D.W. Correll Museum in Catoosa displays rare model ships, maritime artifacts

Hundreds of model ships and maritime artifacts are on display for the next month at the D.W. Correll Museum in Catoosa. Its namesake was a collector of many things, including antique cars, rocks, gems, minerals, bottles, decanters, and newspaper clippings.

Eric Hamshar has been the museum's director for over a decade and is also a member of the Tulsa Ship Modelers Society. His own passions are now part of the collection.

"I do not build model ships, but I love them and I have a small collection of my own," he said.

Seeing his items on display led the other members to want to share theirs with the public.

Ships Crafted By Hand

All of the model ships in the museum's exhibit were built by hand.

"Some of them are very intricate and take many hours to put together," said Hamshar.

Members of the Tulsa Ship Modelers Society crafted some of them, and the rest are antiques from all around the world.

"Each of the models here are unique," Hamshar continued, "They do not come from factories and some of them are built by native peoples in remote places."

Those countries include the Philippines, Malaysia, China, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe.

Historic Maritime Artifacts

Hamshar said some of the maritime artifacts in the exhibit date back as far as the 1600s. The items include: navigational charts and equipment, weapons of war, harpoons, scrimshaw, rope work, and more.

"These are things that sailors would have carried around the world with them," Hamshar said.

Catoosa's Connection to the Sea

The museum has several goals with its "Port City Model Ship and Maritime Artifact Exhibit" that range from education to preservation and cultural enrichment. The model ships and maritime artifacts give visitors a link to the past and other cultures.

"Many things in the museum here create that sense of nostalgia, and we are very proud of that," Hamshar said.

He adds that while Oklahoma may be landlocked, Catoosa specifically has a connection to the sea it is very proud of. Hamshar hopes these tiny ships make that history more well-known.

"For this exhibit in particular, I like to highlight the connection we have to the sea, which is the Port of Catoosa, which, as some people may know, is the most inland port in the United States," he said.

Museum Hours & Location

The D.W. Correll Museum is at 19934 E Pine Street along Route 66 in Catoosa. It is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The "Port City Model Ship and Maritime Artifact Exhibit" will be on display until September 20. While the site of the Blue Whale is under construction, the museum will also serve as a gift shop for it. For more information, visit the city of Catoosa's website.