Page 12 - Leisure Living

Brig Niagara
Continued from page 11
The Put-In-Bay Winery is a co-sponsor for the visit of the Brig Niagara to Put-In-Bay. Enjoying a glass of the winery’s 1812 Supa Eno is Robby Morrow who invites visitors to stop in and enjoy a wine flight or bottle from their impressive selection. The Put-in-Bay Winery also features an expansive view of the harbor.
required to sail a Tall Ship,” says Peter Huston of The Perry Group--Friends of Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial which is helping with the events surrounding the visit. “The Flag- ship Niagara League and the Perry Group have similar missions that neatly entwine around the sail training and living history that the ship embodies.” There will be a reception on Friday, June 19th where the crew and captain of the Niagara will mix with visitors. This is also part of a fundraiser for The Perry Group to raise scholarship money for someone attending the Toledo Maritime Academy. A day sail will oc- cur on Monday, June 22, with tickets available through www.visitputinbay.com.
The US Brig Niagara is one of the last remain- 12 |LeisureLiving June 2015
ing ships from the War of 1812 and was original- ly launched on July 4, 1813. “The Brig Niagara is the most important physical connection we have today to Commodore Perry’s time and the victo- ry he gave America,” Huston said. It was sunk for preservation after the war in 1820. In 1913 it was raised and restoration began to commemorate the centennial. Two years ago it participated in the bi- centennial reenactment of the Battle of Lake Erie where Commodore Perry prevailed against the British and declared “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”
The Maritime Celebration will include many educational booths and the island will host people dressed in 1800s period attire. This is in conjunc- tion with the annual event that the island hosts called Pyrate Fest. The entire island will be filled with activities and experts on the time period and on sailing and maritime lore and activities. It’s all very family friendly as the Perry Group works with the National Park Service to preserve what the locals call “Perry’s Monument” and educate people on the history of the island. Huston says “We (The Perry Group) built Perry’s longboat to be an interpretive tool for educating visitors about the Battle of Lake Erie when they visit the mon- ument, but the Brig Niagara takes that story and brings it to life!” More about their organization can be found at www.theperrygroup.org.
Getting to the island in modern times is much faster and easier. Visitors who would like to see the restored ship can get to Put-in-Bay via Jet Ex- press available from either downtown Sandusky or downtown Port Clinton or the Miller Boat Line from Catawba. Dining after enjoying the Niagara can be had at a wide variety of island locations.
You will have met the island and its history and made it yours if you do; and, you won’t forget the experience!
(See pages 21-24 for Jet Express and Put-in-Bay dining coupons and special offers.)
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