Seventh-Annual Lego Shipbuilding Day is Twice as Big

By Elijah Palmer
Deputy Education Director, Hampton Roads Naval Museum

We are excited to be hosting our 7th annual Brick by Brick Lego Shipbuilding event at the Decker Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center on February 3! This year we are happy to announce that we will have over double the space as the previous years. This has allowed us to expand certain activities and areas.

Some highlights:

• Our ever popular STEM-based Build A Ship areas will have more ships than ever available to construct. There are 16 different designs ranging from Easy to Expert levels. 
• The Lego Shipbuilding competitions (Made at Home, and Made at the Museum), which are divided by age groups for judging. Entries must be submitted by 2 p.m. 
• Free play Lego and Duplo areas. Kids can come play and be creative. 
• Lego robotics will be on hand through the generous support of local groups. 
• A new addition this year is a sensory room (quiet space for those with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder)

For questions or more information, check out our Facebook page, call 757-322-3168 or email elijah.palmer@navy.mil. No need to register--just show up!

Parking is available for $1.50/hour in the city parking garages on Main Street, Plume Street, and City Hall Avenue. 

Brick-By-Brick 2016: The Winners

The entrants' creations for this year's contest were no less varied than those of real vessels taking to the sea from Hampton Roads.  For example, the cruise ship passengers (left) lining the rails of  Jett Starcher's entry could have appeared at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in downtown Norfolk (coincidentally where the event was held), while the two Sailors (right) aboard their MK V Special Operations Craft by Joseph Joiner are an everyday sight at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. (Photo by M.C. Farrington)

On Saturday, 2,081 visitors attended Hampton Roads Naval Museum's Fifth Annual "Brick by Brick: LEGO Shipbuilding" event at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in Downtown Norfolk.  Over 100 of them entered their ships into the event's shipbuilding contest, which was divided by age classes and by where the models were created.  If the models were made outside the museum using parts provided by the builder, they were judged in the "Home Built" section, while models made between 10 am and 2 pm (the judging deadline) at the event with parts provided by the museum were judged in the "Museum-Made" section.

Category: Home Built

Fan Favorite:

"Brick of the Sea" by Jett Starcher.

After the judging on Saturday, February 6, Jett Starcher begins preparing his entry, dubbed Brick of the Sea, for transport.  According to Starcher, about 200 hours of work went into the model cruise ship, which was constructed not only with a fully detailed bridge and pool deck, but also with ten interior compartments, including a galley and dining room, gym, movie theater, several staterooms, and an engine room. (Photo by M.C. Farrington).  

Ages 4-6:

Rex and Geoffrey K's model of RMS Titanic looms over the works of other entrants in the four to six year-olds division of the shipbuilding contest (Photo by M.C. Farrington)

                1^st place: "Titanic," by Rex & Geoffrey K.

                2^nd place: "SS Aurora," by Edward B.



As HRNM Volunteer Coordinator Tom Dandes (left) assists William Bassett in preparing the Lego ship Aurora for transport home, his son Edward reacts to his win. (Photo by M.C. Farrington).  

Ages 7-9:

"Noah's Ark" by William S. (Photo by M.C. Farrington).  

                1^st place: "Noah's Ark," by William S.

                2^nd place: "USS Enterprise," by Keith S.


Ages 10-12:

"Blue Mist" by Luke L. (Photo by M.C. Farrington).  

                1^st place: "Blue Mist," by Luke L.

                2^nd place: "Tonto," by Bow C.

Ages 13-16:

A highly-detailed scale Vietnam-era riverine Command and Communications Boat (CCB) took first place for the 13-16 year-old division. (Photo by M.C. Farrington).  

                1^st place: "CCB Monitor," by Jack K.

                2^nd place: "Skidbadnir," by Nathan C.

Ages 17+:

Another highly-detailed historical model rendered with Legos was this winning Civil War-era diorama by Mark Anderson. (Photo by Diana Gordon)



                1^st place: "Merrimac at Gosport Navy Yard," by Mark Anderson.

                2^nd place: "HM Brig Sophie," by Jack Beute

Category: Museum-Made

Fan Favorite:

"Fisherman's Speed Boat"

Ages 4-6:

                1^st place: "Puller Ship," by Conner B.

                2^nd place: "USA Battleship," by Zac O.

Ages 7-9:

                1^st place: "USS Strouss," by Tristan S.

                2^nd place: "USS Emerson," by Emerson D.

Ages 10-12:

                1^st place: "JC Coast Guard," by Caroline P.

                2^nd place: "USS Virginia 2060"

 Ages 13-16:

                1^st place: "Voyage," by Hode.

                2^nd place: "USS Massachusetts," by Scott E.



Ages 17+:

                1^st place: "USS Dove," by Grace A.
                2^nd place: "Underwater Drone," by Cardell A.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners! 

If there are any questions about them or for any other questions relating to the contest, please call Special Events Coordinator Don Darcy at (757) 322-3168.

Battle of Craney Island Weekend

Editor's Note: HRNM summer intern Brian Sagedy composed this article
Over the weekend, the 200^th Anniversary of the Battle of Craney Island was celebrated in Norfolk and Portsmouth. The event took place inside of Fort Norfolk which included officer quarters and Civil War ordinance building. Other events were held at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve, and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

The weekend included reenactments in period uniform by both American and British soldiers. The reenactors fired cannons and muskets to demonstrate how the battle would have been fought back in 1813. The big event of the weekend was the Victory Ceremony with a twenty-one gun salute, three minute victory bell peal from Norfolk and Portsmouth churches, wreath laying, and mayoral Victory Proclamation. There were exhibits by the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, National Museum of Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army Corps of Engineers.

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum exhibit was a fun, exciting, and interactive exhibit that appealed to all ages. It included puzzles with questions on the back that people could find the answer by using a spy scope to find the answer in the exhibit. The exhibit also covered the War of 1812, the Battle of Craney Island, Craney Island today, and what the Army Corps of Engineers plans to do with it today. The exhibit also included a small cannon that people could practice swabbing out. Parent, kids, and the boy scouts all enjoyed the exhibit and the festivies that were on Fort Norfolk on June 21 and 22. The bicentennial of the Battle of Craney Island represented the collaborative efforts of the Portsmouth History Commission and the Norfolk Historical Society. Both cities that were saved by the forces on Craney Island joined together to celebrate the 200^th Anniversary. It was a great weekend with high spirits that celebrated the Battle of Craney Island.

Battle of Craney Island Watercolor

(click image to enlarge)

The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Craney Island is this Saturday.  We invite you to both read the very good articles on the War of 1812 in Hampton Roads by Mark Erickson of the Daily Press and attend this weekend's live festivities.

Shown above is a modern day watercolor by Gerry Embleton, a veteran artist who has illustrated many military history publications.  The Maryland Historical Society commissioned this work for its book The Full Glory Reflected: Discovering the War of 1812 in the Chesapeake and have given us permission to use it here.

The watercolor is among the most accurate illustrations of the battle ever produced.  It shows the British assault barges attempting to launch an amphibious attack on Craney Island.  This attack was in conjunction with a land assault force headed up by General Syndey Beckwith that attacked Craney Island from the west.

In the forefront is the green  hulled assault barge called Centipede .  The illustration accurately portrays the moment in the battle when the British sailors on the barges realized that the water was too shallow to row with oars.  While under deadly accurate fire from cannons manned by Constellation's sailors and Virginia militia at Carney Island (in the distance, right) and Isle of Wight County riflemen wading out from shore to engage the enemy (in the distance, center), the barges began to withdraw. 

In the forefront of the illustration is a  man standing at the back of the boat with an umbrella in one hand and pointing out orders with his other hand.  This is Royal Navy Captain J.M. Hanchent.  He carried the umbrella into combat because he believed the climate was too hot.  He also brought along his small dog into the battle. Hanchent came from royal stock as he was one of King George III's many illegitimate children.  His status forbade him from ever claiming the throne, but it still allowed him be an officer of high status in the Royal Navy.  Hanchent was one of the few casualties in this engagement.  A piece of shrapnel struck him the thigh.  He later died from blood loss.

Another loss was Centipede.  Unable to get free of the muddy, shallow flats, the militia captured the boat and all of the sailors manning it.  Hanchent's dog was among the prisoners. 

USS Constellation-Ship Model

The 200th anniversary of the Battle of Craney Island is this Saturday.  We invite you to both read the very good articles on the War of 1812 in Hampton Roads by Mark Erickson of the Daily Press and attend this weekend's live festivities.

One of the central reasons for the battle was the presence of the frigate USS Constellation.  Shown here is the museum's model of the frigate.  Assembled by Sea Classics, the museum acquired the 1/8" to a foot scale model in 1982.

The warship was one of the "original six" frigates authorized by Congress in 1794.  Originally designed by Joshua Humphreys and Josiah Fox, Colonel David Stodder and Captain Thomas Truxtun altered the plans during her construction in Baltimore at Sterret Shipyard. Launched on September 7, 1797, her final dimensions were 164 feet in length and had a 13-foot draft. The Navy armed with her 18-pounders long guns and 24-pounder cannonades (though this varied based on captain's preference and available weapons). 

The warship made a name for herself under Truxtun's leadership during the Quasi-War With France. During this conflict, she defeated two French frigates, L'Insurgent and La Vengence.  During the War of 1812, Constellation attempted to break out in to the Atlantic Ocean via the Virginia Capes, only to find several British warships in her path.

Captain Charles Stewart took the "Yankee Racehorse," as she was nicknamed, to Hampton Roads and down the Elizabeth River.  The ship anchored below the guns of Fort Norfolk and where she remained for the rest of the war. 

Shown above is a contemporary British map of South Hampton Roads.  It shows where the enemy believed Constellation to be at anchor and their plans to either capture or destroy the American frigate. This map comes courtesy of the Barrie Papers at Duke University's Rubenstein Library.

Unfortunately, while the ship was at anchor, somebody helped themselves to the ship's stores.  When Captain Charles Gordon came to Norfolk take command of the frigate, he found that "the ship is entirely stripped and everything landed with a swept hold." Missing were over 200 pieces of the ship's dinning and cooking ware, along with all the ship's furniture.  He also found the ship in a general state of disrepair.  Thus, even if the British lifted the blockade of Hampton Roads, it is possible that Constellation never could have put to sea.

HRNM intern Brian Sagedy contributed to this article.

Coming Up in 2013

Happy New Year! 2013 will be a very busy year at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. We have a lot of great events planned, and this blog post will give you a little taste for our plans. All of our events this year are free of charge!

One event we hope you've heard about already is scheduled for Saturday, February 2, when HRNM will host "Brick by Brick: LEGO Shipbuilding." This is our second year for this Lego Shipbuilding program, and we promise this event will be better than ever. It's for both kids and adults, and we're asking people to bring their own ships to enter in our contest (ages 4+). More details can be found in this blog post.

Other events for 2013 include a military family day at HRNM and Nauticus, where admission to the battleship and Nauticus will be free for military families with ID! This event is scheduled for Saturday, April 13. In addition to the free admission, we'll also be doing a lot of fun crafts and activities for families at HRNM.

In mid-June, we'll be hosting "You Sank My Battleship!", a family fun evening about Navy board games and video games. Come to HRNM to play some of the old-standbys, including Battleship, and also get the chance to participate in Navy-related video games. You and your kids could win lots of great prizes during this free event on June 19, which will run from 6-8pm.

Finally, one of our biggest events of 2013 will be Civil War Navy Day at HRNM, scheduled for Tuesday, September 17. The Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission's HistoryMobile will be here at HRNM for visitors to see, HRNM staff will be running fun activities, tours, and interactive programs about the Civil War Navy all day, and at 6pm, Dr. James McPherson will speak about his new book, War on the Waters: The Union and Confederate Navies, 1861-1865. McPherson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and emeritus professor of history at Princeton University, will also be available for a book-signing after his talk. This event is also free, and is co-sponsored by the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Navy League.

As you can see, we have a lot going on in 2013. This blog post just gives the basic information, so save these dates and keep an eye out for more information as we get closer to each of these events. Visit our Facebook page or contact us at laura.l.orr@navy.mil for additional information about any of our upcoming events. Hope to see you at HRNM in 2013!

Fall Back to School With HRNM!

ATTENTION ALL TEACHERS! FREE OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR YOUR STUDENTS!

HRNM Educators conducting the Underwater Archaeology Program

It's that time of the year again.  The Education Staff at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum would like to welcome back local area teachers and students for another great year!  What better way to start your school year than by scheduling a FREE in-house or outreach program for you and your students.  HRNM offers SOL-based educational programming for all grade levels (K-12).  We can also accommodate each of our programs for home school and private school audiences.  After all, how can you say no to building a model of the ocean floor using Play Doh or building ships out of LEGOs?

Let us help you make your school year another great one!

You can download a .pdf version of our current educational planner on our website HERE.  Don't forget, there are several new programs that are not included in the current educational planner such as LEGO Shipbuilding and Human Battleship!

To schedule one of these education programs, please contact:

OUTREACHES
Lee Duckworth
Director of Education
(757)322-2992
eddie.duckworth@navy.mil

FIELD TRIPS and GUIDED TOURS
Matthew Eng
Deputy Director of Education
(757)322-3168
matthew.t.eng@navy.mil

The Hunt for Dead October Halloween Event: Puppet Shows

A few months ago, we received a grant from the Tidewater Officers' Spouses' Association to create and conduct puppet shows for visitors and military families around Hampton Roads.  Thanks to their generosity, we have created a variety of fun and educational programs, including one for our signature Halloween event, The Hunt for Dead October.  The event will take place on October 21st, starting at 6pm.  Kids will be able to do everything from searching for skeleton parts in a scavenger hunt to playing inside a full size inflatable whale!

As an early treat for our readers, we have included a few movie inspired advertisements for our Halloween puppet play, "The Brig of Bartholomew."  We will be conducting the family friendly puppet show at 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 that evening.  See if you can guess what film they came from.  Enjoy!

Kids' Activities in the Museum

This week, we're coming up with activities for kids to do on a daily basis in our museum gallery. These need to be low-tech, cheap (but fun!) activities that can be available everyday, even if a staff member is not able to run them. For this task, we'd like to get our visitors' input. What do you want to see in our museum for your kids to do? Do you want a variety of activities, from coloring and games for younger kids to more intensive hands-on activities for older kids? Is there anything in particular that, when you've visited our museum--or any museum relating to naval history--your kids have said, "Wow, I really wish I could do [this]?" If so, please let us know! We want to incorporate your ideas into our new low-tech kids' activities so this is truly an area designed by you, our visitors. If you feel uncomfortable sharing your ideas here where everyone can see them, please send them to me at laura.l.orr@navy.mil. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and thanks so much for helping out!

Educational Events for Veterans Day

In honor of Veterans Day, the Education Department at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum is hosting "Thank a Veteran," a day of fun-filled activities for all ages!

Come to the museum and show your gratitude to local veterans for their years of dedicated service. Your cards will be distributed to the VA Hospital in Hampton the following week.

We will also have Jim Callear, a WWII reenactor, come to the museum and set up a WWII Recruiting exhibit in the "Battle of the Atlantic" gallery from 10am to 5pm. The exhibit will include the display of many original WWII items from his collection with uniforms, helmets, 48 star flags, weapons, books, a 1943 calender and typewriters just to mention a few of the items!

As always, these programs are offered free of charge. Come and enjoy the fun!

- HRNM Education