Page 7 - Demo

ics of the canal and of The War Between the States, in Lynchburg.”
If he thought the remnants were piti- ful in 1936, he would be appalled by what was left by 2006. In that seventy- year span, time and the elements took their toll on the remains of the Mar- shall’s hull. An attempt to reconstruct the packet in the 1960s failed for lack of funds and interest. The Lynchburg Historical Transportation Committee developed a plan in 1970 to construct
a replica of the packet boat and the Jay- cees undertook the fundraising for it. The cost was put at $35,000, with the city agreeing to contribute $10,000. But nothing ever happened.
Then, just a few years ago, a new plan was presented to City Council by
a packet boat restoration committee that grew out of a partnership between the city’s Parks and Recreation Depart- ment and the Lynchburg Historical Foundation. The council agreed to put up $40,000 toward the $100,000 cost of cleaning the remnants of the hull with a process similar to the one used
to restore the Statue of Liberty. Next, the plan called for the construction of
a 104-foot-long shed to protect the treated hull from further degradation by the weather.
I am pleased to report that the lat-
est plan to preserve what remains of
the packet boat Marshall has succeeded where others had failed. A number of in-kind gifts were made to the project, including a soda wash and treatment of the remains by Randy Parr of Lynch- burg Restoration. C.L. Lewis was hired to build a protective building at the Riv- erside Park site to cover the remains.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans pitched in and enlisted help from other chapters around the country in an ef-
fort to raise money for the cause. Other contributors included Arm and Ham- mer Company, Pearson Equipment Co., Bailey Spencer Hardware, Master Engineers, Melinda’s, Dixie Outfitters, Wilson Septic Systems, James T. Davis, Lynchburg Save Outdoor Sculpture!, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Civil War Roundtable, historical artist Mort Künstler, and many Lynchburg citizens.
A ribbon cutting took place on Sep- tember 16, 2006, unveiling the finished quarters for the packet boat. September 16, incidentally, is the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam in which Jackson’s troops, fresh from victory at Harper’s Ferry, reinforced those of Robert E.
Lee, who had advanced to Antietam Creek, Md. In what has been called the bloodiest battle of the war, Union Gen. George McClellan stopped Lee (and Jackson) but it was a Union victory only in that Lee’s advance was stopped.
The most critical part of the preservation effort is pictured in progress. David Ponton, Bud Robertson, and Mort Künstler are shown at near left.
Melinda’s
Distinctive Custom Framing Antique Prints — Paintings
1019 Church Street Lynchburg, Virginia 24504 434-528-1329
Monday—Friday 9 until 5 pm Saturday 10 until 2 pm
Off-street parking available on the right, immediately past my building
Back Like It Was
Randy Parr
Brick Restoration
317 Cleveland Avenue P.O. Box 1175 Lynchburg, VA 24505
434-846-7858
LynchburgRestoration.com
LYNCHBURG RESTORATION
SPRING/SUMMER 2007 