Marblehead Historical Commission chooses location to display portrait

MARBLEHEAD – Town historians are recommending the Abbot Hall auditorium as the place to display a large historic portrait of Marbleheader Uriel Crocker (1796-1887), the self-made businessman and business tycoon who donated Crocker Park to the town.Asked to recommend a display site by the Board of Selectmen, the Historical Commission interrupted their meeting Tuesday morning to make a tour of the two possible display sites, the auditorium and the selectmen?s meeting room, and settled on a place of honor at the entrance to the auditorium.The painting, which stands nearly 5 feet in height, was painted in the late 1880s by noted European artist Hubert Von Herkomer. It was donated by Crocker?s descendant, Tuck Crocker.Commission Chairman Chris Johnston suggested the two display sites, noting that the painting would fit in the corner of the selectmen?s meeting room above a framed letter from the Marquis de Lafayette.However, he cautioned his colleagues that that would require the town to move the plaque commemorating Marbleheaders as the crew of the Hannah, America?s first naval vessel, and honoring Marblehead as the birthplace of the Navy.Commission member William Conly said he wanted to see the Hannah plaque remain in the selectmen?s room. He pointed out that most of the paintings and artifacts displayed in that room stem from the Revolutionary War, led by a large painting of the Spirit of ?76 by Archibald Willard.At his urging the commission voted instead to display the painting inside the auditorium, at the entrance, preferably on the right side of the doors, with a plaque identifying Crocker and describing his career.Conly praised Johnston for his efforts to get the painting donated to Marblehead and said Johnston should have been invited to the donation last Wednesday.