The Charles W. Morgan: Preserving the Last Wooden Whaleship in the World

Charles W. Morg

an

The Charles W. MorganPreserving the last wooden

whaleship in the world

The Charles W. MorganThe Luckiest of America’s Wooden Whaleships

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During her 80 years of sailing the world’s oceans in pursuit of whales, the Morgan escaped cannibals and Confederate raiders, and avoided entrapment in the frozen Arctic. In 37 whaling voyages between 1841 and 1921 she logged an astonishing 73 years at sea, surviving fire, storms, Cape Horn roundings, and—after she finished her sailing career—even the hurricane of 1938!

The Morgan was launched on July 21, 1841 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She typically sailed with a crew of about 35, representing sailors from around the world. Morgan measures 113’11” in length with a beam of 27’8”. Her depth of hold is 17’6” feet and she registers 313.75 gross tons. Ship-rigged when built, she finished her seagoing career and is exhibited as a bark.

Today, the Morgan continues to inspire visitors from the world over. She is a National Historic Landmark Vessel, and a recipient of the coveted World Ship Trust award. Since arriving at Mystic Seaport in 1941, the Morgan has fascinated over 20 million visitors. Restoring the Morgan will ensure that her national seafaring legacy will live on for generations to come.

he story of the American whaling industry, which

the Charles W. Morgan so powerfully represents,

is a rousing chapter in our nation’s history.

I think to have no sense of the story of your

country is like having no sense of the history of

your life. It’s a form of amnesia and can be as

detrimental to a society as it is to an individual.

If you have no story, I don’t think you have a soul.

And if we lose our collective memory – our story as

a society and an on-going experiment – we’re going

to be in big trouble.

I enthusiastically support the important work

Mystic Seaport is doing on the Morgan’s restoration,

which will insure we remember this vivid chapter in

our country’s history.

~ David McCullough Pulitzer Prize-winning Author and Historian

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the remarkable Charles W. Morgan

n New Bedford, Massachussetts, on a warm July

day in 1841, a 350-ton whaling ship slid down

the ways of the Hillman brothers’ shipyard

into the placid waters of the Acushnet River.

Whaling was a powerful force in the

19th-century economy. It provided

lubricating oil for industrial machines

and illuminating oil for homes and

streetlights. Whalebone was the flexible

plastic of its time, widely used for

everything from buggy whips to corset

stays.

All told, in 200-plus years of American whaling,

more than 14,000 voyages would be sailed by over

2,900 whaling vessels. The Charles W. Morgan—launched that

July day—was one of them.

Today, the Morgan alone survives as the

oldest American wooden commercial sailing

ship afloat—the last representative of a

once-dominant whaling fleet that circled

the globe to power America’s early

industrial development. Authentically

restored and maintained by Mystic

Seaport, known and viewed by literally

millions of visitors, she has been

granted National Historic Landmark

status and is an enduring symbol of

the American spirit embodied by our

seafaring ancestors.

She is a treasure to be preserved for all time - for

all Americans and the world to enjoy.

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A whaleship drying her sails alongside a wharf in New Bedford with whale oil casks in the foreground, ca. 1870. During her 80-year whaling career, the Morgan brought back 54,483 barrels of whale oil.

Charles W. Morgan, a New Bedford owner of whaleships, after whom his new ship was named.

Caption listed here

More than 20 million visitors of all ages and from all around the world have visited the Charles W. Morgan since she retired from whaling.

Owner Charles W. Morgan’s diary entry reporting the launch of “my elegant new ship” on July 21, 1841.

“As the sole surviving wooden

whaleship [in the world], the

Charles W. Morgan is a time capsule

of immense value...it is critical that this ship be restored... not just

as an unrivaled educational tool, but

as a testament to a vital part of the

history of both the United States and

the oceanic world as a whole.” Joan Druett New Zealand whaling historian and author of Petticoat Whalers

Members of Mystic Seaport’s demonstration squad set sails and man the lookout hoops, helping to bring the Charles W. Morgan alive for today’s visitors.

the diverse crew of the Charles W. Morgan

T he Charles W. Morgan sailed the world, and her crew came

from all parts of the world. The stories of her crews and

of the political, economic and social events through which

she sailed are a microcosm of 19th-century American

maritime history.

She was built by craftsmen of many ethnicities. Work on the

Morgan was interrupted when New Bedford shipwrights went

on strike in defense of their demand for a 10-hour workday,

a principal aim of the developing American trade unions.

(The parties eventually compromised on a 10.5-hour day.)

Whaleship crews represented some of the most diverse

populations ashore or afloat, and crews aboard the Charles

W. Morgan were no different. In an era when American

society had become increasingly divided on the subject of

race, she set sail with an African American officer (and her

largest-ever number of African American crew members)

in 1856. European, Japanese and South Pacific islanders—

even the occasional escaped Australian convict—toiled side

by side with New England crewmen, whose journeys could

take them up to five years and 25,000 miles under sail.

Women, too, sailed aboard her. While no whaleship employed

female crew, five Morgan captains brought their wives—two

of whom were expert navigators.

By preserving the Morgan, we preserve more than the ship

itself. We honor the skills and comprehend the values of

generations of officers and sailors—working men from every

corner of the Earth—who lived and served aboard her.

The faces of these four Morgan whalemen suggest European, Cape Verdian and Pacific Island origins, a common mix for a late 19th-century whaling crew.

t Sailors from t around the world

19-century New England whaleships

have long been known for the

remarkable diversity of their crews.

The more than 1,000 sailors who

worked the Charles W. Morgan over

the course of her career hailed

from more than 50 countries in

every part of the world, as the graph

at left illustrates.

Descendants of Morgan crew members gather for a reunion at Mystic Seaport in 2006.

Captain James A.M. Earle and his son Jamie pose on board the Charles W. Morgan, ca. 1903.

Captain James A.M. Earle and his wife Honor Matthews Earle from New Zealand.

he Morgan has been called a lucky ship and for many

good reasons. In 37 voyages and a career that spanned

eight decades, she survived the countless hazards of the sea-

braving ocean storms, Arctic ice, and even a cannibal attack.

The ship’s logs are filled with touching and fascinating

tales that reflect the times in which she sailed. One captain,

Thomas C. Landers, lost his 16-year-old son Arthur overboard;

his wife, Lydia, gave birth to another son, named in honor of

his brother, who shipped out with his mother and the crew at

just three weeks of age.

On another voyage, the Morgan rescued Russian prisoners

who had escaped from a forced labor camp. In all, the Morgan

visited nearly every place imaginable, from the South Pacific

to the West Indies, from the tip of Chile to the Russian port

of Vladivostok. In the course of her travels, crewmen from

nearly every continent worked her decks—many of them

eventually becoming US citizens.

Once her whaling days were over in 1921, the Morgan made yet

another journey—into the world of movies. She appeared

in three silent films (including the classic Down to the Sea

in Ships) before she was ultimately preserved by Whaling

Enshrined, Inc. and exhibited at Col. Edward H.R. Green’s

South Dartmouth, Massachusetts estate. Her final port of call?

Mystic Seaport–the Museum of America and the Sea where

she arrived in November of 1941.

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voyages of the Charles W. Morgan

“[The Constitution and the

Morgan] both were the product of

a young energetic nation determined to find her place

in the world. Wherever they went they were ‘America’ to all who saw them. Not only are they the two greatest historic ships in America,

they are both national icons.” William Fowler Maritime Historian and past Executive Director of the Massachusetts Historical Society

The Charles W. Morgan makes its final voyage, passing through the raised Mystic highway bridge on its way to Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut in 1941.

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“Ships at Crowell’s Wharf,” San Francisco, California 1870.

A silver coin-(en peso)-from Chile ca. 1877.

Engraved map of Africa showing ports, cities and regions including Grain Coast, Ivory Coast and Gold Coast.

Figure of Japanese woman playing stringed instrument.

Model of outrigger canoe from Fiji.

Painting “Desolation Island,” Indian Ocean, ca. 1880.

“View of Auckland Harbor, New Zealand” drawn during regatta of January, 1862, shows three racing Maiori war canoes in foreground.

“America cannot be understood as a nation until we

understand it as a piece of land surrounded and permeated by

water... And so this cherished vessel, and others like it, are far

more than quaint relics of a bygone era. They embody the noblest

aspirations of a people. They speak not only of what is past, but

to what endures - ingenuity, intrepidity, and an insatiable

appetite for freedom and a better life in a better land.”Senator Christopher J. DoddOn presenting the World Ship Trust’s “Maritime Heritage Award” to Mystic Seaport for its efforts to preserve the Charles W. Morgan: September 23, 2000.

t a rich legacy t of maritime artifacts

These photographs and artifacts are drawn from the Mystic Seaport’s extensive collection of 75,000 maritime artifacts and more than one million historic photographs.

Charles W. Morganports of call

1841 ~ 1921

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Whaleships like the Morgan spent considerable amounts of time in Arctic waters. While there, whalers encountered native people like these Hudson’s Bay Inuit.

This carved sperm whale tooth is an example of scrimshaw, the American whaleman’s folk art. Sailors passed the long hours at sea by carving designs on whale teeth and bone, creating mementos to bring home to loved ones.

Painting from the inside cover of the logbook from the Charles W. Morgan’s first voyage: September 6, 1841 to January 2, 1845.

he Morgan was built in just eight months in 1841, at a cost of

just under $27,000. But today, she’ll take three years and

approximately $5 million to restore.

Wooden ships require constant maintenance and renewal.

The Charles W. Morgan has undergone two major restoration

efforts in her 80+ years as a museum ship. It is now time for

another. This third phase will renew areas of the vessel from

approximately the waterline down to below the turn of her bilge,

including parts that haven’t been seen since she was built.

Mystic Seaport is uniquely positioned to accomplish a museum-

quality restoration while maintaining access to the ship and

the restoration process. Our Henry B. duPont Preservation

Shipyard is dedicated exclusively to the restoration of historic

vessels and boasts state-of-the-art lift equipment, a full range

of new and historic tools and a staff of shipwrights with

years of experience building and rebuilding wooden ships.

Framing and other structural elements will require over

50,000 board feet of white and live oak, along with thousands of

board feet of other woods. Historically valued for shipbuilding

because of its strength and durability, live oak grows only in

the southern US and is protected throughout most its range.

Much of this precious wood will come from the storm-ravaged

Mississippi Gulf Coast, where over 300 tons were salvaged

after Hurricane Katrina. These trees will make an important

contribution not only to the rebuilding of the Morgan, but to

building public interest in the process, illustrating an uplifting

story of restoration and renewal.

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Mystic Seaport’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard is a state-of-the-art wooden ship restoration and haul ashore facility.

After the restoration, the Morgan will again grace Mystic Seaport’s waterfront with sails set, inspiring new generations with stories of her seafaring history.

the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan

RESTORING A NATIONAL TREASUREt t t t t t t t t

Sawing timber is a constant activity. Having our own sawmill enables Mystic Seaport to acquire timber directly from the source.

An adze or other traditional tool is often the only way to shape the timbers.

Planks are steamed for increased flexibility, but it still takes force to bend them into place.

The transom was rebuilt during the last phase of restoration.

“The Charles W. Morgan is one of America’s

greatest treasures. To explore the Morgan is to

experience our country’s maritime past in a

way no book or lecture can ever hope to match…..

Please help Mystic Seaport do all it can to

make sure the Morgan is around at least

another 167 years. ”

Nathaniel Philbrick Author of In The Heart Of The Sea and Mayflower

Live oak felled during Hurricane Katrina will find new life in the Charles W. Morgan.

A shipyard craftsman exhibits traditional caulking skills.

he restoration project and associated public programming

will be Mystic Seaport’s highest institutional priority and

most visible public offering for the duration of the three-year

restoration process.

A major exhibit in the shipyard gallery will introduce visitors

to all facets of the reconstruction effort—documentation of the

ship’s construction and condition, ship design techniques, tools

of the trade, even the wood-boring organisms that make repairs

imperative—as well as introducing the sponsors who will make

her reconstruction possible.

The Morgan’s restoration will be an on-line feature for both

Mystic Seaport’s website (www.mysticseaport.org) and for the

area’s website (www.mystic.org)—with visitors encouraged to

join us for regular updates on the reconstruction progress.

Throughout the restoration, new programs and events will

delight and entertain visitors. Inspired by the people and the

journeys of the Morgan, visitors will gain new perspectives

on every facet of the whaling era. From the lively Sea Music

Festival to international food and culture events celebrating

the ship’s ports of call, the arts will come alive at the Museum.

And for those fascinated by scientific discovery, there will be

opportunities to understand the origins of modern

navigation, the mysteries of whale habits and habitats and

the power of wind, currents and weather.

Boarded by over 20 million visitors over the course of her stay

at Mystic Seaport, the Morgan has always attracted interest.

Our partnership with NOAA (National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration) will support scientific research

on marine sanctuaries. Through media partners and

outreach to national publications via an aggressive public

relations effort, our restoration will place the Morgan in the

public eye like never before.

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spreading the legacy of the Charles W. Morgan

The restoration of the national treasure that is the Charles W. Morgan guarantees that Mystic Seaport’s jewel will continue to honor our history and bring the past alive for generations to come.

The Morgan will make news wiTh evenTs cenTered around a differenT Theme each year:

2008 - Research & RestorationAs the Morgan is lifted from the water and is prepared for restoration, preserving the ship’s authenticity is paramount. Events like the NOAA Whaling Heritage Symposium

underscore our dedication to preservation.

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2009 - Science & TechnologySailors of the 19th- century were masters of celestial navigation— one of the subjects that will illuminate the skills of these seafarers - and fascinate students of

the modern age.

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2010 - Art & LiteratureThe golden age of sail had an impact that went beyond the seas - and seeped deep into the American identity. We’ll celebrate with events like an expansion of our

popular Moby-Dick Marathon.

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2011 - History & PolicyThe Charles W. Morgan was an American ship, but she spent nearly all of her 80 year career at sea. Join us in memorializing the Morgan’s legacy of diversity as we celebrate

numerous ports of call.

“The magnificent Charles W. Morgan is a

national treasure. …it is a critically

important link to america’s past when

whaling fueled the economic, political, and

cultural growth of the nation. Maintaining

the Morgan as a living monument to America’s

whaling and maritime heritage will ensure that

we honor our history and never forget where

we came from and how we got here.” Eric Jay Dolin Author of Leviathan

Visitors learn the cooper’s art. Casks such as these, assembled as needed at sea, were used for all manner of storage during voyages that could last up to five years.

At her grand rededication ceremony, the Charles W. Morgan will display minimal

visible change. True to the Museum’s mission and commitment to accuracy

and authenticity, a 19th-century whaleman would find her decks, rig and hold

familiar. Those looking for change, however, may find it in the thousands who will

continue to be able to walk her decks—experiencing a connection to our shared

maritime past that will inspire visitors long into the future.

The Charles W. Morgan an american icon renewed

Fully restored, the Morgan will be ready for her next voyage and cargo: carrying people to the past so they can be better prepared to meet the challenges of today and the future.

WE INVITE yOU TO JOIN US IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK.

75 Greenmanville Avenue | Mystic, CT 06355 860.572.0711 | www.mysticseaport.org

The Restoration of the Charles W. Morgan is proudly supported in part by:

The Charles W. MorganPreserving the last wooden

whaleship in the world