Henry L. Ferguson Museum

The Bethlehem, PA – Fishers Island Connection
2022-01-16 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom
Sunday, January 16th, Museum Director Pierce Rafferty will host a rebroadcast of ‘The Bethlehem, PA – Fishers Island Connection,” a video that chronicles the remarkable story of Fishers Island’s once strong but now all-but-forgotten connections to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
This in-depth exploration of a rich vein of Fishers Island history focuses on the Bartlett family (owners of the Bartlett Cottages), the Hoppes family (owners of the Mononotto Inn), and the Linderman brothers (two industrialists who built the “Garp” house and today’s Baccile house). Featured are historical subplots with dramatic twists, turns and sudden reversals worthy of the period melodramas of the early 1900s.
This video, co-directed by HLFM Director Pierce Rafferty and Marisela La Grave, chronicles the story of Fishers Island’s once strong but now all-but-forgotten connections to Bethlehem, PA. It was first shown in 2020. Pierce will answer questions after the presentation.
ENCORE VIRTUAL SCREENING
Date: Sunday, January 16, 2022
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
No Advance Registration Required.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Join Webinar
Or One tap mobile:
US: +16699009128,,85949283418# or +12532158782,,85949283418#
Or Telephone (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID:
859 4928 3418
International numbers available:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbu5mIVFl4

The Bartlett Cottages, circa 1890’s

Mononotto Inn, Fishers Island, NY, operated from 1893-1939. This hotel was built for and run by the Hoppes family of Bethlehem, PA. until the early 1920s. It was unceremoniously razed in 1939.

The Garrett B. Linderman house, Fishers Island, NY, photograph dated 1902. Mr. G.B. Linderman was a prominent businessman of the Lehigh Valley section of PA. A series of business miscalculations and serious errors in judgment triggered a precipitous decline in his fortunes.

Robert P. Linderman house overlooking Hay Harbor, Fishers Island, NY, completed circa 1900. At the time this house was built, Mr. R.P. Linderman of South Bethlehem, PA. was president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Although only 36 at the time this house was completed, a tragedy ended his life before he reached 40.

Maritime Smuggling on Long Island: From Pirates to Rumrunners
2022-03-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Join us online for a virtual illustrated lecture by historian, author and former Newsday reporter Bill Bleyer to discover why pirates like Captain Kidd were attracted to Long Island at the turn of the 18th century and how a visit by Kidd to Gardiners Island led to him dying on the gallows in London. And learn why Long Island was so attractive to bootleggers during Prohibition that the Atlantic Ocean off the South Shore became a crowded “Rum Row” that was frequented by bootleggers like William “The Real McCoy” McCoy who supplied gangsters like Al Capone and Dutch Schultz.
Bill Bleyer was a prizewinning staff writer for Newsday for 33 years specializing in history and maritime issues before retiring in 2014 to write books and freelance for the newspaper and magazines. He is co-author, with Harrison Hunt, of Long Island and the Civil War (The History Press, 2015). He is the author of Sagamore Hill: Theodore Roosevelt’s Summer White House (The History Press, 2016); Fire Island Lighthouse: Long Island’s Welcoming Beacon (The History Press, 2017), and Long Island and the Sea: A Maritime History, (The History Press 2019); and George Washington’s Long Island Spy Ring: A History and Tour Guide (The History Press, 2021). The Hofstra University graduate has taught economics and journalism there and history at Webb Institute, the naval architecture college in Glen Cove.
Virtual Presentation. Advance Registration Not Required.
Please click the button below to join the webinar:
Join Webinar
Or One tap mobile :
US: +16699009128,,81656066864# or +12532158782,,81656066864#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 816 5606 6864
International numbers available:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcQpBYcHxd
Illustration from p. 161 of Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates (1921). From Wikimedia Commons.

Season of the Osprey
2022-04-07 18:00 | Zoom
Jacob Steinberg. Photo courtesy of John Steinberg
Thursday, April 7 at 6pm, the Connecticut Audubon Society Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center will be hosting a virtual talk with filmmaker Jacob Steinberg, Connecticut native and wildlife cinematographer who produced and directed “Season of the Osprey,” a film about the cycle of the lives of the osprey, shot in the marshes of Old Lyme and Greenwich over a period of seven years.
Register in advance to receive a link to attend both the live discussion on Zoom and a private link to view the film in advance.
REGISTER

Questions? Contact the Connecticut Audubon Society at rtpec@ctaudubon.org or call 860-598-4218.

Daffodil Weekend: Demonstration
2022-05-07 10:30 | Fishers Island Community Center, 66 Hound Ln, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Whether you are planning to plant bulbs in a fresh, newly prepared empty garden, or whether you are adding them to an already existing one, Brent and Becky Heath, 3rd generation bulb growers and owners of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs from Gloucester, Virginia, will have the answers for you!
May 7 and 8, DAFFODIL WEEKEND: Three Associated Events
Saturday, 10:30AM, Community Center (Elizabeth Reid)
Demonstration, Questions, and Box Lunch with Brent and Becky Heath
$20, reservations, please, helenstreed@aol.com or (804) 539-4040
Saturday, 3:00PM, Ferguson Museum (Pierce Rafferty)
Illustrated Lecture “Bulbs as Companion Plants” by Brent Heath
Sunday, 11:00AM “Hooverness”, Armstrong Garden
Walking Tour with Brent, Whitney, and Mike
After seeing and experiencing the demonstration, the talk, or the walk, you’ll leave with information and inspiration to produce a garden that you, your neighbors and friends will enjoy all year.
With exquisite images illustrating the seminar, they will introduce you to the best of the best…the right bulbs for the right spots. They’ll show you how to combine bulbs, perennials, annuals, ground covers and flowering shrubs that will create just the feeling you want to generate for three seasons in your garden.
Brent Heath
Brent grew up in Gloucester. He is a naturalist, an author, a photographer, a speaker, a daffodil hybridizer and a gardener. Because of achievements in all of these areas of expertise, he has won many gold medal awards from various organizations in the horticultural industry.
One of Brent’s greatest joys is sharing his love of all things natural in the world and inspiring people of all ages and experiences to look at the world around them in a different, eye-opening way. He has helped them understand how to take care of the earth for the next crop and/or for future generations. His plans for the future are to continue to play in his garden and care for the earth while encouraging others to do the same!
Brent helped Tom Armstrong layout the daffodil fields at Hooverness.

Daffodil Weekend: Bulbs as Companion Plants
2022-05-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Whether you are planning to plant bulbs in a fresh, newly prepared empty garden, or whether you are adding them to an already existing one, Brent and Becky Heath, 3rd generation bulb growers and owners of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs from Gloucester, Virginia, will have the answers for you!
May 7 and 8, DAFFODIL WEEKEND
Saturday, 10:30AM, Community Center (Elizabeth Reid)
Demonstration, Questions, and Box Lunch with Brent and Becky Heath
$20, reservations, please, helenstreed@aol.com or (804) 539-4040
Saturday, 3:00PM, Ferguson Museum (Pierce Rafferty)
Illustrated Lecture “Bulbs as Companion Plants” by Brent Heath
Sunday, 11:00AM “Hooverness”, Armstrong Garden
Walking Tour with Brent, Whitney, and Mike
After seeing and experiencing the demonstration, the talk, or the walk, you’ll leave with information and inspiration to produce a garden that you, your neighbors and friends will enjoy all year.
With exquisite images illustrating the seminar, they will introduce you to the best of the best…the right bulbs for the right spots. They’ll show you how to combine bulbs, perennials, annuals, ground covers and flowering shrubs that will create just the feeling you want to generate for three seasons in your garden.
Brent Heath
Brent grew up in Gloucester. He is a naturalist, an author, a photographer, a speaker, a daffodil hybridizer and a gardener. Because of achievements in all of these areas of expertise, he has won many gold medal awards from various organizations in the horticultural industry.
One of Brent’s greatest joys is sharing his love of all things natural in the world and inspiring people of all ages and experiences to look at the world around them in a different, eye-opening way. He has helped them understand how to take care of the earth for the next crop and/or for future generations. His plans for the future are to continue to play in his garden and care for the earth while encouraging others to do the same!
Brent helped Tom Armstrong layout the daffodil fields at Hooverness.

Daffodil Weekend: Hooverness Walking Tour
2022-05-08 11:00 | Hooverness

2022 Annual Exhibitions Opening Reception
2022-06-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
The Henry L. Ferguson Museum Opens the 2022 Season with a new Annual Exhibition Year Round: A Celebration of Community as well as two complementary Special Exhibitions.
The main show will chronicle many aspects of the Island’s year-round community with a focus on work, school activities, recreation, and annual events that help bring the Island together. The work-related imagery will cover a range of island institutions and businesses over the past century and will include portraits of many island residents taken by island photographers.
Please join us for our opening reception at the museum Saturday, June 25th from 5-7 pm.
Please note: The main exhibit will be on display virtually later this summer.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION: Winter will be on display on the Second Floor and an expanded version is on display virtually on this website.
The complementary show will focus on artistic photos that portray the many facets of the island in the grip of snow and ice.
Guard shack in winter, February 1989. Photo by Charlie Morgan. Museum Collection.

ENTER WINTER VIRTUAL EXHIBIT

SPECIAL EXHIBITION: A Collection of Winter Paintings by Rauno Joks will be on display in the Natural History Gallery.
Rauno Joks, was a visiting doctor on Fishers Island in the mid 2010’s. Dr. Joks painted a variety of winters scenes throughout Fishers Island.

Pheasant in Heavy Snow, acrylic on board

Winter Cove Fishers Island, oil on canvas

Chocomount Beach in January, oil on canvas

Kid’s Guide to Tree ID
2022-07-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
An essential element of camping is being deep in the forest, surrounded by trees. How many of those trees do you know? What animals depend on those trees for survival?
Practice your tree identification skills, meet several DPNC animals who rely on trees in the wild and do a leaf rubbing craft.
When: Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Turtles of Fishers Island and the Surrounding Region
2022-07-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated talk by Kim Hargrave, education director of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic, Conn.
Time: Sunday, July 10, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Incredible creatures, turtles have survived eons with remarkably little change. Kim’s talk takes a close look at the lives and habitats of turtles who live on land and in the waters of Fishers Island and surrounding region. Learn more about the threats they are facing due to habitat loss, climate change and the pet trade and what we can do to help.
An adult program suitable for children aged 10 and older.

Snapping turtle. Courtesy of Justine Kibbe

Eastern painted turtles at Duck Pond. Courtesy of Steve Zettler

Eastern painted turtles. Courtesy of Connor Jones

Fishy Fun!
2022-07-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Slimy, scaly, slippery and speedy, fish are a standard part of most aquatic habitats.
Learn about fish anatomy, lifecycle and interesting adaptations. Check out art that fishermen create with the fish they catch and practice making your own fish prints.
When: Wednesday, July 13, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Nature, Culture, and Democratic Space: The Resonance of Olmsted in a 21st Century Practice
2022-07-17 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated talk by Thomas Woltz, Principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects (NBW), who will discuss the resonance of Frederick Law Olmsted’s work and legacy in contemporary landscape architecture as practiced by his firm.
Inspired by Olmsted’s legacy of imbuing landscapes with culture, utility, and beauty, NBW applies a research-based approach across a wide array of projects, including botanic gardens, cultural and historic landscapes, and public parks. NBW designs respond to each site as they are created through a process of deep listening to the land, its ecology, and the history it holds.
Illustrative case studies from the firm’s portfolio will include Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, Florida, a botanic garden originally conceived and planned by Edward Bok and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr; Sylvester Manor in Shelter Island Heights, New York, a historic educational farm with rich cultural and ecological history; and Memorial Park in Houston, Texas, comprehensive planning of a 1,500-acre urban wilderness park, one of NBW’s most ambitious undertakings.
Time: Sunday, July 17, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor.
NOTICE: DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, THE “IN-PERSON” RESERVATIONS ARE FULLY SUBSCRIBED AT THIS TIME. IF YOU DID NOT PREVIOUSLY SIGN UP, YOU CAN STILL ATTEND THE ONLINE WEBINAR.
Please note that this talk will not be recorded.
For virtual access, no advance registration is required. Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83364523424
Webinar ID: 833 6452 3424
International numbers available:
https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kccta2rImC
Thomas L. Woltz, FASLA, CLARB
Over the past two decades of practice, Woltz and his team have developed a unique approach to the designed landscape using ecological and cultural research as the foundation for designing meaningful contemporary landscapes that inspire deep connections between people and the natural world. Public landscapes in the US and abroad form the majority of the firm’s design work. These include parks, botanic gardens, arboreta, and educational and cultural campuses. The balance of the work is related to conservation of biodiversity within large productive and agricultural landscapes.
Woltz was educated at the University of Virginia and holds Masters degrees in Landscape Architecture and Architecture. He also holds an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the State University of New York, Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. He was recognized with the Land for People Award by the Trust for Public Land in 2019 and as one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company in 2017. The Wall Street Journal named him the Design Innovator of the Year in 2013. Woltz currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Cultural Landscape Foundation.
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales, FL (2013 – 2016)
Bok Tower Gardens has been a place of inspiration for the people of Central Florida since its inception in 1929. Motivated by the beauty and diversity of Central Florida, philanthropist Edward Bok purchased a large tract of scrub and pine land to create a bird sanctuary and a place that would “touch the soul with its beauty and quiet.” Although plantings have changed over time, the core of Bok Tower Gardens has remained remarkably unmodified since Edward Bok and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. began collaborating in 1922.
In 2012, NBW was brought to implement several projects identified during their recently completed master planning process. The landscape architect extended and advanced initiatives from the plan, prompting the design of a series of new garden spaces and improving access and circulation throughout while preserving and integrating the cultural landscape of Bok and Olmsted Jr. The new gardens engage and orient visitors, showcase native plants in both natural settings and domestic landscapes, and integrate educational narratives of species interdependence and ecosystem well being.

Bok Tower Gardens, NBW. Photo © Barrett Doherty

Bok Tower Gardens, NBW. Photo © Barrett Doherty

FIND 2022
2022-07-18 13:00 - 16:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
FISHERS ISLAND NATURE DISCOVERY (FIND)
A Week (5 DAYS) of Learning Programs for Young Island Naturalists Ages 5 to 10.
FIND introduces children to environmental topics that pertain to the natural history and stewardship of our Island. Using the Ferguson Museum as a base, the program provides an indoor/outdoor learning experience. Led by professional educators, the children discover natural history through a combination of hands-on exploration, observation, and interpretation.
WHEN: This summer the FIND program will take place during the afternoon in July. The dates are July 18 to July 22; Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WHO: 20 children max, all between the ages of 5 to 10. Attendees will be split into two groups, one older and one younger. Each group will be led by two educators from the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, assisted at times by guest naturalists.
WHERE: Location will vary based on the daily plan, but will include Fishers Island’s beaches, woods, and bodies of water. The programs will utilize the Ferguson Museum as a home base. Programs will split time indoors and outdoors and will include art and science projects related to the subject matter.
COST: The cost per participant is $350 for the week.
REGISTRATION: Please call the Museum (631-788-7239) or e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net to sign up your child/children.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY INDICATED YOUR INTEREST IN SIGNING UP YOUR CHILD OR CHILDREN, PLEASE RECONFIRM.
This is a wonderful opportunity for young children to develop a love of nature and ecology through participatory learning both at the Museum and in the field.

Registration Form

FIND 2019

Forty Years of Oyster Farming on Fishers Island
2022-07-24 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated lecture by Steve Malinowski
Time: Sunday July 24, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
NOTICE: DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, THE “IN-PERSON” RESERVATIONS ARE FULLY SUBSCRIBED AT THIS TIME. IF YOU DID NOT PREVIOUSLY SIGN UP, YOU CAN STILL ATTEND THE ONLINE WEBINAR.
You’ve probably enjoyed the fruits of the Fishers Island Oyster Farm’s harvest at the Museum opening, at a restaurant, at a club, or in your own kitchen, but how much do you really know about the day-to-day workings of an oyster farm? From storms to rising water temps and run-off, to sudden global pandemics, oyster farming is a notoriously difficult industry that constantly keeps farmers on their toes and asks them to rise to new challenges—those that survive and thrive, do so by innovation and perseverance.
Join us this coming Sunday, July 24, for “Forty Years of Farming Oysters on Fishers Island,” an illustrated talk by Steve Malinowski discussing how they operate a thriving sustainable seafood farm as the work changes with the seasons and the unexpected is always around the corner.
FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS, NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
JOIN WEBINAR
Webinar ID: 837 2719 4111
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kccta2rImC
Steve and Sarah Malinowski have been operating the Fishers Island Oyster Farm since 1981. Within the New England oyster industry, they are reverentially referred to as “dinosaurs” because they’ve been around for so long! A number of young oyster farmers operating today got their start on Fishers Island. Steve and Sarah are respected leaders in the sustainable seafood movement and founding members of the Shellfish Growers Climate Coalition. Their seed and market oysters also have the distinction of being Fishers Island’s only commercial export.

BENEFIT PREMIERE: The History of Race Rock Light
2022-07-26 16:00 - 17:00 | Fishers Island Theater
The H.L. Ferguson Museum
invites you to the premier of
“The History of Race Rock Light”
This 45-minute video directed by Marisela La Grave and Pierce Rafferty chronicles the remarkable story of how a lighthouse came to be erected in the 1870s on a dangerous submerged ledge amidst some of the most unpredictable and swiftest moving tides on the East Coast.
Date: Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Fishers Island Theater
Immediately followed by a
Fishers Island Oysters & Champagne Reception
for in-person attendees

Please note, this presentation will not be virtual.
We hope that you are able to attend this event to benefit the New London Maritime Society’s restoration and preservation plan for Race Rock Light.
Admission to the premiere is free, but we will be “passing the hat” for the benefit of the New London Maritime Society’s restoration and preservation plan for Race Rock Light. Susan Tamulevich, the director of the New London Maritime Society (NLMS), owner of Race Rock Light, and the Preservation Project’s architect, Walter Sedovic of Walter Sedovic Architects, will speak about the restoration project. Click below to access the Race Rock Light restoration assessment which outlines the nearly $3M restoration project and details the projected work and why it is both important and necessary.
Race Rock Light Restoration Assessment

Any funds raised at the Theater benefit will go toward “Landing Integrity and Safety,” the first priority in the restoration assessment report. If writing a check, please make it payable to the New London Maritime Society with ‘Race Rock Preservation’ in the memo section. NLMS will also be accepting cash and, Wi-Fi-willing, credit card donations. NLMS is a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 organization. All donations are tax-deductible. If mailing a check, send to: New London Maritime Society, 150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320.
The New London Maritime Society is dedicated to lighthouse preservation. In addition to Race Rock (1878), the Maritime Society also owns New London Harbor Lighthouse (1760, rebuilt 1801) and New London Ledge Light (1909)—all active aids to navigation. Together these are the three historic beacons leading from the ocean to New London harbor.
For those attending, the Champagne & Fishers Island Oyster reception will immediately follow in the FI Conservancy’s Demonstration Garden, or, in the case of rain, under the marquee awning of the Theater. Masks are optional but we do recommend social distancing.

Race Rock Light photo by Gail Cypherd

Aquatic Adaptations!
2022-07-27 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Learn about the amazing creatures that live in pond habitats and the adaptations that allow them to navigate their aquatic homes.
Meet several of DPNC’s resident pond animals, play a snapping turtle game and make a frog call craft.
When: Wednesday, July 27, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Six Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau
2022-07-31 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated talk by Ben Shattuck
Time: Sunday, July 31, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-Person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
Book signing to follow.
NOTE: DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND “IN-PERSON” PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT FOR THIS PROGRAM BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
On an autumn morning in 1849, Henry David Thoreau stepped out his front door to walk the beaches of Cape Cod. Over a century and a half later, Ben Shattuck does the same. With little more than a loaf of bread, brick of cheese, and a notebook, Shattuck sets out to retrace Thoreau’s path through the Cape’s outer beaches, from the elbow to Provincetown’s fingertip.
ABOUT SIX WALKS
Named a Must Read Book of Spring 2022 by Town & Country Magazine and a Most Anticipated Book of the Year at The Rumpus. This is the first of six journeys taken by Shattuck, each one inspired by a walk once taken by Henry David Thoreau. After the Cape, Shattuck goes up Mount Katahdin and Mount Wachusett, down the coastline of his hometown, and then through the Allagash. Along the way, Shattuck encounters unexpected characters, landscapes, and stories, seeing for himself the restorative effects that walking can have on a dampened spirit. Over years of following Thoreau, Shattuck finds himself uncovering new insights about family, love, friendship, and fatherhood, and understanding more deeply the lessons walking can offer through life’s changing seasons.
Intimate, entertaining, and beautifully crafted, Six Walks is a resounding tribute to the ways walking in nature can inspire us all.

Date: Sunday, July 31, 2022.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Museum, 2nd Floor.
For virtual access, no advance registration is required.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81777199197
Webinar ID: 817 7719 9197
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kccta2rImC
ABOUT BEN SHATTUCK
Ben Shattuck, a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, is a recipient of a PEN America Story Prize and a 2019 Pushcart Prize. He was a Lighthouse Works fellow in 2013. Six Walks, his first book, is a Wall Street Journal Best Book of Spring, a New York Times Best Book of Summer, a Town & Country Magazine Must Read Book of Spring, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Week, a Rumpus Most Anticipated Book of the Year, and a recent New England Bestseller. He lives with his wife and daughter on the coast of Massachusetts, where he owns and runs a general store built in 1793.

Water Birds
2022-08-03 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Learn about the specialized beaks, feet and feathers of birds adapted to living in and around the water.
Inspect interesting bird artifacts and take part in a hands-on bird beak activity.
When: Wednesday, August 3, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).
PHOTO CREDIT: Adult Green Heron, Oyster Pond by Justine Kibbe

The Napatree Point Conservation Area: Past, Present & Future
2022-08-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated talk by Peter V. August and Grant G. Simmons III, The Watch Hill Conservancy
Time: Sunday, August 7, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-Person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND “IN-PERSON” PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT FOR THIS PROGRAM BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
The transformation of Napatree Point post-Hurricane of ’38 from barren sand to one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in southern New England is a dramatic story of ecosystem resilience. Care of Napatree Point took a fortunate turn in the 1990s when two unlikely partners, Chaplin B. Barnes and Grant G. Simmons III, recognized its unique ecological value and importance as a public resource and helped establish the Napatree Point Conservation Area.
Stewardship of the 86-acre preserve is an ever-changing challenge. The barrier spit is heavily used in the summertime by beach goers and boaters anchored off its northern (bayside) shore. Keeping Napatree from “being loved to death” is no small challenge, as is protecting its many rare and endangered habitats and species. The future of the Conservation Area is presenting brand new stewardship challenges on Napatree – climate change induced nuisance tides, sea level rise, dune migration in heavy storms, and others. We will review the scientific monitoring we are doing at present to guide our future stewardship and management programs. Our mission is to keep Napatree the pristine barrier spit that it is and ensure that the public has safe and reliable access to this special place.
FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS, NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Join webinar
Webinar ID: 842 7385 6103
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kccta2rImC

Napatree Point Conservation Area signs, October 24, 2018. Photo credit: The Watch Hill Conservancy

Looking west over Napatree Point Conservation Area toward Fishers Island. Photo credit: The Watch Hill Conservancy

Peregrine falcon with prey on Napatree Point headlands, November 7, 2017. Photo credit: The Watch Hill Conservancy

Peter August. Photo credit: Noelle Wolcin
Dr. Peter August is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island. He has chaired the Napatree Science Advisors for 12 years and is President of The Watch Hill Conservancy.
Grant Simmons. Photo credit: The Watch Hill Conservancy
Mr. Grant Simmons has been instrumental in the establishment of Napatree as a public resource where data-driven science directs stewardship and management activities. Mr. Simmons has coordinated weekly water-quality monitoring off the bayside and ocean-side shores of Napatree for the past 15 years. He is Vice President of The Watch Hill Conservancy.

All About Owls
2022-08-10 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Meet a live owl as you learn more about their unique adaptations and nocturnal habits.
Listen to owl calls to see which ones are living close to you.
When: Wednesday, August 10, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Seagrass and Society - Underwater Plants as a Critical Resource
2022-08-14 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
A Virtual and In-Person Illustrated talk by Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D. on Seagrass, the ribbon-like plant found rooted underwater along Fishers Island’s coasts that is a vital and vibrant resource for both marine animals and humans.
These underwater meadows formed of seagrass are found where water quality is good, and the water around Fishers Island hosts some of the best seagrass meadows in Long Island Sound and Fishers Island Sound. These meadows are nursery grounds and a source of food for many marine animals, reduce the energy of waves reaching the coastline, and store carbon, alleviating the impact of climate change. Join us as we explore seagrass through the ages and chart a path forward to expanding acres of meadows and learn about the advantages this brings to the blue (ocean-based) economy of the Sounds.
Time: Sunday, August 14, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND “IN-PERSON” PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT FOR THIS PROGRAM BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS, NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Join Webinar
Webinar ID: 881 9089 2878
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kIs7fpRhe

Dr. Vaudrey’s research interests are in the area of ecosystem dynamics in the coastal zone, specifically in the effect of land-use on the coastal environment and how anthropogenic changes to the landscape may change our coastal ecosystems. She is specifically interested in the relationship between human activities and expression of eutrophication in large systems (Narragansett Bay, Long Island Sound) and small embayments of these larger systems. She also has an interest in seagrass systems as indicators of a desirable state of water quality and inputs to coastal systems. She has been involved with a variety of seagrass projects throughout New England, including assessing genetic diversity of eelgrass, evaluating restoration projects, and developing a model to assist with the siting of restoration projects.
Vaudrey received a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Philosophy from Wellesley College, MA and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut. She is currently research faculty in the Department of Marines Sciences at UConn and has recently been the UConn lead for the establishment of a National Estuarine Research Reserve in Connecticut, which opens its’ door in July 2022.

Awesome Amphibians
2022-08-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Meet native frogs and salamanders and discover the amazing adaptations that these amphibians have.
Learn about these creatures’ unique life cycles and why their future is so uncertain in New England.
When: Wednesday, August 17, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

WATER: The History of Fishers Island’s Supply, Use and Distribution Systems
2022-08-21 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
This illustrated talk by HLFM Director Pierce Rafferty will examine our island’s water sources and chronicle the evolution of our critical water system infrastructure beginning in the 1890s to today.
Date: Sunday, August 21, 2022
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: In-person at the Museum, 2nd Floor
DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, WE RECOMMEND RESERVING YOUR SEAT BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
For virtual access, no advance registration is required.
Join Webinar
Webinar ID: 838 4614 0422
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kIs7fpRhe
This is the first in a series of three that will survey the past, examine the present, and look to the future of utilities on Fishers Island. Electric and communications services will be the subject of two future talks.

Crustaceans: On Land and Sea
2022-08-24 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
New England’s coastline is home to countless species of crustaceans, but these armored creatures are not confined to the ocean. Many live in our forests and freshwater habitats!
Come learn about the hidden world of crustaceans and their awesome adaptations for life on land and at sea.
When: Wednesday, August 24, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
HLFM Family Program provided by Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).
PHOTO CREDIT: An invasive Green Crab in a defensive posture near water’s edge, Munnatawket Beach by Mary P. Murphy

Birds In Winter: Surviving The Most Challenging Season
2022-08-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Join us for a virtual and in-person illustrated talk by Roger Pasquier and learn why we should think about birds in winter during August. Here on Fishers Island and throughout the Northern Hemisphere many birds are already preparing for the most challenging season of the year.
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Museum, 2nd floor
The talk will be in person and virtual. A book signing and reception will be held after the talk at the Museum.
DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS, NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Join Webinar

Webinar ID: 838 4614 0422
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kIs7fpRhe
Photo by Ellen Warner
Roger Pasquier will discuss the ecological and behavioral adaptations birds have evolved to survive winter, which affects not only the birds that remain in regions where it becomes cold, but also the migrants that go far to avoid the effects of cold, as well as the resident species with which they share habitat at their destinations. Winter, in fact, affects birds’ lives all through the year. In late summer, you can already see some birds begin storing food to retrieve months later and others forming the social groups in which they will remain until spring.
Winter also has distinctive conservation challenges. Many birds winter in latitudes and habitats occupied more densely by people, reducing the available natural habitat and exposing them to pollutants, invasive species, and hunting pressures they do not encounter the rest of the year. Finally, global warming is altering the nature of winter itself, shortening the season, changing or eliminating some vital winter habitats, shifting food sources, and throwing off the sense of timing that triggers birds to arrive at both their breeding and winter destinations at the optimal moment.
Roger Pasquier has enjoyed visiting Fishers Island to see birds and friends since the 1970s. He is an associate in the Department of Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. His career has been in ornithology and conservation at the American Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, World Wildlife Fund-U.S., Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Audubon Society. He is the author of several books on birds and art history, including Birds in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season (Princeton University Press, 2019). He spoke at the Museum in 2016 on his previous book, Painting Central Park.

Carolina Chickadee at feeder. Photo by Bruce M. Beehler

White-breasted Nuthatch. Photo by Bruce M. Beehler

Snowy Owl. Photo by Bruce M. Beehler

Construction Zone: Beavers at Work
2022-08-31 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Beavers are always secretly at work somewhere nearby building their own habitat and building habitat for many other animals in the process.
Come learn about nature’s amazing engineers, meet animals that share their habitat and build your own beaver dam to test!
When: Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up. Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum. Attendance is limited so advance registration is recommended. Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net (note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).
PHOTO CREDIT: North American Beaver by TomKoerner, USFWS

Gulf Stream Perspectives
2022-09-11 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
An illustrated talk by W. Frank Bohlen, physical oceanographer and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut.
As a major western boundary current the Gulf Stream has for centuries been of interest to navigators, oceanographers and artists. Today, the Stream figures prominently in discussions of climate change and the potential for modified trajectories to alter the amount of heat moving from the tropics to the Arctic or the subsequent subsurface return flows to the south. In combination or alone, these changes might significantly affect global climate. Examination of the history of exploration from the 1850s to present provides a basis for an understanding of Stream structure and dynamics and the factors governing all aspects of its place in human history. This history is rich in personalities from Ben Franklin, to Matthew Fontaine Maury and Henry Stommel as well as notable ships and advances in technology. Perspectives also extend well beyond the scientific to include a variety of art, literature and poetry. This combination of subjects gives life to a remarkable natural phenomenon.
Time: Sunday, September 11, 2022 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
Place: at the Museum, 2nd Floor
The talk will be in person and virtual.
DUE TO LIMITED SEATING, PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SEAT BY CALLING (631) 788-7239 OR EMAILING THE MUSEUM.
FOR VIRTUAL ACCESS, NO ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Join webinar
Or One tap mobile :
US: +16465588656,,83671625716# or +16469313860,,83671625716#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 646 558 8656 or +1 646 931 3860 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 309 205 3325 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 386 347 5053 or +1 564 217 2000 or +1 669 444 9171 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 719 359 4580
Webinar ID: 836 7162 5716
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdpjgxouBo

W. Frank Bohlen
Frank Bohlen is a physical oceanographer and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Connecticut. His research interests include the dynamics governing coastal sediment transport and long-term observations of currents and associated weather conditions. He started and continues to be involved with the Long Island Sound Observatory. Past Commodore of the Off Soundings Club, he’s an experienced offshore racer/cruiser having participated in 20 Newport Bermuda Races and five transatlantic sails, two racing and three cruising. On the majority of these passages Frank served as navigator. Since 1998 he has been a member of the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee preparing regular Gulf Stream tutorials and analyses of conditions that are posted on the Race homepage during the months before the Race, and briefing participants on expected Stream characteristics as part of the pre-Race Skipper’s Meeting. He regularly participates in Safety at Sea Seminars discussing weather and ocean currents and the associated effects on passage making.

“The Gulf Stream” 1899 oil painting by Winslow Homer. Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art
