An overhead view of the planned memorial shows the site is expandable, with room for multiple steel walls for the placement of plaques. Greenery and a seaside view will give the site a pleasant atmosphere.
A watercolor rendering of the memorial pavilion, as envisioned by artist Brenda Schwartz-Yeager.
A steering committee for a proposed memorial is seeking out public support for the project.
A memorial dedicated to Wrangell's lost mariners has been a longstanding ambition for a number of residents. The current project took off over a decade ago, after a group of high school seniors worked on identifying a location and a design for a memorial. Their effort was prompted by the death of Ryan Miller, a local fisherman whose vessel capsized while in Clarence Strait back in 2005.
Wrangell's Port Commission became engaged in the project in 2009, and over the years and with considerable public input determined a spot at Heritage Harbor would be best and drafted a design. A final architectural plan was submitted by Corvus Design in 2015.
Commissioners decided to form an independent steering committee earlier this year to raise funds for the project and oversee its construction. This committee became the basis for Wrangell Mariners' Memorial Inc., which recently acquired tax-exempt status as a registered public charity.
"There's five of us on the board right now," explained Brennan Eagle, who during his time on the Port Commission had been an active advocate for the memorial project. Other members include Jenn Miller, Ryan Miller's widow and the committee president; Gig Decker, a fisherman; John Yeager, an outdoor outfitter; and John Martin, a fisherman and member of the Port Commission.
The memorial's design would be based around a stone plaza, sited near the wooded area by the launch ramp at Heritage Harbor. Other sites had been considered, including beside the Nolan Center and ferry terminal, or on the lawn opposite the post office.
"It may not be a perfect place, but it met the criteria best," Eagle began. "You can come here and look out there, and you're connected to the water. You don't have something else in front of you."
"It's really a beautiful spot," commented Decker.
A pavilion evoking a lighthouse would be another feature, and a steel memorial wall would be a place to fix plaques. The wall itself curves similarly to a ship's prow, further suggesting the sea. Brass plaques along its surface will recognize and honor the memory of local mariners who have lost their lives at sea, or who have contributed to the community's local seafaring history and maritime industry.
"The actual parameters for inclusion have not been decided yet," Eagle explained. "The nuts and bolts of that question we've not addressed yet."
"The core focus is those who have been affected or lost at sea," Decker added.
He said a major aspect to the memorial will be local history, and he wanted to see compilation of different stories to be a facet of the project. "Part of what we want to do is create a vehicle for an ongoing education," he explained. "We are going to try to collect all the stories we can and catalogue them."
"We've had some initial conversations with the school already about involving some kids in some of the technology aspects of the digitizing, and saving things in a digital format. Whether it's pictures, whether it's audio stories, and the school's been receptive to that," said Eagle. They envision making that available online, and though it hasn't been decided as of yet, the compilation may be featured in an interactive display on-site.
The site will also be a place to enjoy, with benches and a view of the sea.
"It's two things. It helps record and remember the history. We have a rich maritime history in this town. And it's something that contributes to quality of life in this town, having something like that," Eagle explained.
"One of the things that comes to my mind is giving a sense of where we're at," said Decker. He felt the memorial and what it represents could be important to local youth, giving them that sense of place. "One of our goals is trying to develop the awareness of our maritime culture."
The engineers' estimate for the memorial was $332,000, including contingencies. To raise that, the committee will approach various industries, individuals and other potentially interested organizations. It will also seek out grant funding, though before it can do any of that Eagle explained a demonstration of support from community members would be helpful. Individual memberships of $50 apiece is one route to that.
"We set a goal for membership of 200," he said. "We'd like to meet that goal by the 1st of November."
"As more people get involved, too, we'll get more input," Decker added.
Through the memberships and by collecting stories and documentation, the project will continue to be shaped by community members.
Designs for the project and
opportunities to contribute
are available online at the memorial website, http://www.wrangellmarinersmemorial.com.
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