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Replica Finds New Home in Town Hall

Visitors to Westbrook’s Town Hall may have noticed a new display in the lobby: a replica of the Turtle, the first submarine ever used in war that was designed by Westbrook resident David Bushnell.

In 1776, with the British laying siege to New York Harbor David Bushnell, a Westbrook resident that grew up on a farm near intersection of Essex and McVeagh roads, came up with a plan. Bushnell designed a secret weapon: a submersible that could be deployed at night to attach a bomb to the bottom of an enemy ship. The invention, named the Turtle, was America’s first submarine and the first submarine to ever be used in war.

The Turtle was launched on three missions – all ultimately unsuccessful — before it was eventually sunk. While the missions might not have been successful, its legacy was significant. According to the Connecticut River Museum, even George Washington in a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1785 praised Bushnell for his design.

“Bushnell is a man of great mechanical powers, fertile in inventions and master of execution … I then thought, and still think, that it was an effort of genius, “ Washington wrote.

Nearly 250 years later, the actual Turtle is still lost, but thanks to Leighton Lee III and Old Saybrook teacher Fred Frese, a replica of the Turtle can be seen in Westbrook’s Town Hall lobby.

In the early 2000’s Lee turned the Bushnell House – a house built in 1678 in downtown Westbrook by David Bushnell’s father Captain Samuel Bushnell – into a Museum of Early Engineering Technology.

“I’m an engineer by trade but later in life I grew to appreciate the surrounding history,” Lee said.

In wanting to showcase that history, Lee got into contact with Fred Frese, a shop teacher in Old Saybrook. Frese agreed to work on the project with his students and Lee financed some of the materials.

“He had his class build it. I took possession of it when the educational component was done about four years later,” said Lee.

Frese said that not only did the class build the replica, but it actually was put in the water about five different times for demonstrations over the years. “It was a great project with the kids and it wouldn’t have happened without Mr. Lee. :

Nearly 15 years later, Lee and the town have been engaging in in negotiations for the town to acquire the Bushnell house and Lee said he decided to donate the Turtle to the Town as well.

“Town Hall seemed the best bet and I thought it might fit right in the lobby. Westbrook goes way back and it was instrumental in winning the war. I thought people might appreciate it,” Lee said.