Looking back on her years with the Thames River Heritage Park Foundation, Marian Galbraith said she’s most proud of the collaboration among different entities to accomplish a shared vision.

Representatives of historical institutions, local municipalities and organizations, the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, state parks and agencies, and the Navy worked with a mindset, not of “it can’t be done,” but “how do we get it done?”

Today, the nonprofit organization has run a seasonal water taxi service between New London and Groton for five years and links together historic sites along the Thames River into a heritage park.

“I'm amazed at how far it's come,” Galbraith said.

After four years as president of the board of directors, and years of involvement before then, she said it’s now time to pass the baton and give another person a turn.

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Paul Whitescarver, the former commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base who has given boat tours with Galbraith, was voted in Wednesday as interim president of the board.

Galbraith said she still will be involved in the heritage park foundation but in a different capacity: “I’ll always be a supporter of Thames River Heritage Park,” she said.

Galbraith, an educator for 35 years and former Groton City mayor, also chairs the Subvets Memorial Committee and is involved with the Groton Education Foundation and the USS Groton Sail Foundation, among other endeavors.

“She has been an amazing community leader for decades, and she has been a dedicated and very gifted leader for this park,” said Amy Perry, executive director of the Thames River Heritage Park Foundation.

Perry said Galbraith became president during very difficult circumstances when Chris Cox, the president of the board, suffered a stroke. Galbraith, who had been vice president, stepped up for the role and has served for four years.

Among her accomplishments, Perry said Galbraith was instrumental in helping to secure the surplus Navy utility boats that serve as the water taxis. As a former teacher, Galbraith also volunteers her time to give boat tours and share with others her passion for the history of the area.

“She brings this wonderful combination of vision and intellect and tenacity,” Perry said. “She can lead us in a great direction and know how to get us somewhere but she can also roll up her sleeves and get a group of volunteers to weed the Groton landing every season with buckets and weeding instruments.”

Bob Ross, executive director of the state's Office of Military Affairs and one of the founding board members, said Galbraith was there at the beginning of the conversations to revive the idea of creating a park, a decadeslong concept that previously had stalled.

"She's had a hand in it from the beginning, and she saw the tremendous connection this park makes between New London and Groton and Ledyard and Montville and Waterford and all those communities that share this Thames River and all of its heritage," he said.

Galbraith said the educational value of the park is what is so immense to her: “I always thought that right here every historic trend that happened in America was visible,” she said.

She said both sides of the Thames River offer the opportunity to see American history unfold. People can learn about the cultures of Native Americans, the American Revolution, the African American experience and northern migration, the immigrant experience, the whaling and defense industries and the Industrial Revolution.

Hali Keeler, president of the Friends of Fort Griswold and a board member of the Avery Copp House, said Galbraith has been a great supporter of the historic sites in the heritage park. “She’s given a lot of time and a lot of creativity,” Keeler said.

Current City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick said the Thames River Heritage Park brings people to the region. Both local residents and visitors take the water taxi, whether to get something to eat in New London or Groton or to take a walk to sites such as Fort Griswold, the Ebenezer Avery House and the Avery Copp House.

Hedrick said Galbraith was instrumental in getting the board formed and helping bring on people with different skill sets. She was very energetic and enthusiastic, and if people ever had any doubts along the way about the foundation’s direction or what to do, Galbraith was there to encourage them.

"She was pragmatic, but she was also extremely optimistic," Hedrick said.

Capt. Todd Moore, current commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, said in a statement that Galbraith has "exemplified stewardship of the history, heritage, culture and community of Southeastern Connecticut and the Thames River."

“From her unflagging public service and Submarine Centennial leadership to her Heritage Park and Water Taxi advocacy, she has been 'can do,'" he said. "On behalf of all those aboard Naval Submarine Base New London, I salute her generous and impactful service. It has (made), and continues, to make this area such a wonderful place to live and work for our military members and families.”

Galbraith said she has enjoyed collaborating with so many different people and wants to continue to give tours. Though she is stepping down as president, she said she will remain on the board through the end of the term cycle, until about May.

She said she is excited for Whitescarver as the new president, who arrived on the scene as commanding officer of the base just when Connecticut Submarine Century was launching and quickly became an authority on the region’s defense history.

“He moved into this area and became a part of our storytelling and a historian of our area and that's very exciting to me, and he’s also somebody who gets things done,” Galbraith said. “He’s one of those people; when he sits at a table, he doesn’t say, ‘We can’t do this,’ he says, 'So, how are we going to get it done?’ so he’s going to be just a fabulous president for the Thames River Heritage Park."

As president, Whitescarver said he wants to see through to completion a dock project at the Submarine Force Museum/USS Nautilus as part of the Thames River Heritage Park and see the park grow.

“It’s just a wonderful way to connect a lot of heritage and a lot of tourism between both sides of the Thames,” he said.

k.drelich@theday.com