FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 6, 2022
CONTACT: Kirstie Truluck / kirstie@mfship.org / 207-443-4242
THE VIRGINIA OF SAGADAHOC - STORIES OF SHIPBUILDERS TOLD BY SHIPBUILDERS
(Bath, ME / Sagadahoc County) — Maine’s First Ship has received a $4,000 grant from the Community Building Fund of the Maine Community Foundation to collect and publish informal oral histories of the volunteers who helped reconstruct the 17th century sailing vessel, Virginia.
“This grant allows us to professionally capture the stories of people who have invested half a decade or more into building Virginia,” said Kirstie Truluck, the organization's executive director. “In addition to capturing volunteers, we are eager to engage young people from Morse High School who will work alongside a professional videographer to artfully gather the stories of these remarkable shipbuilders. Our June 4th launch of Virginia represents a significant change for these volunteers - a potential loss - and this project will help ease the transition.”
The educational nonprofit Maine’s First Ship was incorporated in 1997 with a mission to share the nearly lost history of the Popham Colony. Over the past 25 years we have offered community based programs for all ages to teach about traditional ship building, Maine’s colonial history, Bath’s maritime culture, and more. For more information, call 207-443-4242.
Our education center is located on Commercial Street in Bath’s historic district at the site of the Bath Freight Shed. Maine’s First Ship is a gathering place for experts and novices who are curious about early American history and messing about in boats. Maine’s First Ship strives to use our reconstruction of the 1607 pinnace Virginia to immerse the public in an exploration of the region’s early history, craftsmanship, and relationships, and their impact on our community and environment today. To learn more, visit www.mfship.org.