Peter Stanford, a prolific writer and maritime historian who worked to preserve several important ships, died on March 24. He was 89.
Stanford and his wife, Norma, launched the South Street Seaport Museum in a Fulton Street warehouse in 1967. Nine years later, Stanford left to work for the National Maritime Historical Society, where he nurtured the organization’s magazine, Sea History, and wrote hundreds of articles.
Stanford worked to save the historic schooner Ernestina, the brigantine Black Pearl and the Liberty ship John W. Brown among others. He also helped organize tall-ship events in the 1970s and 80s, including Operation Sail 76 and the Statue of Liberty Parade Sail in 1986.
