For a museum devoted to watermen, not having an adequate place to tie working—and visiting—boats is a serious handicap. That’s why the Watermen’s Museum has launched a campaign to raise money to replace its pier.

From its prime location on the shore of the York River in downtown Yorktown, the museum tells the story of the men and women who have made a living and a way of life from the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways. No surprisingly, the waterfront is the focus of much of the museum’s activity, from the area where visitors can try their hand at tonging for oysters to beach activities for children.

That’s why the pier is problematic. The original pier, built largely by volunteers, served the museum for over 20 years. That pier was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in September, 2004. As the museum prepares for the visitors who will be drawn by the ambitious reworking of the Yorktown waterfront, it needs a longer pier, with an L-pier at its end. It has the necessary permit from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and has worked out an agreement with York County on how the museum will fit into the Riverwalk plan. Now what it needs is money – between $150,000 and $200,000.

The Watermen’s Museum is a valuable asset to the Yorktown waterfront and will be a major draw to the Riverwalk. A pier that fits with a building dedicated to the region’s watermen and their culture doesn’t seem too much to ask.