Please join us on Wednesday, April 22, at 7 pm, at the City Hall Council Chambers at 33282 Golden Lantern, above the DPHS museum, for an in depth presentation about the brig PILGRIM. Many of us are familiar with Richard Henry Dana, Jr. and his voyage in the brig PILGRIM to Alta, California in 1834 from Boston, and of his return in the ship ALERT in 1835.
However, much of what has been presented about the PILGRIM since the 1840 publication of Dana’s story turns out to be incorrect in many respects. Guest speaker, Randle M. Biddle, shares the findings of his extensive research (in heretofore unexamined primary and secondary source material) directed toward reconstructing the most probable appearance of the brig. Learn more about her history — before Dana’s voyage, and afterwards. Randy’s illustrated presentation centers on the process he followed in examining and evaluating what we thought we knew about the PILGRIM. In collaboration with the late Raymond Aker of Palo Alto, CA, a model of the PILGRIM was rendered anew, drawing heavily on the 1830 portrait of the PILGRIM, and reconstructed in more recent fine scale model interpretations. The PILGRIM was an otherwise obscure, prosaic vessel which gained a place in history through the eyes and memories of a 19 year old who went to sea, “before the mast” for literally the voyage of a lifetime. Randy will be joined by Jeff Rosaler, former First Mate and Chief Rigger of the Ocean Institute‘s brig named the PILGRIM to discuss how that vessel came to be, and how it compares to what we now know of the real PILGRIM, built in Medford, Massachusetts in 1825.
Reception follows at the DPHS Museum.
Mr. Biddle’s overnight accommodations graciously provided by the Dana Point Marina Inn.