Water Witch Dock Nears Completion

18Feb2011

Construction continues on the dock and surrounding work at the USS Water Witch this week. Today saw the pouring of the concrete surround, which will eventually receive a similar “water” treatment as seen in the CSS Jackson gallery.

Work has been ongoing on the dock structure in front of the ship as well, which will provide both a more shipyard-like feel, and a platform from which to view the ship and hold events.

In our usual style, we’re hoping to have the paint dry, so to speak, by RiverBlast, which is also our 10th Anniversary celebration this year!

Keep an eye on the work on the Water Witch webcam – as seen below as the first concrete truck began pouring.

In other news, some of the Port Columbus crew is traveling this weekend to Olustee, FL to represent the Museum (and the Navies) at the annual Battle of Olustee Reenactment. Part of the display includes a new addition – a replica 7″ Brooke Rifled Cannon, made for and used in the TNT movie “Ironclads,” about the USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. This replica is actually cast from the Museum’s original Brooke Rifle, which is still fired during events.

Museum Chief of Maintenance and Living History Jerry Franklin has extensively restored the replica, and built a lightweight replica carriage, enabling the Museum to have a traveling Brooke Rifle, something not possible with the 16,000 pound original!