The Greenpoint Monitor Museum "Road Show"

St. Nicholas School

May 22, 2007

ST. NICHOLAS SCHOOL

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN

 

WELCOME FROM THE 4TH GRADE.


WELCOME FROM THE 5TH GRADE.

While being towed by the Rhode Island,
the USS Monitor got caught in a storm with dangerous waves.
Not following John Ericsson's design, caulking was placed under
the turret at its connection to the ship after it was brought to the
Brooklyn Navy Yard. John Ericsson's design showed a
tight fit for the turret without caulking. The caulking became
loose during the storm and allowed water under the turret.
Water entering the ship kept putting out her boilers. An
order was given to abandon ship.

The USS Monitor sunk on December 31, 1862.
Sixteen crewmen were lost that day.

In 1973 the USS Monitor was discovered 16 miles off
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina under 230 feet of water.
It lay upside down with the turret under the ship. The
two 11 inch Dahlgren guns were still inside the ship.
There were large holes in the exposed bottom of the
ship. During WWII the American Navy dropped depth
charges on the Monitor believing that she was an enemy submarine.

See the USS Monitor under water:
http://monitor.nos.noaa.gov/wreck_tour/wreck_tour.html

In order to protect the USS Monitor, the site was designated
as the nation's first marine sanctuary on January 30, 1975.
The site is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration. Over the years artifacts have been recovered
from the Monitor including her anchor, propeller, lantern and
many smaller items. In 2001 Navy scuba divers recovered her steam
engine. In 2002 they recovered her turret. They are now being
conserved under water in a tank charged with an electric
current to remove over 100 years of aquatic growth.

The Greenpoint Monitor Museum was invited by NOAA
to participate in the 2001 and 2002 USS Monitor
recovery expeditions.

In 2001 Navy scuba divers recovered the USS Monitor's steam engine.
A barge was anchored above the USS Monitor. A recovery cage
was lowered by crane over the USS Monitor. The scuba divers
attached the steam engine to the cage. The crane
lifted both the cage and engine up to the barge.

 

In 2002 Navy scuba divers recovered the USS Monitor's turret.
The barge and crane were used again. Instead of using
the cage, this time a round spider-like lifting device
was used to bring the turret up 230' from its
resting place for over 100 years under the water.

George's ancestor, Assistant Surgeon Grenville Weeks,
was on the USS Monitor the day it sank.
He was rescued, but he lost three of his fingers as the
rescue boat hit the side of the USS Monitor.

Following is a quote of Assistant Surgeon, Grenville Weeks:

"Their names are for history; and so long
as we remain a people, so long will the work
of the Monitor be remembered, and her story
told to our children’s children....
The ‘little cheesebox on a raft’ has made
herself a name which will not soon be forgotten
by the American people."

George is fulfilling this quote of his ancestor.

See Assistant Surgeon Grenville Weeks' story
"THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MONITOR"
 http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABK2934-0011-52

Click on the pictures below.


Plaque donated by Consolidated Freightways from the site where the USS Monitor was built.  This plaque is a replica of the plaque that was on the outside wall. (77kb) George graduated from JHS 126 - John Ericsson School.  This is his  t-shirt from JHS 126. (86kb) George's PS 110 - the Monitor School t-shirt. (77kb) John Ericsson invented a steam fire engine.  This fire engine runs by steam. (90kb)
Ships like the USS Minnesota of the US Navy were made of wood.  They needed the wind to move. (74kb) The USS Monitor had large heavy bolts just like this. (69kb) stnicholasy0607g.jpg (72kb) This flag was on the barge when the turret of the USS Monitor was recovered by NOAA. (62kb)
This is the top of Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves flagpole.  It was in many battles. (61kb) stnicholasy0607j.jpg (74kb) Which is the Confederate and Union mascot? (93kb) stnicholasy0607l.jpg (93kb)
Old Abe the eagle was in 37 battles. (78kb) Johnny Clemm was only 9 years old. (91kb) St. Nicholas recruits. (58kb) A Zouave fez. (74kb)
stnicholasy0607q.jpg (70kb) stnicholasy0607r.jpg (63kb) stnicholasy0607s.jpg (89kb) A musician's uniform. (62kb)
One of the USS Monitor's crew. (105kb) stnicholasy0607v.jpg (82kb) Confederate gray. (84kb) stnicholasy0607x.jpg (89kb)
stnicholasy0607y.jpg (72kb) stnicholasy0607z.jpg (76kb) stnicholasy0607za.jpg (71kb) stnicholasy0607zb.jpg (110kb)
An original cannon ball gage.  This helped to determine a cannon ball's size. (78kb)      

The Museum is not-for-profit with 501(c)(3) status.
FUNDING FOR THE 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007 "Road Shows" WAS PROVIDED BY THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Through a $50,000 Grant obtained by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez

CONTACT US:

THE GREENPOINT MONITOR MUSEUM
P.O. Box 220378
Brooklyn, New York 11222-0378
718-383-2637

Janice Lauletta-Weinmann, President, Webmaster
George J. Weinmann, Webmaster

Copyright © 2002-2006 Janice & George J. Weinmann
All Rights Reserved.