The descendants of an Annapolis waterman have formed a nonprofit group to rally for the preservation of a waterfront home that is threatened by plans to build the National Sailing Hall of Fame, as organizers warned that a lack of local support could derail the $20 million proposal.
Friends of Captain William H. Burtis House Historic Trust LLC was established last week with the goal of persuading the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which owns the home at 69 Prince George St., to postpone granting a lease to museum organizers. They cite the historic value of the home, where Burtis lived until his death in 1910, as one of the last vestiges of the city's blue-collar maritime heritage.
A state-commissioned report released last year recommended the demolition or relocation of the home as the most cost-effective way to proceed with plans for the interactive museum.
"We are hoping to restore the house back to what it was, and make it a focal point at the City Dock," said William R. Powell, 65, a great-great-grandson of Burtis and a tugboat captain from Eastport. "Everybody who comes to Annapolis comes to the dock. We feel there's a lot that can be done with it, to make it worthwhile for all the citizens of Maryland or wherever they come from."
Lee Tawney, executive director of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, expressed frustration about the opposition. He said the museum will contribute to the vitality of downtown Annapolis, Anne Arundel County and the state and become an educational tool for the community.
"There really is no other site. It's the only site in Annapolis that's available right now that would work," Tawney said. "If the city of Annapolis doesn't want the Sailing Hall of Fame, then why would the state of Maryland or the Department of Natural Resources put it there? Other cities and states would jump at this."
Olivia Campbell, a DNR spokeswoman, said the agency had received a letter from the Friends of Captain William H. Burtis. The deadline to receive comments was Monday, and a recommendation from the planning department will be rendered in 60 to 90 days, Campbell said.
"The comments that come out of the clearinghouse process will guide the process for any lease," Campbell said. "We, in coordination with DGS [the Department of General Services], will end up making a decision about leasing the property. We've really encouraged the Sailing Hall of Fame and those interested to work with the city, the Historic Annapolis Foundation and other interested stakeholders."
