“The Replica Ship Half Moon:
Science, Commerce and Culture in 17th Century Exploration”
Presenter: William T. (Chip) Reynolds
Director, New Netherland Museum
Captain, Replica Ship Half Moon
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Photo credit: New Netherland Museum/JW Mangrum
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Captain Reynolds is an authority
on historical navigation and world exploration under sail. He combines practical experience using 17th
century navigational tools with historical knowledge of their use and function
aboard ship. He is a
proponent of the view that 17th century exploration and commerce advanced the
transition from a religious based world view to our modern scientific or
empirical world view. He applies this approach to education under sail and in
the classroom, where students measure and document the world around them and
discover their ability to find patterns and predictability from this data.
Reynolds is an engaging public
speaker and has lectured at venues as varied as the Library of Congress, the
New York Court of Appeals, academic institutions, and educational
conferences. He has developed educational
curricula using practices aboard ship to deliver scientific concepts to
elementary through high school students and has written both for popular and
academic publications.
In 2009, Queen Beatrix of The
Netherlands designated Reynolds as a Dutch Knight (Order of Orange), and in
2001 he was selected as a Gold Medalist of the Holland Society for his work
with the Half Moon, a full-scale operating replica of the Dutch ship that Henry
Hudson sailed in 1609. This voyage led
to the founding of New Netherland, the Dutch colony that encompassed parts of
modern day New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Reynolds has been featured in
national television broadcasts with Bill Moyers and on the History Channel, Discovery
Channel, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and other national and regional media, and
he has advised producers of feature films in the United States and abroad
regarding historical sailing practices.
Reynolds is an Environmental
Science graduate of New College of Florida, where he was a Noyes Environmental
Fellow and published work on the biogeography of barrier islands in Southwest
Florida. He was a member of the State
Planning Council for Radioactive Waste Management under President Jimmy Carter
and served as Co-Chairman of the Transportation Working Group. He resides in Selkirk, New York.
Friday, February 14
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm
Folsom Library Fischbach Room
Free!
Everyone is welcome!
Bring your lunch or purchase one at the Library Cafe.
Dessert will be provided.
Adrienne Birchler
Coordinator
Friends of the Folsom Library
