Belfast historians to offer talks Monday

BELFAST – The Belfast Historical Society will present “The Restoration of the Model of the Ship Charlotte W. White” and “New Acquisitions to the Museum Collection” at 7 p.m. Monday, June 25, at the Belfast Free Library on High Street.

Jeff Marger of BlueJacket Shipcrafters, Searsport, will give a slide talk documenting the restoration process of the antique ship model. The model was returned to Belfast from Elmira, N.Y., where it had been on display for more than 100 years. Although in good condition considering its age, some restoration was required, including replacement of damaged rigging and resheathing of the copper bottom.

The full-rigged ship, Charlotte W. White, was built in Belfast at the White and Conner shipyard in 1858 and lost at sea in 1880. The model is on display at the Belfast Museum along with an oil painting of the ship done by Belfast painter Percy Sanborn.

Historical Society president Megan Pinette also will highlight recent acquisitions to the museum collection. Among the various items acquired during the past year are several vintage photographs, a wax “dressed” chicken from the Penobscot Poultry Co. and a ticket to the 1935 launch of the Explorer II stratosphere balloon.

The program is free and open to the public. Call 338-9229 for more information.