Update: McNasby Building Renovation
Spring 2004

AMM Chairman of the Board Buck Buchanan reports rapid progress on the plans for the renovation of the hurricane-damaged museum campus, and that the McNasby Oyster Packing building, the Barge House and the piers could be completely repaired and ready for occupancy by early autumn.

“Current plans for McNasby’s and the Barge House are based upon the strategy of doing only what’s necessary to make the buildings safe and functional on a year-round basis,” he said in a recent report to Ellen O. Moyer, Mayor of the City of Annapolis, which owns the property.

“We’re looking at completing the plans by the end of March and beginning the reconstruction phase in May,” he said. “The McNasby building will become the ‘Bay Studies and Environmental Center’ with the ‘Oysters on the Half Shell’ exhibit as the main permanent exhibit. It will also become the site of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse Museum and gift shop as well as the point of embarkation for the lighthouse by tour boat.”

The Museum campus will continue to serve as a Chesapeake Bay Gateways site and will provide facilities for concerts, lectures and community events as well as for Annapolis Community Boating programs including family boat-building projects. A simple food service is envisioned in the plan, he added. The Barge House will be utilized as a Children’s Maritime Museum and office space.

“This is an exciting time for the Museum,” Buck said. “We’re always looking for ideas and input from our members and the community in order to make this a world-class facility that serves the needs of the students and citizens of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County as well as our visitors.”

Volunteer to Help on GreenScape Day

The Annapolis Maritime Museum is looking for volunteers on GreenScape Day, Saturday, April 17, 2004, to work at the McNasby Building and Barge House at the end of Second Street in Eastport. Volunteers will help with gardening, weeding, moving plants and trees, cleaning and raking shorelines grasses, hauling rocks from the shoreline and grounds, painting and generally cleaning up. A team of relatively handy volunteers are also need to help rebuild and move the Thomas Point Lighthouse model. Volunteers are asked to bring their own tools – hammers, shovels, rakes, etc., as well as gardening gloves or waders. Refreshments will be served.

Wooden boat repair & restoration - April 17-18, 2004
Volunteers Needed

The Annapolis Maritime Museum is looking for volunteers to work on the Peg Wallace, a 1925 Hooper Island Draketail deadrise workboat. This year’s maintenance includes major repairs, however, this weekend volunteers will be mostly engaged in caulking, seam sealing and painting.

Location: Port Annapolis Marina, 7074 Bembe Beach Rd, Annapolis
Time: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., but volunteers need not stay the entire day
Number of volunteers needed: 6 each day