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  Rosemary Sinnett Nesbitt founded the H. Lee White Marine Museum in 1982. Holder of B.S. and M.A. degrees from Syracuse University, she was for many years Distinguished Teaching Professor of Theatre at the State University of New York at Oswego. In addition to her award-winning accomplishments in children's theatre and public service, Mrs. Nesbitt Was an avid student of history and served as City of Oswego Historian.

Harris Lee White was born in Oswego and remembered it fondly as he moved through a career rich in accomplishment. Graduated from both Hamilton College and Cornell University, he attained the rank of commander in the U.S. Navy and became a successful attorney in New York City. In 1953-54 he served as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force in the Eisenhower administration, and later became head of two worldwide shipping companies.  

The H. Lee White Marine Museum is housed in the former administration building for a huge, then state-of the-art 1920's grain elevator complex on the Oswego Harbor's west side pier. The grain elevator itself was demolished in 1998, but the two-story steel frame, smooth stucco-finished administration building was retained by the Port of Oswego Authority and generously provided to the Museum.

During its decades as an administration building for the grain elevator, the structure housed a machine shop, stock room, heating plant, main switchboard and superintendent's office on the first floor. The second floor comprised "welfare rooms" for the workmen and other offices.

The administration building today is a fully-functioning museum of maritime history, with exhibit spaces, storage rooms, offices and online connections to the outside world. Traces of its original uses can still be seen by visitors on the main floor, where a few of the ceiling-mounted, belt-driven pulleys of the old machine shop have been left in place.

 

 

The "Oswego Glory," left, one of many ships owned by H. Lee White's company. Above, the tanker "H. Lee White," named for the founder of the American Steamship Line.

 

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