Henry L. Ferguson Museum

The Rise and Fall of Hotels on Fishers Island
2020-09-06 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Pierce Rafferty, Director of the HLFM, will host a screening of his illustrated talk, ‘The Rise and Fall of Hotels on Fishers Island.’
Co-directed by Marisela LaGrave, this illustrated talk chronicles the life span of all Fishers Island hotels from the launching of the first destination hotel in 1877 to the shuttering of the last of Fishers Island three grand hotels in the early 1940s. Later sections document the fiery demise of the original “Big Club and the resurrection of the Pequot, an island institution that has outlasted all its high-class competition. This production was made possible by a generous grant from the Jeanann Gray Dunlap Foundation.
Sunday, September 6, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual talk/screening, advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Blowin’ in the Wind?
2020-08-30 16:00 - 17:00
Illustrated Lecture on The Latest on Offshore Wind Development in the Northeast
The Block Island Wind Farm, the United States’ first and only offshore wind farm to date, began supplying renewable energy to Block Island and mainland Rhode Island in 2016. This five-turbine, nearshore project is likely to be only the first of many larger offshore wind farms to be developed further offshore in the waters off New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
Dr. Tiffany Smythe, professor of maritime policy at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, will provide an update on offshore wind development throughout the region and share highlights of her research on the political and social dimensions of offshore wind farms.
Sunday, August 30, 2020. Time: 4 p.m.
This virtual Talk is co-sponsored by Custom House Maritime Museum (New London, Conn.).
Advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

For more information on the Custom House Maritime Museum, please visit their website: nlmaritimesociety.org.

Drawing Owls
2020-08-26 14:00 - 14:40
Family Program
After meeting one of the Nature Center’s resident owls, you will learn tips and techniques to create your own owl drawing. You will need a pencil, eraser and drawing paper.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, August 26, 2020. 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Regenerative Gardening
2020-08-23 16:00 - 17:00
Illustrated Lecture by Craig Floyd on How to Garden with Mother Nature while reducing your work load, increasing your production and nutritional quality, while also reducing your costs.
Craig Floyd is a tenth generation Farmer from Stonington who currently is the Farm Manager at the Giving Garden at Coogan Farm which is owned by the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic. A social activist, and a Regenerative No-Till No Spray farmer, Craig is a Ted Talk presenter as well as a frequent speaker on regenerative farming techniques. He teaches a year-long Regenerative Farming Course and his volunteer-run Giving Garden has donated over 65,000 pounds of produce in the last five years.
Sunday, August 23, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual talk, advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Remarkable Raptors
2020-08-19 14:00 - 14:40
Family Program
See live hawks and owls, as you learn more about raptor’s important role in the ecosystem and discover which ones you might be able to see near your house.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, August 19, 2020. 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

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Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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Fishers Island Nature Discovery Program
2020-08-17 04:00 - 2020-08-21 13:00
For a combination of reasons, including safety concerns, logistical difficulties, and over exposure of children to Zoom programming, the HLFM has cancelled the FIND program for 2020, previously scheduled for the week beginning Aug. 17, 2020. We look forward to the return of the FIND program in 2021.

The History of Farming on Fishers Island
2020-08-16 16:00 - 17:00
Virtual Illustrated Talk Screening
Pierce Rafferty, Director of the HLFM, will host a screening of his illustrated talk, ‘The History of Farming on Fishers Island,’ which traces the evolution of farming from the first American Indian inhabitants through to our last remaining farmers at the Fishers Island Oyster Farm.
Co-directed by Marisela LaGrave, this illustrated talk takes the viewer on a fascinating journey through centuries of Fishers Island history with the help of rare photographs, original documents, and a trove of entertaining and illuminating anecdotes. This production was made possible by a generous grant from the Jeanann Gray Dunlap Foundation.
Sunday, August 16, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual talk screening, advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Storms or Trophies or History: Why Do We Sail?
2020-08-16 16:00 - 17:00
CANCELLATION NOTICE: Author John Rousmaniere has unfortunately had to cancel his sailing talk that was scheduled for Sunday, August 16, 2020. In its place, HLFM Director Pierce Rafferty will host a screening of his recorded Illustrated Talk ‘The History of Farming on Fishers Island,’ which was funded by a generous grant from the Jeanann Gray Dunlap Foundation.
Co-directed by Marisela LaGrave, this production chronicles the full sweep of farms and farm activity on Fishers Island by both American Indians and the Winthrop stock farmers that replaced them. Farming was our island’s dominant economic activity for more than two centuries following first European settlement in the 1640s, yielding at the west end in the 1870s when a resort was first established. Even after that development, farming continued on the eastern two thirds of the island for another 50 years. There were dairy farms, gamekeeping farms, and poultry farms. In the late 1890s, Fishers Island was arguably better known around the world for its famous poultry than as a summer resort. Before tennis and golf, there were cows, sheep, and chickens.

A talk by John Rousmaniere.
Challenging, romantic, and (some think) strange—the challenges and appeals of sailing always inspire entertaining discussion. The debate will be reviewed by John Rousmaniere, along with a few sea stories and tips for safe sailing.
A widely experienced sailor, Rousmaniere has written widely about the sport in books that include Fastnet, Force 10 (about a storm he survived), The Annapolis Book of Seamanship (a “boating bible”), and histories of races and organizations, including the Fishers Island Yacht Club.

Frogs – Facts vs Fiction
2020-08-12 14:00 - 14:40
Family Program
Did you know that in the winter some frogs freeze or that you can’t get warts from a toad? See some of the Nature Center’s resident frogs as we learn to separate the facts from fiction regarding these awesome amphibians.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, August 12, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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An Introduction to Backyard Butterflies
2020-08-09 16:00 - 17:00
Illustrated Lecture by Kim Hargrave, Education Director Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center.
Have you ever wondered what butterflies were visiting your backyard? Join us for this online class for an introduction to our backyard butterflies.
We will discuss how to attract butterflies to your yard, their important role as pollinators and learn more about their incredible life cycles. This talk is designed for adults, but suitable for interested older children and teens.
Sunday, August 9, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual talk, advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Beaks, Feet & Feathers
2020-08-05 14:00 - 14:40
Family Program
Explore the amazing adaptations of birds! Meet a live bird and learn how to identify the birds you may see in your backyard.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, August 5, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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The Future PRFCT
2020-08-02 16:00 - 17:00
The Future PRFCT: How Gardens can save your sanity, your health and the birds too!
Illustrated Lecture
Join us for a talk by Edwina von Gal, founder of the Perfect Earth Project, a non-profit organization based in East Hampton, NY.
Edwina von Gal, landscape designer and founder of the Perfect Earth Project will discuss why and how landscapes, no matter how small, can play a leading role in healing our injured ecosystems, curing your eco anxiety, and bringing bounteous beauty to your property. Her talk will cover the basics of nature-based design with practical, irresistible tips for beginners to professionals, as she invites all to toss the chemical crutches and step into a whole new world of land partnering.
Aug 2, 2020 4:00 pm.
This virtual Talk is co-sponsored by Custom House Maritime Museum (New London, Conn.).
Advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

For more information on the Custom House Maritime Museum, please visit their website: nlmaritimesociety.org.

Pond Life
2020-07-29 14:00 - 14:40
Family Program
Ponds are full of incredible creatures. See the frogs, turtles and insects that make up a pond’s ecosystem and learn more about their fascinating life cycles.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, July 29, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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FISM Coalition Stakeholder Engagement Webinar
2020-07-26 14:00 - 15:00, 2020-07-20 07:00 - 08:00
The Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition is beginning a planning stage to identify locations around the island that would be best suited for Seagrass Management Areas. They are seeking input on the siting of these areas from everyone in the island community and other interested stakeholders. This webinar will provide information about the FISM Coalition’s goals and the importance of preserving the island’s eelgrass meadows. They would also like to learn about your use of the island’s nearshore waters and your seagrass conservation ideas and preferences.
Register

The Bethlehem Pa. – F.I. Connection
2020-07-26 12:00 - 13:00
The Bethlehem, Pa. – F.I. Connection: How a Once-Strong Link Became Uncoupled
This illustrated lecture by HLFM Director Pierce Rafferty will examine the untold story of Fishers Island’s once strong but now all-but-forgotten connections to Bethlehem, PA., focusing on the Bartlett family, owners of the Bartlett Cottages, the Linderman brothers, builders of the “Garp House” and today’s Baccile house, and the Hoppes family, original owners of the Mononotto Inn.
Sunday, July 26, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual Talk, advance registration Required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Slithering Snakes
2020-07-22 10:00 - 10:40
Family Program
Snakes aren’t scary, despite how they are often portrayed in stories!
Participants will see live snakes and learn more about their important role in the environment. DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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The Science of Climate Change
2020-07-19 12:00 - 13:00
Illustrated Lecture
In a world where facts matter, learn about the science of climate change from F.I. seasonal resident, Peter Raymond.
This talk will cover the history of climate change science and how modern day greenhouse gas concentrations are maintained. Pete is a professor of ecosystem Ecology at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies where he studies greenhouse gas exchange between ecosystems and the atmosphere and teaches The Physical Science of Climate Change.
Sunday, July 19, 2020. Time: 4 p.m.
This virtual Talk is co-sponsored by Custom House Maritime Museum (New London, Conn.).
Advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

For more information on the Custom House Maritime Museum, please visit their website: nlmaritimesociety.org.

Owl Prowl
2020-07-15 10:00 - 10:40
Family Program
Learn about owls’ many adaptations.
Children will “meet” a few of the Nature Center’s resident owls and ask questions about their remarkable lives. DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, July 15, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

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Creating Connecticut
2020-07-12 12:00 - 13:00
Walter Woodward, Connecticut State Historian will give a talk on his new book Creating Connecticut: Critical Moments That Shaped a Great State (Globe Pequot).
Sunday, July 12, 2020. Time: 4 p.m.
This virtual Talk is co-sponsored by Custom House Maritime Museum (New London, Conn.).
Advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

For more information on the Custom House Maritime Museum, please visit their website: nlmaritimesociety.org.

FISM Coalition Stakeholder Engagement Webinar
2020-07-10 06:00 - 07:00
The Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition is beginning a planning stage to identify locations around the island that would be best suited for Seagrass Management Areas. They are seeking input on the siting of these areas from everyone in the island community and other interested stakeholders. This is the third of 3 webinars to tell you more about the FISM Coalition’s goals and the importance of preserving the island’s eelgrass meadows. They would also like to learn about your use of the island’s nearshore waters and your seagrass conservation ideas and preferences.
Register

Terrific Turtles
2020-07-08 10:00 - 10:40
Family Program.
Meet a few of the Nature Center’s resident turtles as we discover their amazing adaptations, which turtles live in your neighborhood, and what you can do to help protect them.
DPNC family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, July 8, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m.
Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net or use the form below to request an invitation. Include the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

REGISTRATION REQUEST FORM
NOTE: After receipt, you will receive an email invitation to the virtual program.

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Family Program Sign-up:
Terrific Turtles (July 8)Owl Prowl (July 15)Slithering Snakes (July 22)Pond Life (July 29)Beaks, Feet & Feathers (Aug 5)Frogs – Facts vs Fiction (Aug 12)Remarkable Raptors (Aug 19)

Attendee Names (required):

Attendee Ages (required):

Any Additional Message or questions? Please use this space:

×

The Eclectic Houses of Fishers Island and Beyond
2020-07-05 12:00 - 13:00
Jacob Albert of Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, Inc., Boston, Mass., will give an illustrated talk focusing on Fishers Island’s diverse, eclectic architecture.
Sunday, July 5, 2020. Time: 4 p.m. Virtual Talk, advance registration required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Register Today!

Animal Senses
2020-07-01 10:00 - 10:40
Family Program.
Investigate the keen senses of different animals and investigate how they compare to animals in books.
Animal participants include live snakes, turtle, frogs and owls. Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages 5 & up. Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Time: 2 to 2:40 p.m. Virtual Program, advance registration required. To sign up for children’s programs, please e-mail fimuseum@fishersisland.net to request an invitation. Note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s.

Annual Exhibition 2020
2020-06-26 - 2020-06-27
The Coastal Forts of Eastern Long Island Sound: Abandonment, Ruination and Repurposing
Now Open!

Looking beyond the visually compelling crumbling facades of gun pits, the striking through-line of this exhibition is the active repurposing of large sections of these former military reservations by scientists, naturalists and conservationists into nature sanctuaries and, in the case of Great Gull Island, a tern research center. While tracing the fascinating histories of each of these forts, this exhibition acknowledges and celebrates all who are working to keep these ex fort properties as habitat for the full range of our region’s diverse flora and fauna, with humans included at some sites.

FISM Coalition Stakeholder Engagement Webinar
2020-06-25 13:00 - 14:00
The Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition is beginning a planning stage to identify locations around the island that would be best suited for Seagrass Management Areas. They are seeking input on the siting of these areas from everyone in the island community and other interested stakeholders. This is the second of 3 webinars to tell you more about the FISM Coalition’s goals and the importance of preserving the island’s eelgrass meadows. They would also like to learn about your use of the island’s nearshore waters and your seagrass conservation ideas and preferences.
Register

OTHER WEBINAR DATES:
July 10, 2020, from 10:00 – 11:00 AM

FISM Coalition Stakeholder Engagement Webinar
2020-06-16 08:00 - 09:00
The Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition is beginning a planning stage to identify locations around the island that would be best suited for Seagrass Management Areas. They are seeking input on the siting of these areas from everyone in the island community and other interested stakeholders. This is the first of 3 webinars to tell you more about the FISM Coalition’s goals and the importance of preserving the island’s eelgrass meadows. They would also like to learn about your use of the island’s nearshore waters and your seagrass conservation ideas and preferences.
Register

OTHER WEBINAR DATES:
June 25, 2020, from 5:00 – 6:00 PM
July 10, 2020, from 10:00 – 11:00 AM

FISM Coalition Meeting
2020-05-27 09:00 - 12:00
Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition Meeting
Online: Wednesday, May 27, 1:00-4:00 pm
This meeting will take place entirely online and will cover part II of our SeaSketch training. We will also be going over the analytics we will use to help us design Seagrass Management Areas.
The public is welcome to attend. If you are not a coalition member and would like to attend, please RSVP to the FISM Coordinator, Connor Jones, at fishersislandseagrass@gmail.com, and you will be provided with additional details.
To stay up to date with upcoming meetings and events, check the ‘News & Events’ page on the FISM website fiseagrass.org.
