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We're almost there! Thanks to a generous award from the State of Maryland and the support of donors throughout the State, the historic shipyard crane that marks the museum's campus will soon have a "make-over." Keep an eye on the crane as its transformation begins this coming fall, with structural repairs and a gleaming coat of paint.
Throughout our campaign for the crane--which we launched in 2016 with an online, crowd-sourced fund drive--I have been impressed and humbled by the community's deep affection for this venerable object.
Perhaps the public's enthusiasm for the crane should come as no surprise, given its proud legacy: Constructed in 1942, our whirley (so-called because it could rotate a full 360 degrees) saw long service at the Bethlehem Steel shipyards, where it helped build Liberty and Victory ships during WWII. The crane kept busy after the war, converting naval vessels to civilian use.
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Crane being transported to the BMI on a barge.
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When our whirley retired from service in the 1980s, it was donated to the museum, where it's stood sentinel ever since. But years of exposure to the elements have taken their toll. To passers-by on Key Highway, our crane now looks like little more than the rusted relic of a bygone industrial era.
That will change very soon. We are grateful to the many individuals, corporations, foundations, and public funders who are helping to make our crane's on-going transformation possible, and we look forward to the day when-fully restored and dramatically lit-the crane takes its place as a symbol of economic progress and a beacon on Baltimore's skyline.
Sincerely,
Anita
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