Heritage

Noted Marine Archaeologist Ken Cassavoy

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(L) The General Hunter under sail and (R) excavated under Southampton's Beach.

Noted Marine Archaeologist Ken Cassavoy spoke at the Bruce County Museum on Friday September 2, 2011 to a rapt audience  of Propeller Club Members, Marine Heritage 'fans' and others.

The Hero of Lake Erie

He detailed plans for an upcoming 2012 exhibit at the Museum concentrating on the HMS General Hunter that was found buried on Southampton's beach.   The Hunter participated in the great naval battle of the War of 1812 in Lake Erie where the British Fleet commanded by Robert Heriot Barclay was defeated by forces under  Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.

The Hunter is a famous ship and its role is prominent as it is mentioned in many historical accounts and exhibits.  How it was lost and its ultimate fate remained in the mist of history until Cassavoy and his team unraveled the mystery in CSI form.  Its final resting place, remained  unknown to the the US Navy, which has an exhibit about the Hunter at the Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland.

The exhibit is being planned and put together by a select team put together by Cassavoy will show how the discovery was made and how all the clues came together to clear the haze.  The team includes experts in various areas, skilled Museum staff and also volunteers who can use their experience on the project.

The exhibit will be one of the largest ever put together at the Museum and will include a partial construction of what the deck looked like in the battle replete with cannons, masts and related displays.

The Friday audience was impressed with the scope and complexity of the exhibit, which will be put together in such a way that it can remain in part as an element of the wonderful Marine exhibits section of the Museum. 

The exhibit will be complimented by an extensive program of lectures and other features.

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Tuesday, September 06, 2011