Mariners, Whalers and Traders

Island Connections to the Thames

WED, JAN 3 | 6PM Reception | 7 PM Lecture

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Troubadour Geoff Kaufmann shares stories of mariners, whalers and traders in prose and song. His set of songs will reference connections between New London/Groton and Southeastern Connecticut to a number of islands near and far. For "The Whaling City" there are, of course, a number of songs from the whaling trade connecting with the Caribbean, New Zealand (Norfolk Island) and Hawaii, along with connections to the sealing trade as well. Beyond that Geoff will talk and sing about commerce with the West Indies, the slave trade and Amistad, and even a musical connection to Lord Franklin’s ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage. Our naval story includes visits from the U.S.S. Constitution, and the Coast Guard played a role in a story which Geoff tells about Prohibition and some very local activity as relayed by Ellery Thompson. Our local Long Island/Fishers Island menhaden fishing may also make an appearance. Geoff will do what he loves best - presenting you a collection of entertaining songs with rich context creating a truly fascinating and memorable evening of storytelling.

Kinship, Trade and Culture

Eastern Long Island and the Thames

WED, FEB 7 | 6PM Reception | 7 PM Lecture

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

"Lange Eylandt," as the Dutch called it in the seventeenth century, stretches 120 miles from New York City eastward, roughly paralleling the coast of Connecticut. The eastern end of the island is about 20 miles offshore. In past times when it was often as easy to travel by water as by land, crossings from Connecticut to Long Island were common. This talk will focus particularly on Eastern Long Island and Southeastern Connecticut's strong kinship, trade, and cultural ties in the eighteenth century, using examples from the Joshua Hempstead diary as illustrations.

Connecticut’s Sweet Tooth

New London, the Sugar Trade, and Slavery in the West Indies

WED, MAR 6 | 6PM Reception | 7 PM Lecture

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

New London and the Thames River region was once the most important port of trade in all of British North America. At a time when sugar was king and trade with the West Indies islands represented the pinnacle of Puritan economics, New London served as a hub for a dizzying array of goods that were collected via an intricate trade network and then shipped south to the Caribbean. Connecticut ships returned with their holds packed with sugar, molasses, and rum. What was the single most valuable item that the colony’s merchants shipped? Exactly how many chickens cackled their way to the islands? You’ll have to join us for the story of “Connecticut’s Sweet Tooth” to find out.

Bound for Desolation 

New London “Whalers” and Isles of the Southern Ocean

WED, APR 3 | 6PM Reception | 7 PM Lecture

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Although citizens refer to New London, with pride, as “The Whaling City,” in fact much of its 19th century whaling business was that of “elephanting” or harvesting oil from the massive elephant seals that inhabit the islands of the Southern Ocean. This often forgotten or glossed over business can appear less adventurous, dangerous, profitable or widespread as whaling, but take a deeper look. Come join us to explore the oil business in New London – including those of local firms which brought large fortunes home to New London. Hear stories about intrepid seamen, who for all practical purposes “owned” two of the very desolate islands of this region: Kerguelen Island and Heard Island. On islands that experience some of the worst weather and working conditions on earth, these New Londoners created communities and industrial operations, harvesting and processing both whale and elephant seal oil in vast quantities, and overcame many of the difficulties inherent in the strictly “whaling” voyages – desertion, scurvy, boredom, and years away from home. Along the way they demonstrated both a robust business model and a remarkable testimony to their sailing and small craft handling skills.

Whaling, Religion and Royalty

New London and Lahaina

WED, MAY 1 | 6PM Reception | 7 PM Lecture

Lyman Allyn Art Museum

New London, the “Whaling City” was the third largest whaling port in the country during the height of whaling in the United States and for a short time, the second largest whaling port in the world. In 1850 alone over one million dollars in whale goods passed over the docks at New London. Used by New London and whalers from throughout New England for re-supplying their ships, Lahaina was one of the most significant whaling ports in the Pacific. Hear fascinating stories about New London’s Elias Perkins II, a partner in the Perkins and Smith whaling firm who resided in Lahaina; the conflict between New England whalers and missionaries; and the influence of whaling on New London County. Artifacts gifted to the Perkins family from the royal family of Hawaii will be on display.

Stories from the Park lecture series is made possible thanks to grants from Connecticut Humanities and Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut and to our partner Lyman Allyn Art Museum.