United States Naval and Shipbuilding Museum - July 17, 2026

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back. We're kind of continuing our maritime themed programming. This week was Quincy Bay Race week back on Monday. That's coming up this weekend. But today Margaret laforce is here from the United States Naval and Shipbuilding Museum onboard the USS Salem at the Quincy Shipyard for a kind of a more modern ship. Margaret. [00:00:20] Speaker B: Modern 1949 quote unquote. Right? [00:00:22] Speaker A: Yeah. How are you? [00:00:24] Speaker B: We're great. [00:00:24] Speaker A: Good to see you. Thanks for coming over. [00:00:26] Speaker B: Always a pleasure. I really appreciate everybody's efforts here at qatv. [00:00:29] Speaker A: Yeah, it's funny, we were just talking before the program about the history that we have with the Salem and how it all started. Well, 1994. Right. Is when it first arrived in the city. [00:00:40] Speaker B: Yes, but it was in 1988 or 89 when I was a student at Broadmeadows in Ron Adams classroom. And we were just sharing some memories from that where we started our oral history interviews of shipyard workers and we were at your QATV studio on School street. And you've got quite the archive of history for us. [00:00:58] Speaker A: Yes, indeed. Well, at first the city was hoping to get the USS started, Lexington, an aircraft carrier. Right. But it wouldn't fit through the Four River Bridge. [00:01:06] Speaker B: I think, thank God every day I don't have aircraft size, carrier size problems. And we just have, you know, a heavy cruiser. [00:01:12] Speaker A: Just heavy Cruiser. [00:01:13] Speaker B: Just a 717 foot heavy cruiser, Quincy built. [00:01:17] Speaker A: We should mention, of course it itself is part of the history of the city as well. [00:01:21] Speaker B: Yes. And the US of Salem is part of the Historic Naval Ships association which is an international organization. I actually serve on their board of directors. And the battleship Cove which has the Massachusetts and the Kennedy which are Quincy built. And of course my first love, the USS Lexington down in Texas are also active in that organization. [00:01:43] Speaker A: This has been a big part of your life for a long time too. It has since fifth grade. Really? Right. [00:01:47] Speaker B: Yeah. Seventh grade. Seventh grade. [00:01:49] Speaker A: Okay. So you're committed to it. [00:01:51] Speaker B: Quite a Quincy Public Schools education. I think Ron Adams invented experiential learning with our class. [00:01:57] Speaker A: So why do you love this so much, Margaret? [00:01:59] Speaker B: Oh geez, Joe. Honestly, you know, what started as a student project but was something that I continued into high school. And I was saying how when the ship came in, Mayor Sheets at the time mailed me a plane ticket, took him home from college in Florida and as an adult started volunteering and you know, really it was life after elected office. And I said I'm involved in so many good causes in the city and this community has such heart. Right. Really people just give whether it's through, you know, the housing Community Council, the neighborhood association, through youth sports and the yacht clubs. You talked about Quincy Bay Race Week. Such a fun family activity for me. But, you know, as I contemplated what. What matters with my time in philanthropy, it came back to just the USS Salem kind of being undervalued under resourced. And just thought, I am going to put my efforts there. And I wish someone, you know, I chair the board of directors. It's a very small group of volunteers, but the grit and heart and soul and passion that we all share for preserving our city's proud shipbuilding past. Right. And our military appreciation, and I think that's something Quincy does resoundingly well. It is these cultural organizations that keep our history alive that have a very small group of people putting the time and talents and treasure into it. So we need all the help we can get over there. But we are truly grateful to the city and its community. And so I just feel it is such a part of my life story. But today I'm taking a day off of my day job to volunteer at the ship and to come be here with you. [00:03:33] Speaker A: Vacation. [00:03:34] Speaker B: This is my vacation day. People are like, are you crazy? Well, let's not answer that. [00:03:39] Speaker A: But I mean, really, you have seawater running through your veins. I mean, you're the city's director of coastal Resiliency, right? [00:03:47] Speaker B: Correct. [00:03:47] Speaker A: As well. You're Hausneck native. So the ocean's been a big part of your life. [00:03:52] Speaker B: Yep. And you know, that's truly part of what started this. Right. So I live in the house Neck waterfront with a dock in my backyard. And as a child I would see the ships leaving the shipyard coming by my home. And you know, I had that my joke. I had my boat license for my car license and really grew up with the Boston harbor islands as part of my backyard. And you know, then as a counselor had a lot of coastal issues. Right. The FEMA flood map revisions that really were substantially updated and a significant amount of efforts and really, you know, dove deep into that to help my constituents. My own house is while I'm directly the waterfront is not in the flood zone. Right. Because it's at a higher elevation. But yeah, you know, coastal matters, maritime matters, military matters are, you know, of personal concern. My dad served in the Air Force. I have a long family history of military service in the Navy especially, and also army during World War II. So just something I personally feel I give my time and talents to. [00:04:45] Speaker A: It's a great story, your personal story, but the sailing is a great story. [00:04:49] Speaker B: And that's what we're here for today. [00:04:51] Speaker A: Let's show some pictures. Right? [00:04:52] Speaker B: Let's do it. [00:04:53] Speaker A: Yeah. Speaking of the sailor, let's show her off in her full glory. [00:04:56] Speaker B: Yes. So this was something I'm super excited about. This is called dressing ship. So people are seeing this, you know, with the tall ships in Sailboston this past week, you've seen the signal flag. So dressing ship happens on dates authorized by the United States Navy. And so Flag Day, fourth of July, the ship's birthday, you know, are typically holiday celebrations or special occasions would be when you'd go through the dressing ship. And this we were able to acquire the signal flags and the cable line to hoist them up with funding from the community Preservation Grant. And we put this in a few years ago to be ready for Quincy 400. And so Flag Day, Quincy 400, was not Mother Nature's cooperation. You really need a perfect 10. It's a lot of work. And we do it, of course, with volunteers and small group compared to the 1600 sailors aboard. But we got it done. And she sure looks beautiful. [00:05:50] Speaker A: I mean, look at that. Really showing off her true colors. And to this day, thankfully this year, Flag Day was gorgeous. [00:05:55] Speaker B: It was gorgeous. So we got to dress ship again. And then myself and Jerry Ionelli, who's our volunteer coordinator, Quincy resident, you know, is just such a great go to for us for all of our preservation and projects. And we were part of the grand marshals of the Flag Day parade with the history keepers that the mayor recognized. So truly an honor. [00:06:14] Speaker A: Nice, nice, nice. Speaking of restorations, we have some photos to show folks of before and after restoration projects that are going on. [00:06:20] Speaker B: Right? [00:06:21] Speaker A: Yeah, there's a lot going on. I know, and it's funny, you know. Oh, we'll talk about this in just a second. I just want to mention 10,000 hours per year, your volunteers, volunteer labor. [00:06:32] Speaker B: It's a value of over $350,000. [00:06:34] Speaker A: It's incredible. [00:06:35] Speaker B: And honestly, we're probably light in our calculations. [00:06:38] Speaker A: More than likely, folks just give more time than you, than you know about, I'm sure. [00:06:42] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:06:42] Speaker A: What are we looking at here, Margaret? [00:06:43] Speaker B: Yeah, so this is Jerry and I on the Hancock Adams Common. This was when Quincy celebrated America 250. All of the historic attractions were invited to have a table to engage with the public and share with them and, you know, encourage visitation. So, you know, really what we're seeing the city of Quincy step up and do in being able to draw support and raise awareness. You know, we're a small organization we don't have a marketing budget. We're 100% volunteer run. And, you know, so this was really nice opportunity for community engagement, good exposure. [00:07:13] Speaker A: Right. Let folks know. [00:07:14] Speaker B: Yeah, right. And it wasn't just Quincy residents. We were talking to people from Wisconsin, people that lived in the city of Boston. You know, people really came. They look for things to do when they're visiting the area. [00:07:23] Speaker A: Sure. Not only that, but new people are coming to the city all the time that wouldn't know. [00:07:27] Speaker B: We try to track our visitation. Right. So we typically each year get visitors from all 50 states. We get many of it international visitors. And this year, we started last year with the Quincy Heritage Day. So let's track how Many of the 351 municipalities in Massachusetts are we getting visitors from. So we're trying to figure that out this year. [00:07:44] Speaker A: Okay, you're doing that. So you're doing that again this year? [00:07:45] Speaker B: Yeah, we have our interns kind of capturing data. So. [00:07:47] Speaker A: Okay. [00:07:49] Speaker B: Was that September, October this year it's going to be, I think it's the last Saturday in September. [00:07:53] Speaker A: September. Okay. [00:07:54] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't know if they've officially announced the date, but that's when it was last year. [00:07:57] Speaker A: Yeah. So every historic site in the city is open and there's connecting transportation too, for folks to use. [00:08:03] Speaker B: The US of Salem was the top visited attraction. We had 600 visitors. [00:08:07] Speaker A: Awesome. [00:08:08] Speaker B: It was great. [00:08:08] Speaker A: Oh, that's great. Excellent. Next photo here to show folks. I think it's a restoration project that you're working on. [00:08:13] Speaker B: Yes. So this, when you come into the parking lot and you look up, this draws your eye. And this is the main battery director. And you can see it's pretty rusty and it's just so not reflective. If you go below deck, you could close your eyes and think it's 1949. We're in very good shape. But, you know, everybody paints in the Navy and we have a small crew of preservation. This is a real big ticket item for us. [00:08:36] Speaker A: Looks like it. [00:08:36] Speaker B: And this is some representatives from Local 7, the ironworkers union. They donated their labor, their engineering, their scaffolding equipment. They set it up. This is set up on the bow side. They're going to have to put it around to the stern side. And then also our. Our crane, the aircraft hangar crane is going to get the scaffolding. So big ticket items, big projects, high impact, high visibility. And of course, let's, you know, get that rust down. [00:09:01] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. It's, you know, structurally it's fine. It's just rusty, Right? [00:09:05] Speaker B: Correct. Yeah. So it's really cosmetic and, you know, we're in really great shape. You know, you think about the, you know, war history of the Lexington and whereas Salem is more of a lady of diplomacy and never fired her. [00:09:17] Speaker A: Good. [00:09:17] Speaker B: But she's in better shape. Right. So you talk about hull integrity and thing that you have concerns for these museum ships. You know, Salem's approaching 80 years old. [00:09:24] Speaker A: Wow. [00:09:25] Speaker B: Yeah, you have to think about that. But, you know, what people see and what the perception is. Right. You can see that rust coming over the former bridge. And here's some of the. This was actually a training exercise. You see in the back, Sean Adams, he runs the training apprenticeship program and some of his apprentices that were there over a series of days getting this project up for us. [00:09:42] Speaker A: So it's. I mean, you're an educational program as well as a museum. [00:09:47] Speaker B: Well, that's it. Right. So a lot of these apprentices would need to train high locations on bridges, and so they're able to. They actually, on the dress ship, they tighten the cable for us and have been able to rig things to get. When we bought an air compressor to get it on board. You know, so really grateful to our local unions for the donated labor when they can. And, you know, community partnerships are so invaluable. And really, you know, we don't leave everything on the table and. [00:10:12] Speaker A: Yeah. So folks should reach out, right? [00:10:13] Speaker B: Yeah. If you have something to offer, I mean. Yes. And, you know, too, it goes the other way. [00:10:17] Speaker A: Right. [00:10:18] Speaker B: When it's, hey, we want to do something, I'm happy to work you to. Yes. And if you see us as a resource, by all means, maybe a neat [00:10:25] Speaker A: venue for some event, you know. [00:10:26] Speaker B: Yeah, we, you know, we try. We hosted last year some outdoor movies on the fantail. We partnered with Coolidge Corner Theatre. I think we're going to do that again September and October. Yeah. I'll let you know when we have some dates on that. [00:10:37] Speaker A: Yeah, please do, because we can let folks know about that for sure. Absolutely. I think we have a couple more to show folks. [00:10:41] Speaker B: Sure. [00:10:42] Speaker A: Some before and after photos. [00:10:43] Speaker B: Yep. So this is the. This is actually a volunteer project. And both of these and the one before, I should mention thank you to Mayor Koch, to the city council, to the Community Preservation Committee. All of this preservation work you're doing is supported by the Community Preservation Fund. So this is a volunteer project. And as is the next one. This is one of the mounts on the main deck. [00:11:02] Speaker A: Okay. [00:11:02] Speaker B: And the next one, this is up in the 04 and 05 level, inside the Superstructure. So you see some before and after pictures. [00:11:08] Speaker A: Yes. Dramatic difference, actually. It is. It really brings it right back to life. [00:11:11] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't know that the photos even [00:11:13] Speaker A: do it justice, but I think you're right. [00:11:14] Speaker B: The amount of man hours that are, you know, getting down, they have to needle gun and bring the paint down to then re. Yeah. Resurface it. [00:11:21] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean, just, you know, you think, oh, just a little paint and you're done. Right. This probably took a week at least. [00:11:26] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:11:27] Speaker A: I'm bad. [00:11:27] Speaker B: Many hours. Yep, sure. [00:11:29] Speaker A: So good for them for doing that. [00:11:30] Speaker B: And all kinds of other ones are underway. This is our museum, the ham radio for any ham radio enthusiasts. [00:11:35] Speaker A: Yes. [00:11:35] Speaker B: We operated the radio room as part of all of the museum ships that participate. And I think you have. I think I sent you the stats. How many people they connected with. [00:11:45] Speaker A: Yes. So let's see, you made 332 contacts. 17 ships, 19 countries and 39 states, really. [00:11:55] Speaker B: So quite a reach. Just the 24 hour period. They operate the radio room so that people can have radio contacts. And we mail them like it's called a QSL card. And people have their own kind of unique identifying card. So they send us a self dress envelope and we mail them back. Kind of like a certificate saying you officially were on the radio. [00:12:14] Speaker A: Oh. It's a point of pride, actually, for these enthusiasts, you know, to get those QSL cards and try and get as many as possible and from as far away as possible. [00:12:22] Speaker B: These unique locations. Yeah. So it was great. So that was the Prednagast family and they volunteer and run that event for us every year. [00:12:28] Speaker A: Nice, nice. Now, so is the actual radio on the ship functioning? [00:12:31] Speaker B: They're using modern equipment. Yeah. But they're in the space. [00:12:35] Speaker A: Okay. All right. [00:12:36] Speaker B: So whether they could operationalize. I'd have to ask them on that. [00:12:39] Speaker A: Right, right, right. [00:12:39] Speaker B: I know they use the modern technology. Something about the bands and how you connect and what they're able to track it on. [00:12:45] Speaker A: Yeah. But fun and educational as well. And also get your word out there. Right. That you. [00:12:51] Speaker B: Right. I mean, you think about how much you reach. We have a really strong social media presence with who we're able to connect with. And it's really interesting and unique to say how people interact and what matters to them. And you know, I know for a relative of mine served In World War II, ham radio is, you know, a passion. [00:13:07] Speaker A: Yes. [00:13:07] Speaker B: So it's nice to see that hobby continue. [00:13:09] Speaker A: Yeah. And you know, don't forget that, I mean, really, Salem was due to be scrapped it was on the list. Right. To be scrapped. So we would not have this resource had it not been for this effort. [00:13:21] Speaker B: And I do, I think it's important because as you're saying, so many new people moving to Quincy, we have such a proud shipbuilding pass, especially at the height of World War II. And you know, that story needs to be told and preserved and celebrated. [00:13:34] Speaker A: Well, it goes back before that. It goes back to the early 1900s. Correct? [00:13:37] Speaker B: Right, yes, correct. Yes. [00:13:40] Speaker A: And Hausnack as well. [00:13:41] Speaker B: Right. In the old Thomas Watson. Right. That's exactly right. Founder of the ship. Yeah. So century of shipbuilding anyways, at least. [00:13:50] Speaker A: Yeah. For folks who we should. I guess for folks who don't know. Then how do you get to the museum, Margaret? [00:13:56] Speaker B: Right. So I should remind people because forever you could access us off the rotary at the base of the Fauvar Bridge. However, a few years ago we did move inside the shipyard. So if you're on south street across from Pete's Bar and Grill, that's the entrance that you'll use to get into us. And we're right around the back. Right. Follow around the back. 549 South Street Pier number three. And we welcome visitors. We're open for the summer Friday, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 to 4. And then in September we'll go to just Saturdays and Sundays through November. So we are open seasonally and admission is varies from 5 to $20. I know we have a slide up incoming here. Don't have a slide, but we can tell folks, okay. The Mass Cultural Council offers a card to culture program. So if anybody has a mass health card, healthcare connector card, an EBT card or a WIC card, they're able to get $5 admission to the museum. And otherwise it's $15 for veterans, military and students, and $20 for adults. [00:14:55] Speaker A: Okay, very good. We have time enough to talk about the Waveforms exhibit as well. [00:15:00] Speaker B: Yes, that's a really unique exhibit. We have a volunteer who's a graduate, who is a Berkeley graduate and who's now in graduate school and they're doing something with sound waves to then, you know, kind of in a laser and visualize the ship so that. And they mimic various sounds that the ship would have had when she's in service. So it's pretty cool. And that's running weekends through the end of July. So Peter Hahn is our volunteer and you know, he had done a few projects on board. So you really, when I said to you, hey, you want to do something on board? How can we get you to. Yes, we really try. And make connections for people of how they want to connect with the ship. We do that. We have a lot of eagle scale projects that have happened through the years. We just had one wrap up making some display cases. We have paranormal tours which is, you know, also, you know, different. Different group that is making their connections. And those are very popular. [00:15:57] Speaker A: Yes, I'm sure. Yes. That's been going on for a while too actually. [00:15:59] Speaker B: It has. So Don decristofaro manages those for us. [00:16:03] Speaker A: Okay. He produces a program here. [00:16:04] Speaker B: He does, yeah. And he speaks on it at other libraries. [00:16:09] Speaker A: And the Sea Witch is her seaweed game, right? Yes, the website. Best way to get a hold of you Margaret and get more information. Sure. [00:16:17] Speaker B: It's uss-salem.org we're also on Facebook and Instagram and we welcome volunteers. Like I said, We're 100% volunteer run. So if you have a. If, if you're listening at home or you know someone who's especially the retired trade skills. We have a really great familial group of doing everything from painting and projects to you know, running our H VAC system or marketing and visitor experience and giving guides. And so we are participating in the Quincy Ambassadors program. We have partnered with the Quincy Public Schools for the youth works program through mass Hire. Bob Damon has the history and heritage docent program. So we are have a lot of people on board supporting us. But it increases in the summer. But we could use a lot of help. So you don't have to be retired. I'm not retired. I'm busy. I still make time. So anybody interested? We'd love to have you. We love hearing stories almost every weekend we have somebody who I worked at the shipyard, my relative worked at the shipyard. Some crew member of the Salem of their family and those are the stories. And you know, to your point of my why and why do I keep going? That's what drives me. [00:17:25] Speaker A: Yeah. Great to catch up. Thank you so much, Margaret. [00:17:27] Speaker B: Thank you Joe. [00:17:28] Speaker A: Come by anytime. [00:17:28] Speaker B: You will do.