Arctic Day

During the holiday vacation week the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park hosted Arctic Day to celebrate Arctic connections of their partners The New Bedford Whaling Museum, Iñupiat Heritage Center in Barrow, Alaska, and Schooner Ernestina.  Did you know that Effie M. Morrissey (now Ernestina), sailed by Captain “Bob” Bartlett, spent over 20 years exploring the Arctic, including one voyage through the Panama Canal and up the Pacific Coast to the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean?

The Morrissey also served in World War II in Northern waters.

Activities were available all day throughout the Visitors’ Center 33 William St. New Bedford.

Learning about Arctic animals.

Participants learned about some of the people visited by the Morrissey and some of the  animals Captain Bartlett collected to bring back to the United States.

SEMA volunteer Mary Anne McQuillan shows photos of some of the animals carried on the Morrissey from the May 1946 National Geographic Magazine.

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There are more photos on the NMWNHP Facebook page.

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