Preservation of F.C. Lewis Jr. was completed in December 2002. See photos.

F.C. Lewis Jr. arrived at the Center in West Denton in 1997.  Crane and crew from nearby Black Dog Boat Works were employed to lift Lewis from the Choptank and transport her to the landside exhibit location at the (then future) Joppa Wharf. See more photos of Lewis’s arrival at the Center.

Lewis will become a noteworthy exhibit at the Joppa Wharf Steamboat Wharf at the Center’s West Denton waterfront location. Come aboard to experience living conditions of skipjack crews dredging oysters on the Bay or trading in the off-season on the Choptank and other tidal rivers.  See more photos of the Joppa Wharf skipjack exhibit.

The Center maintains an archive of historic photos of F.C. Lewis during her active career dredging oysters on the Bay. The Center’s exhibits and educational programs also illustrate the less-known role of skipjacks and other sail craft as river traders between farming communities of the Eastern Shore and cities on the Chesapeake.  See more historic photos of F.C. Lewis Jr.

Preservation and restoration of F.C. Lewis Jr. began shortly after her arrival at the Center. Upper Shore students helped with preservation to fulfill Maryland Service Learning requirements. Other skilled volunteers surveyed the vessel and reconstructed her elegant trailboards (name boards.  Professional restoration and preparation for exhibit began in September 2001 as part of the Joppa Wharf project. See more photos of preservation and restoration under way, and preservation completed.