Archives 2010

A distinctive collection of plants – an “Urban Flora” – grows spontaneously in the ecological habitat provided by a city such as Oswego. Species commonly found in urban habitats are characterized by the ability to survive and reproduce in dry, infertile soils subject to frequent disturbance. Plants found on the piers and break walls of Oswego Harbor must also be able to endure conditions of extreme exposure to sun and wind. Oswego Harbor has been a commercial Great Lakes port from pre-settlement times. Wherever people travel and ship their goods, they are accompanied by other animals as well as by plants, some transported purposely, and others acting as stowaways. Over the centuries, a special urban seaport flora has developed, consisting of plants that have been able to migrate from port to port but have had limited success in spreading to the surrounding city and countryside. Sixty three plant species were found growing on the West First Street Pier in the immediate vicinity of the H. Lee White Marine Museum during the summer of 2009. This illustrated presentation will introduce the West First Street Pier Flora and detail the stories of some of its members.

Andrew P. Nelson, PhD

Originally from Wolcott, New York
BS (1958), MS (1959) State University College of Forestry, Syracuse (now SUNY ESF)
PhD (1962), University of California, Berkeley
Specialization in plant taxonomy and ecology
Taught biology at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, Humboldt State College, Arcata, California, and SUNY Oswego
Director of Rice Creek Field Station, SUNY Oswego, from 1993 – 2008
Retired August, 2008

Continuing interest in the flora of Upstate New York, particularly the Oswego Region, the flora and ecology bogs, lakeshore dunes and barrier bars, with developing focus on wild growing plants of urban Oswego and the Oswego Harbor

June 12, 1:30 pm: Dr. Gary Gibson

Tall Ships arrival inspires discussion of Oswego’s role in the War of 1812

The third lecture of the 2010 H. Lee White Marine Museum lecture series will be presented Saturday afternoon, June 12, at 1:30 PM in the Pontiac Room at the Museum. The speaker is Dr. Gary M. Gibson, and his topic will be “Oswego, the Navy, and the War of 1812”. Mercedes Niess, Executive Director of the Museum, notes, “We hope this lecture will get members of the public interested in tall ships and the role they played in our history. Oswego is the oldest freshwater port in the U.S. This is also a great introduction for the upcoming Festival of Sail event, which will feature three magnificent tall ships”.

Dr. Gibson’s presentation will discuss the critical role of Oswego throughout the War of 1812. Oswego played a role in making the activities of the American army and navy on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River a success. Beginning as early as 1808 with the building of the brig Oneida, the United States Navy recognized how critical Oswego was to the defense of the nation’s northern frontier.

A computer scientist by profession and a vice president of Velocity Servers Inc, an Internet service company, Gary M. Gibson has been researching the naval War of 1812 on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River since 1992. Gibson has digitized his primary source material. A past-president of the Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance, Dr. Gibson is the author of several publications including Service Records of U. S. Naval and Marine Corps Officers Stationed on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812, the second edition of which is currently in preparation. Since 2001 Dr. Gibson has presented numerous papers on the results of his research at symposia and meetings in the United States and Canada. Dr. Gibson resides in Sackets Harbor, NY.

The H. Lee White Marine Museum is located at the end of the pier in the Historic Maritime District at the north end of West First Street in Oswego. For more information about this program or other Museum activities, please contact the H. Lee White Marine Museum at 315-342-0480 or info@hleewhitemarinemuseum.com.

October 9, 1:30 pm: Richard Palmer

“George Goble, Oswego Shipbuilder”

Longtime maritime historian, Richard Palmer will offer a power point presentation and discussion on “George Goble, Oswego Shipbuilder” on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 1:30 pm at the H. Lee White Marine Museum.

“Dick has been researching our maritime history for decades, documenting commercial shipping activities, listing ships, shipwrecks and those individuals that sailed them. He has been focusing on Oswego shipbuilders such as the Goble Family for years and we are so pleased to have him present at our fall lecture series.” said Mercedes Niess, Executive Director of the H. Lee White Marine Museum. “People may be unaware but the Goble dry dock still exists today and can be seen at the Oswego Maritime Foundation located at the entrance to the west pier.”

Richard Palmer, well-known local writer of marine history, will relate the history of the Goble Family from the time they emigrated from Bantry Bay, Ireland, in the mid 1840s through the early 1900s.

Retired from the Syracuse Newspapers, Palmer also served as editor of the Eagle Newspapers and the Canal Times, and as a senior editor and reporter of Inland Seas, a quarterly publication of the Great Lakes Historical Society based out of Vermilion, Ohio.

“Palmer’s work has been invaluable documenting our local maritime history and connecting it with the entire Great Lakes shipping history.” noted Dan Ferens, the Museum’s History Lecture Series coordinator.

Palmer is the author of several books including Brigham Young — The New York Years, Old Line Mail — Stagecoach Days in Upstate New York, Ithaca-Auburn Shortline, Rails in the North Woods, Butter & Cheese Express, Gone But Not Forgotten and Shortline Railroads of Central New York.

Palmer has contributed more than 95 articles about regional history and early transportation on lakes, rivers, canals and railroads in New York to the Crooked Lake Review.

The H. Lee White Marine Museum features a display of Goble’s shipbuilding tools, half hulls and more. The Museum and Treasure Chest Gift Shop are open daily from 1-5 pm. The lecture series is free to the public, but donations are always welcome. For more information, please call the museum office at 342-0480 or

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2010 Volunteers of the Months
JANUARY	Jeanette A.	JULY	jane a.
FEBRUARY	Richard S. & RON W.	AUGUST	jane a.
MARCH	bill D.	September	TED P.
APRIL	Oswego & Rochester Sea Scouts	October	BOB F.
MAY	r³ +W and Boy Scout TROOP 888	November	Jeanette A.
JUNE	debra d.	December	Fred R.