The Great Cutter Race of 1905: A Legendary Irish Tale in Newport

The Great Cutter Race of 1905 is a tale of the four-mile rowing race in Newport Harbor that pitted the members of the recently established Hibernia Racing Club of Newport against the champion cutter racing crew of the U.S. Navy’s Atlantic Squadron, assigned to the USS Kearsarge. Racing cutters became popular in Newport Harbor during the Gilded Age, and thousands of Newport’s citizens, Navy sailors, tourists, workers and gamblers assembled to watch these 12-man boats compete. The August 1905 challenge race remains legendary.

Steve Marino taught history in Connecticut for 35 years and retired to Newport. He has been giving tours at Fort Adams since 2008. He is also on the Board of the Museum of Newport Irish History. Steve holds degrees from Williams College, Brown University and the Hartford Seminary.