Yesterday, we were blessed to be the focus of a fundraising event to benefit Watermen’s Museum operations. Bill, David, and Phil Bowditch and their wives Marion, Rene, and Lee held an afternoon fundraising event at the Hornsby House, the brothers’ former family home which is now a beautiful Bed and Breakfast and special events location overlooking the majestic York River in Yorktown VA. Originally scheduled to be an outdoor function under the newly completed Pavilion and Reception Area behind the main house, we moved the event indoors because of the high temperatures on Sunday. At the reception, David provided the guests and the board members of the Watermen’s Museum with a short history of the Hornsby House and the founding of the Watermen’s Museum by his mother, Marion Hornsby Bowditch. Steve Ormsby, Museum President, talked about the Museum and it programs, recent awards the Museum had received as the Best Small Museum and Gold-level Winner for Summer Camp, and an overview of exhibits and programs, as well as talking about the needs of the Museum and the road ahead. Next, John Broadwater spoke about his nearly 40-year association with the Museum and memories of working with Mrs Bowditch. He also discussed the Yorktown Shipwrecks, including his underwater archaeological efforts on these wrecks, the Titanic, and the Monitor. He closed with an overview of the nomination package to have the Yorktown Shipwrecks site declared a National Maritime Heritage Sanctuary. Carol Tryer, Museum board member and also a renown archaeologist, spoke about the history of the area and the land-based archaeological studies that have occurred in the Yorktown and surrounding area. Music was provided by the Museum’s longtime supporter and member Lou Vangieri and his wife Lauren, from the LCV Project. The event was a great success raising funds to support Museum programs. And, David Bowditch informed the attendees that this event is the beginning of a series of future fundraising events Hornsby House will host to support the Watermen’s Museum well into the future.
Hornsby House Inn
Watermen’s Museum – Approved for Use by Alexander Photography
