Recently, the USS
Monitor’s Worthington Direct-Acting Simplex Pumps were designated a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the History and Heritage Committee of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in a ceremony at The Mariners’ Museum.
The pumps from the iconic ironclad Monitor were designed by 19th century engineering pioneer Henry R. Worthington, one of Society’s co-founders. They were recovered from the ironclad’s wreck site off Cape Hatteras, NC, in 2001 by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Navy divers. They are believed to the oldest surviving examples of Worthington’s simplex design. They have since been undergoing conservation at the Batten Conservation Complex at the USS Monitor Center. When conservation is complete, the pumps will go on display at the Museum.
Dr. Reginald Vachon, Past President of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, presented a bronze plaque to John V. Quarstein, director of the Monitor Center, and Dr. Paul Ticco, Regional Coordinator of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, which will hang in the Monitor Center. The event was sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers -Eastern Virginia Section and Curtiss-Wright.
The Mariners’ Museum, designated by Congress as “America’s National Maritime Museum,” is offering $1 admission through August 31. For more information visit the Mariners’ Museum or call 757-596-2222.