Clearwater turns 50
BEACON – This is the 50th anniversary of the keel laying ceremony of the Hudson River sloop Clearwater.
It was on October 18, 1968 that the construction began on the “backbone” around which the hull is built.
Current chairwoman of the Clearwater board, Betsy Garthwaite, noted the replica vessel was the brainchild of Pete Seeger, the late folk singer who lived in Beacon.
“The genius of Pete Seeger is that he married two concepts that no one had ever thought to do before and that was build a replica of an historic cargo carrying vessel, a tall ship, and marry that with an environmental message,” Garthwaite said.
The sloop was christened and launched on May 17, 1969 from the Harvey Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol, Maine.
Since then, the Clearwater has traveled countless miles up and down the Hudson River with its environmental and educational platform that would lead to the restoration and protection of the river.
