[Regia-NA] Viking/Raven Update
Folo Watkins
folo at advancenet.net
Thu Nov 15 10:50:11 EST 2007
Ah, the wonders of the internet. Most of the
details come from Jørn Løset of Norway. I find it
amusing that I had to talk to someone from Norway
to get the skinny on something in Chicago...
Good Templar Park asked for $52,000 for
preservation of the ship, and Partners in
Preservation granted them that amount. Full
details at
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/649347,2_1_AU14_HISTORIC_S1.article
This is enough for Level 1 preservation
("Preservation as it is now, but stop it from
further rotting, nails from rusting etc."). Level
2 was to restore "the ship to museum state, but
not seaworthy. Display it with full original
equipment.make it museum worthy." Level 3 was to
restore "the ship back to full seaworthyness,
with full gear, rig, sail, oars etc. Involves
changing broken ribs and strakes, new rig etc."
Jørn notes that Captain Anderson published an
account of the voyage, etc., in a book published
in Norway in 1895. It is called _Vikingefærden_
and is in Norwegian' he doesn't know of any
reprints or translations. he saw a copy in a
Norwegian library and said it had many photographs.
The book has information on the journey to New
Orleans. "The Viking left Chicago around Nov.1st
and sailed to St. Louis. Date of arrival unknown.
3 weeks later, ca Nov. 21, they left St. Louis
and started the Mississippi stage. They arrived
New Orleans "2 days before Christmas", Dec. 22.
1893. After that, the ship was "transported" back
to Chicago. Maybe towed back by another ship, but
this is not mentioned. The end of story wasn't
without a bitter taste for capt. Anderson. The
ship was promised fundings from the norwegian
goverment, ut they did not receive enough to
cover the debt. Andersons plan was either to
donate the ship to the city of Washington, or to
sail it back to Norway. But in Chicago a group
of people raised funds to buy the ship to hand it
over to "The Field Columbian Museum" for further
exhibition, so it returned to Chicago."
Jørn 's page is
http://home.online.no/~joeolavl/viking/viking-kopi-gokstadskipet.htm
It starts out in Norwegian, then has an English
translation. It has several nice photos, including a stereo-opticon view!
Cheers, Folo
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