The Henry L. Ferguson Museum

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Force of Nature by Jeff Wheelwright

The Matthiessen family in Connecticut: Betty, Matty, Peter, Carey, and Mary. (Courtesy of Jeff Wheelwright)

A Book Essay – Summer 2018 published in The American Scholar

Force of Nature

The racing tides beneath Peter Matthiessen’s literary achievement

By Jeff Wheelwright | June 4, 2018

“Sometimes I feel that Peter Matthiessen is the most underappreciated of recent American writers. I am biased, because he was my uncle and my godfather . . . Peter’s love for nature, unbridled nature . . . had begun during his boyhood on Fishers Island, New York . . .”

Read Book Essay
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News from the Museum

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Featured News

  • Nature Moments by Nathaniel T. Wheelwright

  • Position Available: Fishers Island Seagrass Management Project Coordinator

  • Force of Nature by Jeff Wheelwright

    2018 Newsletter

    • Minus 9 Windchill by Marlin Bloethe

      From the President

    • Chocomount Cove Sanctuary

      Land Trust Report 2017-Spring 2018

    • American Mink (Neovison vison)

      Nature Notes: American Mink (Neovison vison)

    • MV Islander

      Island History: Fishers Island Ferries

    • Money Pond during 38 hurricane

      Island History: The Great Hurricane of 1938

    • Barley Field Cove Eelgrass

      Nature Notes: Fishers Island Seagrass

    • Charlie Ferguson 1931

      A Generous Donation from the Charles B. Ferguson Family

    • Fishers Island birds

      An Auction Yields Two Works by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

      Nature Notes from the Museum

      • Barley Field Cove Eelgrass

        Nature Notes: Fishers Island Seagrass

      • American Mink (Neovison vison)

        Nature Notes: American Mink (Neovison vison)

      • Nature Notes: The Snakes of Fishers Island – Part II

      • Nature Notes: Birds, Plants & Fish of Fort H.G. Wright

      • Snakes of Fishers Island

        The Snakes of Fishers Island – Part 1

      • Increasing and Decreasing Birds

        Increasing and Decreasing Birds

        Museum Programs

        • The History of Race Rock Light

        • Museum Talk: The Great New England Hurricane of 1938

        • Tide Talk

        • FI Seagrass Management Coalition Meeting Oct 23

          Children's Programs

          • Owl Prowl

          • Under the Sea

          • Engineering by Nature

          • Don’t Burst My Bubble

            Photo Galleries

            • Water Filtration Plant
            • First Site of Post Office

            Contact the Museum

            • 631-788-7239
            • fimuseum@fishersisland.net

            Museum Hours

            Sunday, July 1st to Labor Day:

            Tues-Fri: 10 AM – 12:30 PM; 2 – 4 PM
            Sat: 10 AM – 12:30 PM
            Sun: 11 AM – 12 noon
            Mon: CLOSED

            Off season hours are by appointment, call 631-788-7239 or e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net

            (c) 2014 The Henry L. Ferguson Museum