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The John Ericsson Society, New York and the Greenpoint Monitor Museum annually commemorate John Ericsson's birthday, July 31, 1803, with a ceremony at the John Ericsson monument in Battery Park, Lower Manhattan, NYC. In recognition of the importance of this event Eliot Spitzer, Governor of the State of New York, and Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, proclaimed July 31, 2007 as John Ericsson Day respectively in the State of New York and in the City of New York. The Proclamations were presented during the program. The program opened with music played on period instrument - a song written in 1862 for John Ericsson and the Monitor, "Oh! Give us a Navy of Iron" - and closed with "Sailors Hornpipe".
Free version of "Oh! Give Us a
Navy of Iron" on the Internet:
Free version of "Sailors
Hornpipe" on the Internet: Creativity Contest, June 11, 2007
On June 11, 2007 the John Ericsson Society presented its CREATIVITY CONTEST awards to the students of JHS 126 - the John Ericsson School. It has been a tradition of the Society to sponsor its Creativity Contest at JHS 126 for the past years. There were 8 winning students. Three Award Winners and One Honorable Mention in both an Artwork Category and a Writing Category. The six Award Winners received a $50.00 check and a rosette. The two Honorable Mention Winners received a rosette.
George Charles Simpson George C. Simpson, Vice-president of John Ericsson Society, New York, died on May 2, 2007 after a long illness. A Memorial Service was held at Grace Lutheran Church, Yorktown Heights, New York on June 30, at 11:00 AM.
John
Ericsson Memorial Celebration, Washington D.C. June 2, 2007,
including Visit to House of Sweden
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John Ericsson Society, New York hails the first Ocean crossing of a solar boat“The time is ripe for the broad use of solar technology in navigation." This was demonstrated by the journey of the solar boat "sun21" from Basel to Chipiona, Spain to New York, which thereby became the first entirely solar-powered boat to cross the Atlantic. This historic event was especially significant for the John Ericsson Society, New York. From time to time an inventor comes along who transforms an entire industry, forever changing its principal product and stimulating the development of technology. Such a man was Captain John Ericsson. His inventions, notably incorporated in the Civil War battleship USS Monitor, marked a turning point in shipbuilding and transformed the maritime industry. He spent the last thirty years of his life in research on solar energy and the design of solar engines. An engineer and inventor of the 19th century, his research and innovations in solar energy are relevant to 21st century issues. The Welcome Ceremonies for sun21 were held at North Cove Marina in Manhattan on May 8, 2007 at 3:00PM. The marina is within walking distance of both the site of John Ericsson's home in 36 Beach Street on the roof of which he constructed an observatory for his solar energy research; and also of Battery Park in which stands his memorial statue. It was a warm day, bright and breezy. After the formal speeches of welcome, brief remarks about daily life and research aboard by the crew, and a musical interlude by a string quartet that included two crew members, the crew conversed informally with the guests and welcomed small groups aboard the deck of sun21. Members of John Ericsson Society, New York were present - Inez and Leif Brisfjord, Olov Johannesson, Janice and George Weinmann. The Society presented to the crew a Swedish ship's flag and copies of a commemorative brochure especially designed for the occasion.
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Swiss Vessel Completes the First Transatlantic Crossing By A Solar Powered Boat"sun21", the solar powered catamaran developed and sponsored by the Swiss transatlantic21 Association, travelled more than 7,000 nautical miles to make its historic arrival at Manhattan's North Cove Marina on May 8, 2007.
Solar boats are vessels with electric
engines powered by
photovoltaic cells. They transform photovoltaic energy into mobility.
sun21 demonstrated a practical application
of this advanced technology. Environmentally
friendly, solar energy can be
used to power ocean-going
commercial vessels as well as leisure boats. The
technology is available. At 6:30 PM on May 8, following the welcome festivities for sun21 at North Cove Marina in Manhattan, transatlantic21, the Swiss association that developed the solar boat, celebrated the historic ocean crossing and launched the World Clean Energy Awards with a Gala Event at Broad Street Ballroom. Simon Estes and I Salonisti provided the music. The sun21 crew, the Consul General of Switzerland, Dr. Daniela Schlettwein of transatlantic21 Association participated, among many others. The World Clean Energy Awards program was developed by transatlantic21 to honor and encourage applications of clean energy in seven categories: Construction, Transport, Production (agriculture, mining, etc.), Services, Finance and Investment, Policy and Lawmaking, Non-Governement organizations and initiatives. The first winners will be announced on June 15, 2007 in Basel, Switzerland. Explorers Club, Reception and Lecture
In celebration
of the Historic Transatlantic Crossing of
Solar Boat sun21, Rolex Watch USA hosted a
reception and lecture at the Explorers Club,
New York on Thursday, May 10, 2007, 6:30 PM. Two
crew members, Martin G. Vosseler
(Doctor and Environmentalist)
and
Beat von Scarpatetti, (Historian) gave
a formal lecture on the wonders and
challenges of the journey. |
John Ericsson Society, New York
Welcomes
Transatlantic21 Association
"sun21"
May 8, 2007
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Swedish Consul General, New
York, Ulf Hjertonsson
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The group, which eventually became the John Ericsson Society, was formed on March 31, 1894 when the American Society of Swedish Engineers appointed a special committee called the John Ericsson Memorial Association. The purpose was to honor and celebrate the newly erected statue of John Ericsson in Battery Park in New York City. In 1905, the Association participated in the parade celebrating the completion of the second John Ericsson statue which replaced the first. It was completed for the centennial celebration of John Ericsson’s birth. In 1907, the Association became an independent society, initially called Captain John Ericsson Memorial of Swedish Engineers, later renamed the John Ericsson Society and incorporated under the laws of New York in 1934.
In celebration of the centennial of the John Ericsson Society, the Swedish Consul General and Mrs. Ulf Hjertonsson hosted several members and guests of the Society at a magnificent dinner on March 29, 2007 in their residence at 600 Park Avenue. In his welcoming remarks, the Consul General stressed the value and importance of the Society in honoring and preserving the memory of John Ericsson in the US as well as in Sweden. The guest of honor, Brian G. Andersson, Commissioner of Records, read the Mayor’s Proclamation of a day in honor of John Ericsson on July 31. Leif Brisfjord, President of the Society, gave a review of the Society’s activities. In addition, he announced that Kjell Lagerstrom had been elected an Honorary Member, in thanks for his long tenure (26 years) as President and his significant work for the Society. Among the dinner guests were several long-time members, including Erik Tornqvist, former president of the American Society of Swedish Engineers, and his wife Linnea., Spanton C Ashdown, former Lt. Commander representing the US Navy, Dolores Swanson whose daughter Alexandra is the Society’s Editor in USA and Sweden, Janice and husband George Weinmann representing the Greenpoint Monitor Museum in Brooklyn and Julius J. Eingoren, the member of the longest standing. He has been a member in since 1949.
Official opening of Monitor Center, The Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia, March 9, 2007
Plaque
Presented
by
John Ericsson Society, New York and John Ericsson
Sällskapet, Sweden
Made by AB Sporrong, Stockholm, Sweden, 2007
"As President of the John Ericsson Society,
I am Pleased, Proud, Privileged,
To Present this Plaque,
to the Mariners’ Museum,
In commemoration of the establishment
of the USS Monitor Center"
March 9th, 2007.
Leif G. Brisfjord
The Plaque was designed by Alexandra Svernlöv, Leif Brisfjord, Kjell Lagerström, Sporrong, and manufactured by Sporrong. It shows a copy of of the John Ericsson Gold Medal made by AB Sporrong 1993, received by Harry Ferdinand Olson 1994. The copy of the Gold Medal was donated by IVA, The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Sporrong was founded 1666 and made the first John Ericsson Gold Medal in 1926 when the John Ericsson Washington Memorial was unveiled. Svante A. Arrhenius, who was also a Nobel Prize Laureate, received this first John Ericsson Gold Medal.

John Ericsson Gold Medal
Ceremony
Kjell Lagerström, Baltzar von
Platen, and Price Bertil, 1974
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Mariner's Museum and USS Monitor Center in Newport News, VA
Annual Meeting, John Ericsson Society, New York, January 31, 2007
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Louis Hills made an presentation of the development of boat-propellers by John Ericsson and other inventors.
The newly elected Historian, Dr. Janet Greene made a short presentation on The Library of The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York and what the Library can do for the Society.
Lars Nilsen presented a copy of an article in Nordstjernan-Svea dated August 18, 1977 as a gift to the Society. The article refers to the annual ceremonies celebrating John Ericsson's birthday on July 31 at the statue in Battery Park and some of the people present: Donald Peterson, President; Pastor Ingvar Oreback; Sten Tersmeden, Consul General; Harry Clifford, Historian; Erik Tornqvist, Swedish Engineers; Gladys Erikson-Kimalehto, Varmlandsvannerna; and Alice Hendela, Vasa Lodge in NJ.
John Ericsson Society, New York celebrates its Second Century
John Ericsson Society, New York celebrates its Second Century
John Ericsson Society, New York celebrates its Second Century