[Great Hall of Rockwall] Save the Viking Ship!

[Kelli Quinn]

Strange as it may seem, an incredible reproduction of the Gokstad ship is a lot closer than you probably think.

Built in 1892, the Raven (aka "Viking") was sailed across the Atlantic, through the Great Lakes to Chicago, as part of Norway's contribution to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Handbuilt, complete with striped sails and a dragon's head and tail, it became one of the toasts of the show.

But the years haven't been kind. The Raven is probably one of the last significant artifacts left from the exposition's famed "White City", but over the last century, it has been shuttled around from place to place. It now rests under a canopy in Good Templar Park in Geneva, IL, which is technically on private land not always accessible to visitors. It has only minimum protection from the elements. It is in bad need of repairs, and its dragon head and tail are in storage in the Chicago Museum of Science and History.

We might be able to change that. American Express is currently running a program called "Partners in Preservation" and is offering to give $1 million to save an historic site and/or object in the Chicago area. Until Oct. 10, people can go on the project's website and vote for what they think should get the money. Currently, the ship is in 3rd place.

Please consider taking a moment to go to the site, register and vote. You can vote once a day until the polling ends, so as they say in Chicago, "Vote early, vote often!"

http://www.partnersinpreservation.com

My household happened to be in Geneva on Saturday and was able to get into the park and look at the Raven. Even in its state of disrepair, it still is a wonderful sight. If nothing else, actually getting a look at the size and scope of it gave me fresh appreciation for the task it was to cross the oceans in the year 1000.

More info on the ship, including pictures of her in her original glory:

http://www.vikingship.us/index.htm
http://www.landmarks.org/ten_10.htm
http://www.nnleague.org/vikingship.htm
http://www.hydeparkhistory.org/herald/VikingShip.pdf

In the dream,
Edda Eiriksdottir


"I imagine I was always writing. Twaddle it was, too. But better far write twaddle or anything, anything, than nothing at all."

Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923)

Down the Rabbit Hole: downrabbit.blogspot.com

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