Mark your calendar every Sunday in season: 4:00 at the Museum
Click the Illustrated Talk image for more information on the HLF Museum website
The Wreck of the Steamer Atlantic
An Illustrated talk by Museum Director Pierce Rafferty that chronicles the dramatic story of Fishers Island’s most deadly and consequential shipwreck, the wreck of the Steamer Atlantic in November 1846. This tragic wreck caught the attention of the nation, and was commemorated by mournful ballads, popular poems, and two Currier lithographs. The fate of the ship’s legendary bell, and the erection of a lighthouse on nearby North Dumpling, are just two of the side stories also covered in this fascinating tale of woe.
Time: Sunday, July 9, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Ceremonial Stonework: The Enduring Native American Presence on the Land
Documentary photographer Markham Starr will present an illustrated talk on the ceremonial stonework left behind by the indigenous population that occupied New England for 12,000 years.
Time: Sunday, July 16, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Modern Houses of Fishers Island and Beyond
This illustrated talk by Jacob Albert of Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, Inc., Boston, Mass., traces modern movements in architecture from the International Style to Post-Modernism, as reflected on Fishers Island.
Time: Sunday, July 23, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Rare Species and Natural Communities of Fishers Island
In this richly illustrated talk, three scientists of the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP) will present the results of a two-year inventory of the H.L. Ferguson Museum’s Land Trust properties. The scheduled NYNHP speakers are Matt Schlesinger, Chief Zoologist, Greg Edinger, Chief Ecologist, and Rich Ring, Chief Botanist.
Time: Sunday, July 30, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
America in Transition: The Gilded Age Years
This illustrated talk by Trudy Coxe, CEO & Executive Director of the Preservation Society of Newport County will cast light on an underappreciated but incredibly lively period in America that bridged the late 19th to the early 20th century. The expansion of industry and transportation – and the lack of an income tax – gave rise to a new wealthy class of people with names like Vanderbilt, Morgan, Ford, Carnegie and Rockefeller. Massive fortunes were made very quickly and spent on lavish lifestyles. More than opulent mansions, top hat-wearing robber barons and mustachioed presidents, the gilded age was a transformative time that ushered in modern America. Learn everything you need to know about this important period of American history.
Time: Sunday, August 6, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
The Great White Shark – Close to Shore
An Illustrated talk by Executive Director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, Jon Dodd, detailing the latest white shark research in RI (and adjacent waters). Learn about the techniques used by his team, the latest technology to investigate these apex predators, and what’s going on in our area. They’ve caught, tagged, released and tracked a number of white sharks while also detecting a larger than expected number of white sharks on ASI’s acoustic array.
An interactive presentation that should leave you excited about this important work, and the Great White.
Time: Sunday, August 13, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
ELECTRICITY: The Past, Present & Possible Future of Power Generation and Distribution on Fishers Island
This illustrated talk by Museum Director Pierce Rafferty surveys the past, examines the present, and looks to the future of this integral component of our island community.
Time: Sunday, August 27, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Hawks of Fishers Island and Our Local Area
An Illustrated talk by Kim Hargrave, Education Director Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center on one of the most noticeable and important predators in our ecosystem. Through pictures and meeting live birds, we will discuss the natural history of our local hawk species and their current conservation status in New York, Connecticut and on Fishers Island.
Time: Sunday, September 10, 2023 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
