WHAT:
Presentation of shipbuilder's tool donation to the Museum: two oad axes used by legendary boatbuilder Bronza Parks by his grandson W. Pres Harding, Jr. and the Parks family. Bronza Parks built the skipjack Rosie Parks, currently under restoration at the Museum. Orville Parks, his other, was her captain. The family will have a reunion during the event as well.
WHERE:
St. Michaels, MD - Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's OysterFest event. Gift presentation will take place at the pole shed of the Museum's boatyard (next to the skipjack under restoration, Rosie Parks). Bronza Parks' grandson, Pres Harding, will be playing in the band B Natural from the Tolchester Beach Bandstand throughout the festival, eaking for the tool donation at 12:30pm. Museum address: 213 N. Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD
WHEN:
Saturday, November 5. Tool presentation will take place at 12:30pm. Parks Family Gathering begins at noon. Festival goes on from 10am to 4pm.
WHO:
CBMM is expecting 57 Parks family members (see attached) to attend OysterFest this Saturday, including Bronza's two daughters and Orville's daughter - all in their 80s. Two family members are flying in from as far away as New Mexico and Florida. Many haven't seen each other in more than 40 years and most of the great-great grandchildren have never met. Originally from Dorchester County, many of the Parks family left the area after the 1958 murder of Bronza Parks. All family members will have name tags that describe their relationship to Orville and/or Bronza. See attached list of attendees, as of November 2, 2011.
WHY:
As the "Rosie Parks" project manager and master shipwright Marc Barto says, "this shows CBMM is not just about artifacts and old boats. We're also about the people and stories behind every object in our collection. For "Rosie" we're not just restoring an old boat, we're also reuniting a family."
MORE INFO
Please see attached OysterFest program below for more information about Saturday's Event or visit http://www.cbmm.org/oysterfest/index.htm. Rosie Parks information can be found online at www.cbmm.org/rosieparks.html
