Whaleship Charles W. Morgan Returns Home to New Bedford

Photo: Mystic Seaport

Photo: Mystic Seaport

In January 1841, the Hillman Brothers shipyard on the Acushnet River in New Bedford, MA delivered a new whaleship, the Charles W. Morgan.   Yesterday, the Charles W. Morgan, the only surviving wooden whaling ship, sailed back into New Bedford, where she was built more than 170 years ago.  She was last in New Bedford in 1941 before being moved to Mystic Seaport Museum. The historic ship has undergone a five year  major rebuilding at the seaport museum. The Morgan will be open for visitors in New Bedford starting Saturday.

In her 80 years of active service more than 1,000 sailors of all nationalities brought home 54,483 barrels of sperm and whale oil and 152,934 pounds of whalebone.

New Bedford Celebrates Return Of World’s Only Remaining Wooden Whaleship

Comments

Whaleship Charles W. Morgan Returns Home to New Bedford — 3 Comments

  1. The article says she’s going to be permanently docked in Boston. So she won’t be returning to Mystic? That’s kind of shame.

  2. I don’t think that that is accurate. The Mystic Seaport site has the following note on itinerary:

    “The ship will then sail to Vineyard Haven, New Bedford, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Boston, and then back to New London and Mystic with a stop at the Cape Cod Canal to participate in its centennial celebration.”