Steamboat Era Museum honors campaign donors, hosts special guests

Irvington Mayor Rannie Ransone and his wife, Teresa, attended the Pilothouse Potomac Home campaign donor reception. Mrs. Ransone’s great-grandfather, Archibald Long, was the longest serving captain of the Potomac. He served on the steamer for 37 years. Photo by Michael Geissinger

IRVINGTON—On Saturday, October 26, the Steamboat Era Museum, 156 King Carter Drive, Irvington, held a reception to honor the many donors to the Pilothouse Potomac Home campaign.

The donations to this campaign enabled the museum to restore the Potomac Pilothouse and redesign the museum’s exhibits, said executive director Barbara Brecher. Many explored the Pilothouse for the first time and were impressed by shipwright John Morgenthaler’s beautiful restoration work.

Two new plaques were placed in the reception area honoring the museum funders and donors to the campaign. The main exhibition hall was formally named The Nettie Lockey Wiley and Charles L. Wiley Exhibition Hall.

Cay Bradley, museum board president, thanked the donors, board members and others for making the pilothouse restoration and…