Antique Marine Engines at Mystic Seaport

Mystic Seaport
Photo by Charles Pannell

Join the folks at Mystic Seaport on August 19-20, 2006 for their annual Antique Marine Engine Exposition; when collectors from around the country will be on hand to show off their 19th and early 20th-century marine engines. These engines, which will be on display in the North Boat Shed, were manufactured between 1889 and 1955 and include inboard, outboard, steam and naphtha models manufactured by Evinrude, Johnson, Herreshoff, Palmer and Kriebel.

Engine demonstrations will be held throughout the day, including the firing of the D-90 diesel engine, built by the J.W. Lathrop Engine Company in Mystic. Although it was built in the late 1940s, this engine saw no more than six hours of runtime before Mystic Seaport acquired it in 1985.

Mystic Seaport is the anchor attraction in the town of Mystic, Connecticut. This 19-acre open air museum contains shipyard exhibits, historic vessels and maritime galleries, built around a replica of a 19th-century seafaring village.

Access varies throughout the park, but most of the inside exhibits feature ramped or level access. Many of the village shops have a step or two at the entrance, narrow doorways and very tight quarters, however in nice weather it’s possible to roll along the dirt streets and enjoy the store fronts and the attractions in the shipyard.

For more information about Mystic Seaport or the Antique Marine Engine Exposition, visit mysticseaport.org.

Located just 100 miles southwest of Boston, Mystic makes a perfect weekend getaway destination. For more information about accessible tourist attractions and lodging suggestions in Mystic, read the Summer 2006 issue of Emerging Horizons.