Our class met in Liberty Square at the Fort Sumter Museum and boarding station. We met National Park Service Ranger, Carlin Timmons who provided us with a good backdrop for the exhibits. Joining us was University of South Carolina alum and Park Guide Nate Johnson. The museum is provided for those waiting to take the ferry to Fort Sumter. The panels cover from colonial Charleston to the out-break of the Civil War.
I appreciated the frankness with which Ms. Timmons discussed the exhibit development. The exhibit panels were revised several times and public input was encouraged. Those on the exhibit committee felt that the panels needed to show diversity and awareness of audience—which was a challenge due to the topic. I think that the panels as a whole try to interpret too many voices, but then, how could they avoid that? Some of the panels on the African-American experience use the well-known African-Americans of the time—I feel that they should have tried for more unique examples of lesser known African-Americans. The panels are text heavy and center on six themes: Colonial Roots of the Conflict, Ambiguities of the Constitution, Antebellum United States, Charleston in 1860, South Carolina Declares Its Independence, and Fort Sumter Countdown to Conflict.
Next was our ferry ride to Fort Sumter. For more information on Fort Sumter, follow this link: http://www.nps.gov/fosu/.
Fort Sumter was built from 1820s to 1861 when it was interrupted by Confederate fire on the Federally controlled fort. Because the fort is on a man-made island situated on a shoal in the Charleston harbor, extreme conditions have contributed to its further deterioration. It was decommissioned in 1947 by the War Department and was sold to the Park Service.
The fort is currently a mixture of the original brick construction/ruins paired with ca. 1898 concrete. The fort is not being restored, nor is it being rehabbed. It is only being preserved and in an ever increasing state of disrepair. Foot traffic and weather are dangerous combinations—both of which are being addressed as best as time and budgets allow. I feel as though more work needs to be done at the Fort in interpreting all aspects of the war and to move the focus away from just being about the north or south. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Our next, and final Charleston Field School visit, was at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center to view the Hunley. The Hunley is a late 19th century submarine prototype that crashed after it successfully attacked The U.S.S. Housatonic. For more information, follow this link: http://www.hunley.org/. The Hunley was 4 feet tall, 3.5 feet wide, and 40 feet long and had a crew of 8. The Hunley is a controversial issue that some see as representing white supremacy, southern aggression, northern aggression, etc. Whatever people may believe it represents, I feel as though the Hunley is an invaluable relic of national history. Not in order to promote the Confederate cause, but in order to preserve a piece of technological, military, and yes, South Carolina history. Enormous preservation monies are being poured into the conservation efforts surrounding the Hunley. Visiting the lab was a treat—we got to see the science behind the history. I was impressed with the conservation of the piece of cashmere fabric belonging to a vest of one of the crew.
Our next, and final Charleston Field School visit, was at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center to view the Hunley. The Hunley is a late 19th century submarine prototype that crashed after it successfully attacked The U.S.S. Housatonic. For more information, follow this link: http://www.hunley.org/. The Hunley was 4 feet tall, 3.5 feet wide, and 40 feet long and had a crew of 8. The Hunley is a controversial issue that some see as representing white supremacy, southern aggression, northern aggression, etc. Whatever people may believe it represents, I feel as though the Hunley is an invaluable relic of national history. Not in order to promote the Confederate cause, but in order to preserve a piece of technological, military, and yes, South Carolina history. Enormous preservation monies are being poured into the conservation efforts surrounding the Hunley. Visiting the lab was a treat—we got to see the science behind the history. I was impressed with the conservation of the piece of cashmere fabric belonging to a vest of one of the crew. 
Before we saw the Hunley in its conservation tank, we talked to Head Conservator, Paul Mardikian about the challenges facing maritime preservation. Dangerous, expensive, and hard work seem to sum up the field of maritime preservation. Challenges arise because artifacts can be severely altered chemically if taken from water to air. In some instances chemical reactions can occur. In those cases, immersion in salt, lack of oxygen, and removal of moisture are the recommended steps in conserving the artifact. The conservators of the Hunley will have to take a mitigation approach due to the composite nature of the artifact. Meanwhile, contributions to the research and development of new conservation methods make this a truly field worthy subject.
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