Every day, cruise ships sail from Miami; coal ships deliver to power plants along the shores of the Great Lakes; crabbing boats harvest Alaskan king crab in the Bering Sea; and weekenders prepare their boats for leisurely afternoons on the Chesapeake Bay.
Each one of these mariners uses the resources of NOAA’s Navigation Services to safely navigate U.S. coastal waters. In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Survey of the Coast, NOAA and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) have created the exhibit, "From Sea to Shining Sea: 200 Years of Charting America’s Coasts," which opens June 13 in the Daura Gallery at Lynchburg College.
In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson recognized the need to chart the coastal waters of this country as vital to the independence and prosperity of the economy and to the security of this fledgling nation. This exhibit celebrates the history, accomplishments and scientific contributions of the nation’s first science agency. The 20 colorful posters are illustrated with photos, charts and artwork from the survey’s archives.
Today, waterborne commerce remains the backbone of the U.S. economy, contributing more than 13 million jobs and $1 trillion annually. In the past two centuries, the survey has mapped more than 95,000 miles of coastline, produced more than 20,000 nautical maps and charts, installed more than 6,000 tide stations, helped predict the movement of oil spills, established the Pacific Tsunami Warning System and maintained the national network of more than 1,000 GPS reference sites.
"From Sea from Sea to Shining Sea" is part of a series of anniversary events sponsored by NOAA. For more information, visit
www.noaa.gov and www.celebrating200years.noaa.gov. SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.The Daura Gallery is one of 200 venues nationwide to be a part of this special celebration. To view a complete list of host organizations, visit
www.sites.si.edu/host/fromseatoshiningsea.htm.The Daura Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment through August 26. The Gallery will be closed on weekends during the summer. For more information, call 434/544-8349 or 544-8595.