varnum memorial armory Archives - Varnum Continentals

[MAR. 20 DINNER MEETING] Maria Vazquez on Conservation of the USS Constellation Anchor

March 5, 2023 By James Mitchell Varnum

On Monday, March 20, Varnum Armory Vice President Maria Vazquez is the featured speaker for our monthly members meeting. Her presentation, “A Brief History of Anchors and the Conservation of the USS Constellation Anchor,” will give an account of the history of anchors, how they developed, and how they were used. The presentation will continue with Maria’s insight into the thought and research that went into conserving an anchor from the USS Constellation, a sloop-of-war ship.

Maria Vazquez and the USS Constellation Anchor

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Maria Vazquez has a Master’s degree in Textile Conservation from the University of Rhode Island. She has appeared on multiple PBS specials, including one documenting the conservation she performed on the oldest, and most complete, flag in North America, the Byfield Flag. She is currently Vice President of the Varnum Memorial Armory in East Greenwich, RI, and works full-time as the Collections Manager for the Naval War College Museum in Newport, RI.

This event is for Varnum Members only! (You can join here!)

Reservations are required.

RSVP by NOON Friday, December 9. Please note: Our new online reservation system gives you the option to pay in advance when you make your reservation. For all inquiries send us an email.

VARNUM MEMBERS … Click here to RSVP!

When: Monday, March 20, 5:30 pm (social hour); 6:30 (dinner followed by program).
Where: Varnum Armory, 6 Main Street, East Greenwich, RI
Menu: Chicken Marsala, rice pilaf, veggies, salad, dessert and coffee
Fee: $25

[DEC. 12 DINNER MEETING] Speaker Greg Banner on The Halifax Disaster

December 3, 2022 By James Mitchell Varnum

In December 1917, a World War I ammunition ship blew up in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. This massive event was listed as the largest man-made explosion in human history prior to atomic weapons and totally devastated the city. Thousands died. Help from the military and civilian sources came from throughout Canada and New England. This event came to be known as The Halifax Disaster or Halifax Explosion.

Our December speaker, Varnum Member Greg Banner, will describe the background, event, response, and results and discuss aspects of military, nautical, local, and emergency response history.

Aftermath in Halifax, the start of rescue efforts

About the Speaker: Greg Banner graduated from West Point in 1979 and served on active duty in the United States Army for 21 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He had duty assignments and deployments throughout the world, including in Central America, Europe, Africa, The Middle East and Alaska. He retired in Rhode Island and has been working in the emergency management field since 2000, first for the State of Rhode Island and then for the Federal government. LTC Banner’s academic focus through two masters degrees has been in military history, and he continues to actively study a wide variety of military history topics. He is a member of the Tiverton Yacht Club, Herreshoff Museum, and the Varnum Continentals.

Reservations are required!

RSVP by NOON Friday, December 9. Please note: Our new online reservation system gives you the option to pay in advance when you make your reservation. For all inquiries send us an email.

Click here to RSVP!

WHEN: Monday, Dec. 12, 5:30 pm (social hour); 6:30 (dinner followed by program).
WHERE: Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, 6 Main Street, East Greenwich, RI
MENU: Prime rib dinner
FEE: $25 per person
CASH BAR: wine, beer, and soft drinks only.

Varnum Armory Bathroom Renovation!

October 29, 2022 By James Mitchell Varnum

Here are some before-and-after images of our newly renovated storage room and accessible bathroom at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum. For those who remember the old “rustic” downstairs men’s bathroom, this is a pretty amazing transformation. We look forward to making this room a productive part of the armory museum again.

Watch the Varnum Armory on Rhode Island Wave!

September 11, 2022 By James Mitchell Varnum

Check out this long-form video interview with Patrick Donovan, curator/VP at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, by “Rhode Island Wave”.

In addition to the interview, Patrick takes on on detailed walk-through of the Armory and talks about some of the more amazing historical exhibits and stories contained within the Armory walls.

Watch the video here!

[FEATURED EXHIBIT] Calligraphy Art of William Henry Pratt

August 21, 2022 By James Mitchell Varnum

We’ve walked past this artwork at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum for years without giving it much thought (believing it was 1990s computer-generated dot art). Boy, were we wrong…

This is an engraving from 1865 where a calligrapher cleverly shaded their penmanship to create a facsimile of Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington using the words of the U.S. Constitution. Here is a description of one in the collection at Mt. Vernon:

“During the 19th century, America’s founding documents – the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence – inspired numerous artists and publishers to produce decorative versions, suitable for framing and display. In this calligraphy portrait, the artist has cleverly shaded the words of the Constitution and amendments, so that George Washington’s face emerges from the text.

Washington’s likeness is based on Gilbert Stuart’s popular ‘Athenaeum’ portrait, originally painted in 1796 and widely copied in paintings, prints, textiles, china, and the dollar bill. Washington’s name also appears, as a signer, at the center edge of his coat collar, about half-way down the white cravat.

The text ends with the 13th amendment’s prohibition of slavery, suggesting a creation date shortly after 1865, but before the passage of the 14th amendment in mid-1866 or its ratification in 1868. Notably, Washington’s portrait did not make its first debut on the dollar bill until 1869.

The artist, William Henry Pratt (1822-1893), was a professor of penmanship in Davenport, Iowa, and the first curator of that city’s Academy of Natural Sciences. He collaborated with the Davenport lithography firm of August Hageboeck on at least three other calligraphy portraits: Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, Washington and the Declaration of Independence, and Ulysses Grant and the Republican Party platform of 1868.”

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