EVENTS
2026
52nd Annual Luncheon Meeting & Program
Saturday, June 13, 2026
noon to 3 p.m.
at the James Arnold Mansion a/k/a Wamsutta Club
427 County Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Program: "Buzzards Bay Hypothesis"
presented by Michael P. Dyer
Curator of Maritime History at Mystic Seaport Museum
* * *
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED*
Luncheon menu choices: baked scrod, baked stuffed chicken breast, Caesar salad with grilled chicken
*to reserve mail check ($46/person) payable to "DWM" with menu choice(s) to:
William H. Potter, Jr., DWM Treasurer
194 Main Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719
Guests welcome ~ questions? call 508-472-6133
Michael P. Dyer is an independent scholar specializing in American maritime and world whaling history. He served as Curator of Maritime History at Mystic Seaport Museum, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and the Kendall Whaling Museum. His particular interests surround illustration, including manuscripts, logbooks and journals, and scrimshaw. In the course of his work he developed an interest in cartography including its relevance to the history of navigation, voyages of exploration and discovery and many other facets of its relevance to world history, especially maritime history.
His presentation "The Navigation History of Buzzards Bay with a Few Particulars about how it got its Name," examines the chronology of known charts of the region, the various peculiarities about place names and sailing directions, and the evolution of the naming of the bay which coincided with a number of very important social issues of the day particularly religion. The adoption of the pejorative name "Buzzards Bay" has more to do with religious intolerance directed toward the Quaker population of the region by Puritans and staunch supporters of the Church of England than it does with anything else. As charting of the coast of New England became a strategic priority of the Royal Navy during the American Revolution, the great set of charts, The Atlantic Neptune solidified the name, and established the finest navigation chart of the bay, one that would be copied by generations of American cartographers.
2025
51st Annual Luncheon Meeting & Program
June 21, 2025
Program: "Sailing Towards my Father"
A one-man play about Herman Melville, written by Carl Rossi and performed by Stephen Collins. The play chronicles Melville’s life from youth to old age, concentrating on his evolution as a writer and his complex relations with God, his parents and siblings, his wife and children, and Nathanial Hawthorne.
2024
50th Anniversary Celebration - September 12 - 15
Visit the Slide Show
52nd Annual Luncheon Meeting & Program
Saturday, June 13, 2026
noon to 3 p.m.
at the James Arnold Mansion a/k/a Wamsutta Club
427 County Street, New Bedford, MA 02740
Program: "Buzzards Bay Hypothesis"
presented by Michael P. Dyer
Curator of Maritime History at Mystic Seaport Museum
* * *
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED*
Luncheon menu choices: baked scrod, baked stuffed chicken breast, Caesar salad with grilled chicken
*to reserve mail check ($46/person) payable to "DWM" with menu choice(s) to:
William H. Potter, Jr., DWM Treasurer
194 Main Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719
Guests welcome ~ questions? call 508-472-6133
Michael P. Dyer is an independent scholar specializing in American maritime and world whaling history. He served as Curator of Maritime History at Mystic Seaport Museum, the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and the Kendall Whaling Museum. His particular interests surround illustration, including manuscripts, logbooks and journals, and scrimshaw. In the course of his work he developed an interest in cartography including its relevance to the history of navigation, voyages of exploration and discovery and many other facets of its relevance to world history, especially maritime history.
His presentation "The Navigation History of Buzzards Bay with a Few Particulars about how it got its Name," examines the chronology of known charts of the region, the various peculiarities about place names and sailing directions, and the evolution of the naming of the bay which coincided with a number of very important social issues of the day particularly religion. The adoption of the pejorative name "Buzzards Bay" has more to do with religious intolerance directed toward the Quaker population of the region by Puritans and staunch supporters of the Church of England than it does with anything else. As charting of the coast of New England became a strategic priority of the Royal Navy during the American Revolution, the great set of charts, The Atlantic Neptune solidified the name, and established the finest navigation chart of the bay, one that would be copied by generations of American cartographers.
2025
51st Annual Luncheon Meeting & Program
June 21, 2025
Program: "Sailing Towards my Father"
A one-man play about Herman Melville, written by Carl Rossi and performed by Stephen Collins. The play chronicles Melville’s life from youth to old age, concentrating on his evolution as a writer and his complex relations with God, his parents and siblings, his wife and children, and Nathanial Hawthorne.
2024
50th Anniversary Celebration - September 12 - 15
Visit the Slide Show
2023
DWM 49th Annual Meeting
July 22, 2023
Guest Speaker: Umass Professor Timothy D. Walker
"Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad"
VISIT THE ANNUAL MEETING PICTURE GALLERY - photos by Dan Rodrigues
July 22, 2023
Guest Speaker: Umass Professor Timothy D. Walker
"Sailing to Freedom: Maritime Dimensions of the Underground Railroad"
VISIT THE ANNUAL MEETING PICTURE GALLERY - photos by Dan Rodrigues
Hudson New York Outing
September 13 - 15, 2023
Visit the Outing Gallery for Photos
We were royally welcomed to Hudson with visits to the Robert Jenkins House, the Plumb-Bronson House, and Olana, home of artist Frederic Church. Special thanks go out to DWM Vice President Rich Taber and to Virginia Martin of the Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, who assisted Rich in coordinating and planning our schedule of events. The most interesting "Whaling in Hudson" Library Program presented by Carl Whitbeck can be viewed in its entirety on Youtube.
September 13 - 15, 2023
Visit the Outing Gallery for Photos
We were royally welcomed to Hudson with visits to the Robert Jenkins House, the Plumb-Bronson House, and Olana, home of artist Frederic Church. Special thanks go out to DWM Vice President Rich Taber and to Virginia Martin of the Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, who assisted Rich in coordinating and planning our schedule of events. The most interesting "Whaling in Hudson" Library Program presented by Carl Whitbeck can be viewed in its entirety on Youtube.