The Vineyard’s Smallest Shipyard: The Story of C.K. Van Riper

The Vineyard’s Smallest Shipyard: The Story of C.K. Van Riper

Charles King Van Riper – “Charlie” or “C. K.” to his friends – couldn’t have built a precisely scaled ship model to save his life. Yet, the shop he founded on the shores of Vineyard Haven Harbor built more than 15,000 of them. Over nearly thirty years, Van Riper of Vineyard Haven filled orders from travel agencies, shipping lines, and two presidents; helped to win World War II; and provided thousands of travelers with “models of ships on which you’ve sailed.”

On Tuesday, September 16th, join MVM Research Librarian Bow Van Riper (C. K.’s grandson) for a light-hearted look at the Vineyard’s smallest shipyard.

MVM Members: $15; Non-Members: $25

DETAILS


Date September 16, 2025
From 5:00 pm
To 6:00 pm
Type Talk
Venue Martha’s Vineyard Museum
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email collections@mvmuseum.org. Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.