The Kennebec Historical Society’s July public presentation, “Women at Sea: Maine’s Wives and Daughters Who Went to Sea,” will take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Hope Baptist Church at 726 Western Ave., in Manchester. Cipperly Good, collections manager and curator at Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, will deliver the presentation.

This visual slideshow will explore the “herstories” of Penobscot Bay women and daughters who went to sea in the 19th and early 20th century.

Despite the old sailors’ superstition that women at sea were unlucky, the women accompanied their fathers and husbands on cargo voyages around the world. Some were literally born into the profession and others joined their love ones with initial trepidation.

Using letters, manuscripts and newspaper articles from the Penobscot Marine Museum archives and objects from the collection, those who attend will learn about their experiences at sea.

Good spent her early museum career just upriver at the L.C. Bates Museum and returned to Maine full time in 2010 to take her current job at the museum. She holds a Masters of Arts in museum studies from The George Washington University and is a graduate of Colby College. She regularly presents to senior colleges, public libraries, historical societies, and other historical groups.

The society’s July presentation is free to the public; donations appreciated. For more information, call 622-7718.


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