[CLOSED CAPTIONING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY CARDI'S FURNITURE AND MATTRESSES] ♪ >> THERE IS A COLLECTION OF CARVED HULLS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN THE WORLD.

WE WILL EXPLAIN WHY THEY ARE STEAM POWERED BOATS IN THE MUSEUM YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT WAS ONLY ABOUT SAILING.

AND WE WILL VISIT A BOAT SHED ON CONNECTICUT WHERE CLASSIC YACHTS COME BACK TO LIFE.

THIS IS "TREASURE INSIDE THE MUSEUM."

♪ >> NARRAGANSETT BAY HAS LONG BEEN SYNONYMOUS WITH SAILING.

FOR OVER 100 YEARS, THE FINEST YACHTSMEN HAVE NAVIGATED THESE WATERS FOR PLEASURE AND SUPPORT.

THAT'S A TRADITION THAT CONTINUES TODAY.

BOATS OF ALL SIZES AND CREWS OF ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS REGULARLY MAKE THEIR WAY UP AND DOWN THE BAY AND BEYOND.

OFF THE COAST OF BRISTOL, LOCAL SCHOOLCHILDREN ARE GETTING THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE ON THE WATER.

AROUND THESE PARTS, SAILING IS RARELY MENTIONED WITHOUT THE NAME HERRESHOFF IN THE SAME SENTENCE.

ALL OF THESE BOATS WERE BUILT AT THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY RIGHT HERE IN BRISTOL.

THE BOATBUILDERS ARE GONE, BUT MANY OF THE CLASSIC YACHTS THEY MADE ARE STILL HERE ON DISPLAY AT THE HERRESHOFF MARINE MUSEUM AND AMERICA'S CUP HALL OF FAME.

>> THE HERRESHOFF MUSEUM IS A MUSEUM ABOUT ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION.

IT CELEBRATES THE LEGACY OF THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY WHICH EXISTED FROM 1878 TO ABOUT 1945.

ITS HEYDAY BEING FROM 1878 UNTIL THE EARLY 1900S.

WHILE THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY IS A COMPANY THAT DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED BOATS OF ALL SORTS, IT'S NOT AN ANTIQUE BOATING MUSEUM.

IT IS A MUSEUM THE HIGHLIGHTS AND CELEBRATES THE ENGINEERING PROWESS AND ENGINEERING EXPERTISE OF ITS TWO FOUNDERS.

>> BROTHERS JOHN BROWN HERRESHOFF, KNOWN AS JB THE BLIND BOATBUILDERS, AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, THE FANEUIL GREEN HERRESHOFF, HAD A LOVE AFFAIR OF THE WATER.

>> THEIR FATHER WAS A BIT OF A TINKERER.

SO THAT IS WHERE THEY SORT OF STARTED TO LEARN THE INGENUITY SIDE OF THINGS.

THE FIRST BOAT THEY ALL BUILT TOGETHER IS ACTUALLY A BOAT IN OUR COLLECTION CALLED SPRITE.

>> THIS BOAT IS BRIGHT.

-- IS SPRITE.

NATHANIEL DID A LITTLE BIT OF THE DRAFTING WORK ON IT.

THIS IS THE FIRST BOAT HE EVER WORKED ON.

HE WAS 11.5 AT THE TIME.

THERE IS ONE MAST WAY UP IN THE BOW AND ONE GREAT BIG SALE.

THEY ARE QUITE HARD TO HANDLE BECAUSE THE SAIL IS SO BIG.

THEY CAN ALSO BE HANDLED BY JUST ONE PERSON.

THEY WERE KIND OF THE SEAGOING PICKUP TRUCKS OF THE DAY.

THEY WERE USED OFTEN TO DELIVER CARGO ALONG THE COAST.

>> IN 1878, THE TWO BROTHERS FORMED A COMPANY CALLED THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY .

TOGETHER WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF BOATBUILDING, ARCHITECTURE AND STEAM ENGINEERING, THEY QUICKLY PUT RHODE ISLAND ON THE MAP AS THE PREMIER PRODUCERS OF BOATS OF ALL KINDS.

>> MOST PEOPLE DO THINK OF THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY AS A SAILBOAT COMPANY AND THEM AS SAILBOAT DESIGNERS AND BUILDERS, WHICH THEY WERE INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL AT.

HOWEVER FOR THE FIRST 12 OR 13 YEARS THE COMPANY INSISTED IT WAS A POWERBOAT COMPANY.

THEY WERE FASCINATED BY STEAM POWER AND BY THE CONCEPT OF STEAM INNOVATION.

AND SO THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF EFFORT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE STEAM ENGINES SMALLER, EASIER TO OPERATE, SAFER, AND BOILERS SMALLER AND SAFER.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME CUTTING-EDGE INNOVATIONS AND BOILER AND STEAM ENGINE DESIGN.

>> HERRESHOFF'S INNOVATION AND POWER DESIGN LED TO A LEADERSHIP THE NAVY.

THAT -- RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NAVY.

THAT CONTINUED IF THERE WORLD WAR II, WHERE THEY BUILT RESCUE BOATS USED IN THE PACIFIC TO RESCUE PILOTS.

THE LIST OF TREASURERS HERE WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE WITHOUT EXAMPLES OF STEAM POWERED VESSELS.

>> WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY REPLICAS IN THE MUSEUM BUT THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE LIKE.

-- LIKE THIS.

THIS IS DRAGON.

SHE'S A HERRESHOFF STEAM LAUNCH FROM THE 1880'S PERIOD.

THE OWNER HAD REQUIRED AN ORIGINAL HERRESHOFF STEAM ENGINE AND WANTED A BOAT TO PUT IT IN.

HEAR WHAT YOU SEE IS THE BOILER.

THE ENGINE ITSELF IS TINY COMPARED TO THE BOILER.

IT IS RIGHT BEHIND THE BOILER.

THIS WAS HIGH-TECH IN THE 1880'S.

THESE WERE VERY LIGHT BOATS WITH THESE POWERFUL, RELATIVELY SMALL STEAM ENGINES.

THIS WOODEN BOAT WAS DESIGNED BY A MAN.

THE SAME MAN DESIGNED THE BOILER AND ENGINE FOR BOAT TWO.

HE WAS SO VERSATILE.

>> THE WHOLE GOAL WITH STEAM ENGINE AND BOILER DEVELOPMENT WAS TO GO FASTER.

GOING FASTER MEANT YOU HAD TO BE LIGHTER AND YOU HAD TO BE MORE POWERFUL.

SO THAT WAS THE WHOLE GAME PLAN WITH STEAM ENGINE AND BOILER DESIGN.

FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIT SMALLER ENGINES INTO BOATS THAT GENERATED AS MUCH POWER AS THE LARGER ENGINES.

>> THE TWO BROTHERS SET UP THERE BOATBUILDING COMPANY ON THE WATERFRONT IN BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.

TRANSPORTATION AT THE TIME DID NOT ALLOW FOR MOVING LARGE BOATS ACROSS LAND, SO A LOCATION LIKE THIS WAS KEY.

THE COMPLETED YACHTS COULD BE BUILT, AND THEN LAUNCHED RIGHT OUT OF THE MANUFACTURING AREA AND INTO THE BAY.

>> THE DESIGN PROCESS AT THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY WAS QUITE UNIQUE.

THE COMPANY WAS QUITE UNIQUE IN THAT IT WAS BOTH HORIZONTALLY AND VERTICALLY INTEGRATED.

BY HORIZONTALLY INTEGRATED, I KNOW THAT THEY NEVER DESIGNED ANYTHING THEY DIDN'T BUILD AND THEY DIDN'T BUILD ANYTHING THEY DIDN'T DESIGN.

WHEN YOU CAME HERE TO ORDER A BOAT, YOU CAME AND ORDERED THE BOAT AND YOU GOT THE BOAT FULLY BUILT.

IT WAS NOT LIKE THE WAY YOU WOULD BUILD THE BOAT THESE DAYS, OR THE WAY YOU BUILD A HOUSE.

THIS PLACE WAS DIFFERENT.

CUSTOMERS WOULD COME TALK TO THE CAPTAIN ABOUT WHAT BOAT THEY WANTED.

JOHN HERRESHOFF, WHO WAS COMPLETELY BLIND BUT RAN THE WHOLE BUSINESS SIDE OF THE COMPANY, WOULD COME UP WITH AN ESTIMATE FOR THE PRICE.

THE CUSTOMER WOULD EITHER ACCEPT IT OR NOT.

THERE WAS NO NEGOTIATION.

THEN THEY WOULD GO AHEAD AND DESIGN AND BUILD A BOAT.

>> IN THERE HEYDAY, CAPTAIN NAT COULD CONCEIVE OF A PIECE OF HARDWARE IN BRONZE THAT HE NEEDED.

HE COULD SKETCH IT UP, GIVE IT TO HIS PATTERN MAKERS, AND BY LUNCHTIME THAT DAY HE COULD HAVE THE FINISHED PIECE ON HIS DESK.

THAT KIND OF VERTICAL INTEGRATION IN ANY KIND OF FACILITY IS INCREDIBLE.

IS ENGINEERING WAS ASTOUNDING AS WELL.

JUST AS A MATHEMATICAL GENIUS AND HIS UNDERSTANDING OF HULL FORMS.

YOU KNOW, THAT LEGACY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.

>> THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT OTHER BOAT BUILDERS AND DESIGNERS WERE NOT ABLE TO DO IN TERMS OF CONDENSED TIMING.

THEY COULD BUILD STUFF INCREDIBLY FAST.

THEY COULD DESIGN AND BUILD STUFF INCREDIBLY FAST HERE.

BECAUSE THE PROCESS STARTED WITH A CARVING OF A NOT ALL -- OF A MODEL.

THE CAPTAIN COULD CARVE A MODEL AND GET TO THE POINT THAT HE WAS HAPPY WITH IT IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS.

>> OVER 500 OF THESE HALF HULL MODELS ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE HERRESHOFF MARINE MUSEUM.

WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING COLLECTIONS IN THE WORLD, THESE MODELS WERE JULY -- WERE DESIGNED BY SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF HERRESHOFFS.

FAMILY MEMBERS SAY THIS ROOM REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE LIFE'S WORK OF HALF HULL MODELS DESIGNED BY CAPTAIN NAT OVER A 75 YEAR CAREER AS A DESIGNER.

>> WE ARE SEEING IN THESE TWO ROOMS AND 500 HALF HULLS ARE WHAT I WILL CALL DESIGN MODELS.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER HALF HOLES -- HULLS HERE MORE DECORATIVE.

THEY ARE MOUNTED ON A PLAQUE AND HAVE A LITTLE BRONZE PLATE SAYING WHAT IT IS ABOUT AND THEY ARE PAINTED THE COLORS OF THE BOATS THAT THEY ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF.

THESE HALF HULLS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

THEY WERE BUILT NOT AS DECORATION BUT AS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.

SO THAT IS WHY THEY ALL KIND OF LOOK THE SAME.

THEY ARE ALL BROWN, CARVED OUT OF PINE AND THENCE SHELLACKED.

-- THEN SHELLACKED.

>> NATHANIEL'S SHOP HAS BEEN PRESERVED HERE AT THE MUSEUM, WHERE MANY OF THESE TOOLS ARE SURROUNDED BY THE HANDCARVED HALF HULLS ON THE WALLS.

THE IDEA OF A MUSEUM TO HONOR THESE WORKS OF ART AND TO PRESERVE THEM CAME ABOUT WHEN THE OWNER OF THIS BOAT DONATED TO THE MUSEUM IN 1971 FOR SAFEKEEPING.

THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL MUSEUM TO DONATE IT TO.

>> THE HERRESHOFF WAS FORMED BECAUSE THE OWNER OF THE BOAT HERE, HE DONATED THE BOAT TO THE HERRESHOFF MUSEUM, WHICH DID NOT EXIST.

HE SENT A LETTER TO SIDNEY HERRESHOFF, AND THE LAWYER SAID YOU BETTER START A MUSEUM.

THAT IS HOW IT STARTED.

SIDNEY'S SON WAS INTERESTED.

ONCE WORD GOT OUT THAT THERE WAS A MUSEUM, PEOPLE STARTED DONATING.

TYPICALLY BOATS THAT COULDN'T SAIL ANYMORE.

WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE BEST BOATS.

BUT THEY ALL LOOK GOOD TODAY.

>> THIS IS CLARA, BUILT IN 1887 AND NAMED AFTER NATHANIEL'S WIFE.

TODAY, IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY SHE WAS BUILT.

>> HERRESHOFF THINKING OF THIS TIME, SHE HAS A MAST UP HERE.

>> HE WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH ALL KIND OF RIGS.

SHE IS BASICALLY A CAT.

VERY UNIQUE LOOKING.

I FULLY BATTEN SAIL ON THE DAY.

COMPRESSION BANG ON THE MIZZEN.

A REALLY MODERN, MODERN THINKING.

BUILT-IN WOOD, FAR AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

>> DAVID KNOWS CLARA AS WELL AS ANYONE.

WHEN SHE FIRST ARRIVED AT THE MUSEUM, CLAIRE WAS SHOWING HER AGE.

SO THE HERRESHOFF PEOPLE TURN TO THE EXPERTS TO BRING HER BACK TO LIFE.

>> THE WHOLE STRUCTURE IS MOSTLY ORIGINAL.

BUT OBVIOUSLY THE DECK AND THE CABIN HERE HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

AND SHE HAS BEEN PAINTED AND SO FORTH.

>> THIS IS A CONSTRUCTION PROFILE OF HULL NUMBER 268.

>> USES THE ORIGINAL PLANS CREATED BY CAPTAIN NAT WHEN WORKING ON ONE OF THESE YACHTS.

>> RESTORING A HERRESHOFF BOAT IS ACTUALLY AMONG, OF ALL THE OTHER DESIGNERS WE HAVE EVER WORKED ON, IS ONE OF THE MORE REWARDING AND EASIER THINGS TO DO.

NOT FROM A CRAFTSMANSHIP POINT OF VIEW, BUT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT ALL OF THE HERRESHOFF LANDS EXISTS IN THE COLLECTIONS OF THE NAUTICAL MUSEUM AT M.I.T.

LITERALLY EVERY PIECE OF HARDWARE, EVERY DOOR LATCH, EVERY DRAWER POLE, EVERY CLEAT ON THE BOAT, EVERY ASPECT OF THE BRIG IS AVAILABLE IN A DRAWING FROM THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND WE CAN REPRODUCE THEM.

>> TODAY, HIS CREW IS RESTORING ANOTHER CLASSIC HERRESHOFF YACHT, DORIS.

EVERY DETAIL IS ATTENDED TO WITH THE SAME METICULOUS CARE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP AS THE ORIGINAL BUILDERS.

>> WHEN DORIS WAS BUILT I DO NOT THINK THERE WAS MUCH EXPECTATION THE BOATS WOULD BE AROUND, ANY OF THE BOATS, BEYOND 15, 20 YEARS.

IF YOU WERE AN ACTIVE YACHTSMAN IN THAT ERA, I THINK YOU ARE ALWAYS TRADING UP FOR THE NEXT, FASTEST DESIGN AND TRYING TO STAY COMPETITIVE.

THE HERRESHOFF PLANT BUILT THIS IN FIVE MONTHS AND IT WILL TAKE US PROBABLY FIVE YEARS.

IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THESE THINGS.

I THINK WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY.

AT SOME LEVEL OF COURSE IT IS WORK, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY DID, A JOB LIKE THIS IS A TOTAL TREAT.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAVE LOOK FORWARD TO.

THIS QUALITY AND HAVING A CLIENT WHO WILL LET YOU REALIZE THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITIES, IT IS A DREAM JOB.

IT REALLY, REALLY IS.

IT IS A TREAT.

♪ >> ONCE SHE IS RESTORED, DORIS WILL RETURN TO THE SEA, AND HER NEW OWNER PLANS TO RACE HER AGAIN.

>> AND IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE TO SEE THAT BOAT OUT SAILING.

>> THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES IN THE MUSEUM.

>> THERE IS ANOTHER RECENT TREASURE THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE COLLECTION AFTER BEING DISCOVERED IN NEWPORT.

>> IT IS A PROPELLER.

IT WAS ORDERED BY HERRESHOFF'S PATRON AND DELIVERED TO HIS BOAT SHOP IN NEWPORT.

AND THERE IT SAT, LONG AFTER MORGAN DIED.

THE BOAT SHOP WAS NOT CLEANED OUT UNTIL THE 1980'S.

AND THIS WAS FOUND IN THERE.

IT IS A PROPELLER MADE BY THE COMPANY.

IT IS STILL IN THE ORIGINAL CRATE WITH THE ORIGINAL SHIPPING LABEL ON IT.

AND I JUST THINK IT IS TERRIFIC.

I DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN THE MUSEUM.

ABSOLUTELY ORIGINAL, ABSOLUTELY UNTOUCHED.

IT IS WONDERFUL.

>> LEE IS NOT THE BIGGEST BOAT ON DISPLAY, BUT IT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A CLASSIC THAT HAS BEEN RESCUED AND RESTORED.

>> SHE IS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE BOATS.

SHE IS SO LIGHT AND SO THIN.

THE MASTERS FARTHER BACK IN THE BOAT.

IT CARRIES THE JIB.

THE SAIL ON THE FRONT OF THE BOAT.

SHE IS STRICTLY A RACING BOAT.

SHE WAS BUILT IN 1892 FOR A WOMAN NAMED WINFRED SUTTON.

WAS SHIPPED TO ENGLAND, AND HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL RECENT SEASON WHERE SHE WON 20 OUT OF 21 RACES.

THE ONE SHE DIDN'T WIN, SHE CAME IN SECOND.

>> LEE WYNN IS VERY LIGHTLY BUILT WITH A TINY FRAME.

SHE REMAINED RACING FOR ABOUT 70 YEARS.

>> EVENTULLY SHE WAS RETIRED.

FELL INTO DISUSE.

FINALLY AT SOME POINT IT SPPEARED SHE MIGHT BE BROKEN OFF, SO A GENTLEMAN IN ENGLAND CONTACTED HALSEY HERRESHOFF, AND HE WAS ABLE TO RETRIEVE IT.

SHE IS SIGNIFICANT FOR ANOTHER REASON.

THE HEEL IS A FLAT PAID OF -- PLATE OF METAL.

THERE ARE REASONS THIS IS GOOD FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL POINT OF VIEW.

MOST HAVE KEELER'S ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE RUDDER.

IN 1967 IN THE AMERICA'S CUP, A BOAT CALLED INTREPID EVERYBODY.

ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT SHE HAD -- EVERYONE THOUGHT THIS WAS HUGE, YET 13 MILES UP THE COAST IT HAD BEEN DONE 75 YEARS EARLIER.

>> THE AMERICA'S CUP IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE OLDEST INTERNATIONAL SPORTING EVENTS.

SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING AMERICA'S CUP RACES HAVE BEEN HELD RIGHT HERE IN RHODE ISLAND OVER ITS 140-YEAR HISTORY.

>> THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND THE AMERICA'S CUP WAS INCREDIBLY STRONG.

EIGHT SUCCESSFUL AMERICA'S CUP DEFENDERS WERE BUILT HERE BETWEEN 1893 AND 1934.

SIX WERE DESIGNED BY THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY .

THE LAST TWO WERE BUILT HERE.

THE AMERICA'S CUP AS AN EVENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, ABOUT CUTTING EDGE, ABOUT TAKING INNOVATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

AND OBVIOUSLY THAT IS WHAT THIS COMPANY WAS ALL ABOUT.

AND THAT MANIFESTED ITSELF QUITE SUCCESSFULLY IN THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE AMERICA'S CUP .

SO HERE AT THE HERRESHOFF MUSEUM WE CELEBRATE THE AMERICA'S CUP AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HERRESHOFF MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND THE CUP, BOTH THROUGH OUR EXHIBITS WHICH TALK ABOUT THE CONNECTION WITH THE AMERICA'S CUP AND THE INNOVATION AND HIGH-TECHNOLOGY, BUT ALSO WITH THE AMERICA'S CUP HALL OF FAME THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE MUSEUM.

>> THE HALL OF FAME CELEBRATES THE AMERICA'S CUP, THE SAILORS, OWNERS, AND DESIGNERS, WHERE ONE NAME STANDS TALLER THAN MOST -- HERRESHOFF.

♪ >> THE GILBERT STUART EARTH PLACE IN MUSEUM THEY JUST BE ONE OF THE MOST PICTURESQUE MUSEUM SITES IN ALL OF NEW ENGLAND.

THE CENTERPIECE IS THE RESTORED AND FURNISHED 1750 HOME, BUT THE PROPERTY ALSO INCLUDES A WORKING GRISTMILL, GARDENS, WALKING TRAILS, AND AN ART GALLERY.

>> THE MISSION OF THE GILBERT STUART MUSEUM IS CERTAINLY PROMOTING THE MEMORY OF THE ARTIST GILBERT STUART.

WE HAVE TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS.

ONE OF OUR FOCUSES IS ON HISTORY.

OUR SECOND FOCUS IS ON ART.

YOU HAVE THE ART OF GILBERT STUART AS WELL AS OTHER ARTISTS.

THE THIRD FOCUS THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE MUSEUM IS ON NATURE.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO OWN 23 ACRES HERE.

WE HAVE NATURE TRAILS THAT GO THROUGH THE WOODS.

BEAUTIFUL SCENIC VIEWS.

AND A FISH PLATTER WHICH SUPPORTS THE YEARLY MIGRATION OF RIVER HERRING FROM THE OCEAN.

>> AS BEAUTIFUL AS THIS LOCATION IS, THE REAL TREASURES ARE FOUND INSIDE.

THE HOUSE IS FURNISHED MUCH LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE 1700S.

THE ROOMS INCLUDE ALL THE NECESSITIES A GROWING FAMILY WOULD NEED.

BUT ON THE GROUND FLOOR IS A LARGE INDUSTRIAL-LOOKING PIECE THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE HOME WAS BUILT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> THIS IS A SNUFF FILM -- MILL.

IT IS THE FIRST THAT WAS FOUND IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES.

IN THE MID-1700S, ONE OF THE MAIN CROPS GROWN HERE IN RHODE ISLAND IT WAS TOBACCO.

THE OTHER WAS CORN.

TOBACCO WAS RAISED HERE, WAS HARVESTED, AND DRIED.

THEN IT WAS SHIPPED OFF TO ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND WHERE THEY HAD MILLS SUCH AS THIS.

AND IT WAS GROUND INTO A FOUND POWDER, AND THAT WAS CALLED SNUFF.

AND IT WAS SHIPPED BACK HERE TO THE AMERICAN COLONIES.

SNUFF WAS THEN PACKAGED IN GLASS JARS AND SOLD.

AND IT WAS VERY POPULAR IN COLONIAL TIMES.

AND EVEN TODAY YOU CAN STILL BUY SNUFF, ALTHOUGH TODAY IT IS A SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING ON IT.

>> POWER FOR THE MILK COMES FROM THE POND BEHIND THE HOUSE.

A SLUICE GATE IS OPEN, ALLOWING THE WATER TO FLOW AND TURN A LARGE WHEEL ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

>> THE MILL IS OPERATED BY WATER POWER, WHICH COMES FROM OUR MILL POND.

WHEN THE PADDLE WHEEL IS TURNING, THE INNER WHEEL TURNS AS WELL.

WHEN YOU LOWER THIS GEAR, EVERYTHING HERE BEGINS TO TURN.

THIS OPERATES LIKE A WATER AND PESTLE -- MORTAR AND PESTLE.

WHEN YOU USE THE MORTAR PESTLE YOU WOULD GRIND THE DRY LEAVES INTO A FINE POWDER.

THAT IS WHAT THE MILL DOES.

THIS IS A GUIDE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY AROUND HERE.

THE BAR IS THE PART THAT WORKS AS THE BORDERING PESTLE WITH THE RAISED AREA INSIDE.

REPLACE THE DRIED TOBACCO LEAVES IN HERE.

WHEN THE MILL BEGINS OPERATING, THE GRINDING TAKES PLACE DOWN INSIDE.

THE DRIED LEAVES ARE PULVERIZED AND DROPPED DOWN BELOW IS A FINE POWDER, AND THAT IS SNUFF.

>> THE STUART FAMILY LIVED AND WORKED HERE FOR 10 YEARS.

DURING THAT TIME THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN, THE YOUNGEST OF WHICH WAS NAMED GILBERT.

>> GILBERT STUART IS USUALLY REFERRED TO AS THE FOREMOST PORTRAIT ARTIST OF HIS TIME.

HE WAS BORN DECEMBER 3, 1755 RIGHT HERE IN THIS HOUSE, AND LIVED UNTIL THE AGE OF 72.

HE WAS LIVING NEAR BOSTON AT THE TIME THAT HE PASSED.

HE WAS RENOWNED FOR HIS PORTRAITURE, MOST ESPECIALLY THE PORTRAITS HE PRODUCED OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.

SO, THERE ARE SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF THOSE PORTRAITS.

PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS IS THE SECOND PORTRAIT THAT GILBERT STUART PAINTED OF GEORGE WASHINGTON FROM LIFE, AND THAT IS CALLED THE UNFINISHED PORTRAIT.

AND IT WAS THIS PORTRAIT THAT GRACES THE CENTER OF THE $1 BILL.

THE ORIGINAL OF THAT PORTRAIT IS IN THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS FOR THREE YEARS, AND SHARED BY THE NATURAL PORTRAIT GALLERY FOR THREE YEARS AS WELL.

>> THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME, STUART PAINTED ABOUT 1000 PORTRAITS.

THE WALLS OF THE HOME ARE GRACED WITH SEVERAL REPRODUCTIONS, BUT FOR THE LONGEST TIME NONE OF HIS ORIGINAL WORKS WERE ON DISPLAY HERE.

THAT ALL CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN A GALLERY WAS BUILT NEXT TO THE HOME.

>> IN 2014, AFTER THE BUILDING OF THE GALLERY, WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM REPRESENTATIVES FOR AN ORGANIZATION IN BOSTON CALLED THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS.

GILBERT STUART HAD BEEN HIRED TO PAINT SOME OF THE ORIGINAL ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THE DIRECTOR US.

-- DIRECTORESS.

SO THEY HELD FOUR PAINTINGS BY GILBERT STUART.

IN 2013, ONE OF THE DIRECTORS FOR THE HOME FOR LITTLE WANDERERS CONTACTED US TO SEE IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING THOSE PAINTINGS.

THROUGH DIFFERENT NEGOTIATIONS, WE ENDED UP GETTING THE FOUR PAINTINGS AND WE HAVE THEM ON EXHIBIT HERE.

>> SINCE THAT TIME, FIVE OTHER ORIGINAL PAINTINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN ADDED TO THE EXHIBIT.

AT THE TIME OF HIS PASSING, GILBERT STUART WAS SURVIVED BY FOUR DAUGHTERS.

THE YOUNGEST WAS JEAN.

>> -- JANE.

>> JANE HELPED HIM IN HIS TUDIO.

GILBERT STUART WAS A LITTLE PARTICULAR, THOUGH.

HE DID NOT WANT ANY OF HIS DAUGHTERS TO BE ARTISTS.

BUT JANE WORKED IN HIS STUDIO, ACTUALLY DID SOME BACKGROUNDS OF HIS PAINTINGS.

WHEN HER FATHER PASSED, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SUPPORT OF HER MOTHER AND HER THREE SISTERS FELL ON HER SHOULDERS, AND SHE SUPPORTED THEM BY PAINTING MANY KIND OF PORTRAITS INCLUDING PORTRAITS, SHE DID SOME LANDSCAPES.

BUT MUCH OF THE FOCUS OF HER WORK WAS IN COPIES OF PAINTINGS OF HER FATHER'S PORTRAITS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.

>> TWO PORTRAITS OF HER FATHER ARE DISPLAY IN THE GALLERY.

THE LARGER OF THE TWO WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND TO CAPTURE GILBERT STUART AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PORTRAIT PAINTER IN RHODE ISLAND.

>> IT IS A PAINTING OF HER FATHER WITH GEORGE WASHINGTON IN THE BACKGROUND.

BOTH OF THESE PAINTINGS WERE NOT DONE FROM LIFE.

THEY WERE DONE FROM HER MEMORY.

AS WELL AS USING A MINIATURE PAINTING, WHICH WAS DONE OF GILBERT STUART.

>> THROUGHOUT HIS LIFETIME, GILBERT STUART PAINTED A WHO'S WHO OF THE COLONIAL ERA.

IT'S AN AMERICAN STORY THAT ALL BEGAN RIGHT HERE IN THIS HUMBLE HOME NEXT TO THE MILL POND.

♪ [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.

VISIT NCICAP.ORG]