Northeast Environmental Studies Group
NEES 2006
At Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, Connecticut
Hosted by the
Williams College – Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program
OCTOBER 27 – 29, 2006
PLEASE REGISTER BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29.
(use registration form)
This year’s annual NEES meeting will take place at the 17-acre campus of world-famous Mystic Seaport Museum. Motel and transportation information is provided below.
Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea, is a world-famous maritime museum situated along the banks of the Mystic River, notable both for its collection of sailing ships and boats, and for the re-creation of an entire 19th century seaport, consisting of over 60 original buildings, most of them rare commercial structures, moved to the 37-acre site and meticulously restored. The museum was established in 1929 as the "Marine Historical Association." Its first fame came with the acquisition of the Charles W. Morgan in 1941, the only surviving wooden sailing whaler. The seaport now sees about 400,000 visitors each year. In addition, it supports research via an extensive library, runs a summer, graduate-level academic program (Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies) that was established in 1955 by maritime historian Professor Robert G. Albion of Harvard University, and, in conjunction with Williams College, an undergraduate program in maritime studies. Mystic Seaport has an extensive collection of vessels, including the whaler Morgan, the schooner Brilliant, the fishing schooner L. A Dunton, and the training ship Joseph Conrad. The buildings of the museum include nearly all the types of general and specialized trades associated with building and operating a sailing fleet. They include a chandlery, sail loft, ropewalk, cooperage, and others. Each building shows the activity for which it was used, and displays examples of the objects sold or constructed. Additional buildings house more exhibits. One intriguing exhibit is a 1/128th scale model of the entire Mystic River area ca. 1870, complete down to the outhouse behind every residence; a modeling tour de force over 50 ft (15 m) long. – modified from Wikipedia See: www.mysticseaport.org
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The Williams College – Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program, founded in 1977 by Williams College Professor Benjamin Labaree, is the only undergraduate program in the world offering five semester-length courses on maritime history, literature of the sea, marine science (oceanography and marine ecology), and marine policy. Our campus is Mystic Seaport, and students live in five 19th-century homes. Administrative and teaching offices are housed in Labaree and Dickerman Houses, and due for completion in August 2007 is the new 5,000-square foot Marine Sciences Laboratory (replacing the 800- square foot laboratory used for the 25 years). Twenty students (typically representing 13-15 different colleges, and as many different majors) participate in the 17-week long curriculum, which emphasizes original research and experiential education. Students are expected to complete original research papers in history, science, and policy (as well as undertake extensive writing in literature). Three field seminars complement the semester: students spend 11 days at sea aboard a sailing research schooner in the Gulf of Maine (fall semester) and Straits of Florida (spring semester); students travel to the Pacific coast to study central California from Monterey to Bodega Bays (fall) or the Pacific Northwest from Seattle to Oregon (spring), and for the final trip each term, students travel to the Louisiana and the Mississippi River Delta. Students also participate at Mystic Seaport; developing their choice of maritime skill- sea chanties, celestial navigation, small boat handling, boat building, and shipsmithing- all in addition to a full course load with lectures and laboratories.
See: www.williams.edu/williamsmystic
The schedule:
Friday, October 27:
o 3 - 6 pm: Registration at the Main Offices of the Williams-Mystic Program, Labaree House, Mystic Seaport Museum (see directions provided in Transportation)
o 6 - 9 pm: Dinner, Group Introductions & Review of Schedule, Seamen’s Inne, Mystic Seaport (Transportation available by prior arrangement)
Saturday October 28:
o Morning: Breakfast on your own (continental breakfast at most hotels/motels)
o 9 am – 12 Noon: Presentations and Breakout sessions; Mystic Seaport Museum (details in Registration packet received upon arrival). Coffee Break at 10:30 a.m.
o Noon: Luncheon, Mystic Seaport Museum
o 1:30 pm: Field trips (see below)
o 6:30 pm: Dinner, Seamen’s Inne, Mystic Seaport Museum
Sunday October 29:
o 6:30 am: Tide Pool Field Trip, optional (see sign up at Registration)
o Morning: Breakfast on your own
Registration: $80 (meals and sundries).
Lodging: Here are some suggestions. They are all less than a mile from the Seaport.
HOTELS IN MYSTIC
These are only a few of the many hotels, motels and B&B's in the area. We do suggest you book early. Please visit www.mystic-places.com for more information.
To get the prices quoted below, you must call by the release date shown and state that you are with the Williams-Mystic Program.
Comfort Inn: $99 860- 572-8531
Release date Oct. 13
AmeriSuites: $159 860-536-9666
Release date Sep. 27
Mystic Hilton: $129 860-572-0731
Release date Oct. 6
Holiday Inn Express: $115 860-572-9065
Release date Sep. 27
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Transportation:
Transportation from your lodgings to dinner at Seamen’s Inne Friday night will be available. Please tell us at Registration or by email (cate.kutzuba@mysticseaport.org) if you would like us to pick you up at your motel Friday night between 5:30 and 6:00 PM (we won't be able to specify an exact time, as we don't know how many hotels / motels we'll be stopping at).
BY CAR
Take Interstate 95 to Connecticut, exit 90. Labaree House, the Williams-Mystic office building, is located approximately one mile south of Interstate 95.
From the north, take a left off the highway. From the south, take a right off the highway. Proceed along Route 27 until you see Labaree House, a beige stucco house on the left, set back from the road, with a large green sign on the building. We are located on the corner of Route 27 and Bruggeman Place. If you pass the main entrance to Mystic Seaport on the right, you have passed Williams-Mystic by a few hundred feet.
Distance from area cities:
Boston- 2 hours New Haven- 1 hour
NYC- 3 hours Hartford- 1 hour
Providence- 1 hour Williamstown- 3 hours
BY PLANE
Nearby airports include T.F. Green in Providence, RI and Tweed in New Haven, CT. We also recommend Logan in Boston, MA for the ease of public transportation from Boston to Mystic. From Logan, a shuttle runs to South Station in Boston, where you can get an Amtrak train to Mystic or New London (notice that the same trains do NOT necessarily, oddly enough, stop in both cities).
BY TRAIN
Amtrak has service into Mystic and New London, CT approximately three times a day. For Amtrak train schedule dial 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit www.amtrak.com.
BY BUS
Buses arriving from New York, Providence and Boston, stop in New London, CT, or at Foxwoods Casino. Greyhound can be reached at 860-447-3871 or at www.greyhound.com. From New London, a taxi cab to Mystic is about a $20 ride. Or you can hop on the train (directly next to the bus station) and ride to the Mystic station (see above).
Field trips on Saturday:
We suggest that folks form their own exploration groups to the following areas. We recommend checking out the websites, to get more detailed information on what your afternoon will hold for you. We have two 7-passenger vans, but private cars will likely provide most of the travel support. SIGNS UP for all but A (below) will be at Registration.
Field trip on Sunday:
Interested in a bit of tide-pooling? Join marine biologist Jim Carlton at dawn for a morning trip to Weekapaug Point, Rhode Island (weather depending). Low tide is at 7:00 AM, so we'll depart Mystic Seaport at the sparky hour of 6:20 AM, meeting at Labaree House (motel pickups can be arranged). We'll provide the boots, too!
SIGN UP will be at Registration.
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SATURDAY FIELD TRIP OPTIONS
A. Mystic Seaport Museum (www.mysticseaport.org)
Spend the afternoon right here! An amazing 17 acres of buildings and ships.
B. Mystic Aquarium (www.mysticaquarium.org)
A different institution, not part of the Museum. An excellent collection of invertebrates and larger mammals, including beluga whales.
1.5 miles from the Museum (a short drive)
C. Mashantucket-Pequot Native American Museum (www.pequotmuseum.org)
The world's largest and most comprehensive Native American museum and research center, very much worth a visit!
D. Pequotsepos Nature Center (www.dpnc.org/)
Wildlife sanctuary, visitor attraction, natural history museum, and hiking trails.
2 miles from the Museum (a short drive)
E. Bluff Point State Park & Coastal Reserve
(http://dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/parks/bluffpoint.htm)
Bluff Point is the last remaining significant piece of undeveloped land along the Connecticut coastline. Jutting out into waters of Long Island Sound this wooded peninsula, measuring one and one-half miles long by one mile wide, encompasses over 800 acres. The trail to the bluff passes through wooded and open areas until the view broadens as the bluff is approached. Among the plants to be found at the headland are native beach plum, beach pea and red and white shore roses. Walking, hiking, beach exploration. (20 minute drive)
F. Haley Farm State Park
(http://dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/parks/haleyfarm.htm)
Connecticut's first governor, John Winthrop Jr., owned part of the farm in 1648. Over the years the land passed through various hands, including the Chester family in the 18th century, whose headstones are still on the property. When Caleb Haley owned and farmed the land in the late 19th to 20th centuries, he had a very unique hobby which can be seen throughout the park: the building of stone walls. Boulders found on the property were extracted and placed by an ox drawn stone-puller. The walls separated a number of pastures. Some remains of the farm's buildings are still visible near the entrance of the park. Walking, hiking, woodlands. (20 minute drive)
Contacts:
Dr. Jim Carlton, Director, Williams-Mystic Program
James.T.Carlton@williams.edu, 860-572-5359 x3.
Cate Kutzuba, Administration & Finance Director, Williams-Mystic Program
Cate.kutzuba@mysticseaport.org, 860-572-5359 x4.
Williams College – Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program
Mystic Seaport Museum
P.O. Box 6000
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic, Connecticut
www.williams.edu/williamsmystic
Registration Form NEES 2006 Meeting
Please print out and return this form with a check for $80 payable to the Williams-Mystic Program.
PLEASE REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 29.
Registration is $80 for meeting and meals.
Mail to:
Cate Kutzuba
Williams-Mystic Program
Mystic Seaport
P. O. Box 6000, 75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic, CT 06355
Receipt will be provided at the meeting.
If you have any questions or special needs, contact
Cate Kutzuba (cate.kutzuba@mysticseaport.org; 860-572-5359 x4),
or
Jim Carlton (James.T.Carlton@williams.edu; 860-572-5359 x3).