the Isaac H. Evans
In 1886 in Mauricetown, New Jersey, a sturdy, well-built fishing vessel, the Isaac H. Evans, was launched off the banks of the Maurice River
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leading into the Delaware Bay. She was built for oystering, the biggest fishing industry in America at the time. Most oyster dredgers had a life expectancy of 20 years, which the Evans far exceeded, thanks to several rebuilds along the way. During the Depression years, the Evans lay beached in the mud until the oyster industry rebounded and she was put back into service. In 1946, she was refitted as a power oyster dredge. Gone were her masts, bowsprit and all sails. Instead, she motored throughout Delaware Bay, still fishing, but needing lots of repair.
In 1971, the Evans was purchased by Captains Doug and Linda Lee, current owners of the schooner Heritage. They brought her the Bath Maritime Museum in Maine where she underwent a major overhaul and complete transformation for a new industry – windjamming. She was beautifully restored to her original condition and was designated a National Historic Landmark – a rare honor given only to vessels that are recognized for their significant historical significance to the country. Captain Brenda says, "About two weeks after I became her new owner it really hit me. I actually own a National Historic Landmark. It wasn't like renting a storefront on Main Street and opening a business or buying a fleet of kayaks to take guests on tours of Maine's beautiful coast; it really was more of a commitment to the stewardship of a piece of maritime history. I've come to feel that I am just one link in the great chain of her life."
But simply owning the Evans would mean little to Captain Brenda without sharing the experience with her guests. She says, "We specialize in family trips and having the opportunity to see young kids excited about a real experience rather than amusement park rides or video games really makes it all worthwhile to me. There are several museums in the U.S. where kids can walk the decks of historic boats and turn the wheel and pretend to be a sea captain, but on the decks of the Evans those same kids can take the helm and steer us for our next destination. Rather than just reading about how life used to be for sailors they can experience it first hand aboard a working artifact. There's nothing quite like it when their eyes light up and the huge grin spreads across their face as they realize that they are steering a piece of history."
Asked how she feels about the schooner's upcoming anniversary, Captain Brenda says, "125 years is a big deal . . . especially when you're talking about a wooden boat with the history that the Evans has. She has survived a few near tragedies and gets to visit small harbors other windjammers can't. She has gone from carrying oysters to carrying people on vacation. She has gone from pure sail to having an engine to pure sail once again. If she were a human, her memoirs would be a fun read!"
For more information, visit the Isaac H. Evan's website at: midcoast.com/~evans.
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