The Dreadnought

"Wild Boat of the Atlantic"

Photo courtesy of American Clipper Ships by Octavius T. Howe and Frederick C. Matthews

The Dreadnought is quite possibly my favorite vessel of all--she was built in Newburyport, which is practically home to me, and is one of the most prolific wooden boats ever built on the seacoast. 
Built in 1853 by Currier & Townsend, she was the product of a clipper-shipbuilding dynasty in Newburyport, Massachusetts. "She measured 1400 tons register, 200 feet long, 39 feet beam, and 26 depth of hold..."* She was captained by Cpt. Samuel Samuels, who led the packet on all of her transatlantic voyages; The Dreadnought completed some twenty recorded trips from New York to Liverpool*.
Nicknamed the "Wild Boat of the Atlantic," the packet ship Dreadnought operated under the Red Cross Line and made an average 19-day trip from the east coast of the United States to the port of Liverpool in England. She was a cargo ship, carrying raw materials to Europe and returning, typically, with manufactured goods.
On a personal level, my parents occasionally reminisce upon the tales of their former favorite bar in Newburyport--The Dreadnought. Appropriately enough, the bar was accessed by walking through a dry ship. The best part is the barmaid, who my mother recalls as being a surly old Yankee. Allegedly, she took the liberty of giving the patrons whatever she thought they would like to drink, despite what they actually ordered.

Why the Dreadnought is worth mentioning:

1. She is the quintessential example of American ingenuity and motivation in an era when we, as Americans, were still seeking ways to build our nation.
2. This packet-ship was fast. Really, really fast. She was, during her short career, the fastest boat on the Atlantic.
3. The Dreadnought is aesthetically pleasing in her portraits. I can only imagine what she looked like in person.


Who Am I?
I am a student of American History with a throbbing interest in New England's maritime history, particularly that of the boatyards of the Seacoast. I have a penchant for wooden boats, sand and salt.


*The Dreadnought of Newburyport, Massachusetts and Some Account of the Old Transatlantic Packet Ships by Francis B.C. Bradlee. The Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1920.
*Hampton, NH Public Library