The Morgan

Image courtesy of Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT

The most prolific aspect of New England's maritime history is, without a doubt, the whaling industry of the 19th and 20th centuries. Whaling ships were produced mainly in New Bedford throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century. Of the multitude of whalers built throughout America during this era, only one survives today - the Charles W. Morgan. Not only is she the last remaining American wooden whaleship, she is also the oldest-surviving American merchant vessel.
Built at the Hillman Shipyard in New Bedford in 1841, the Charles W. Morgan made an impressive thirty seven trips during her eighty year career. She carried a crew of approximately thirty men on each voyage, as well as the (typically) five whaleboats carried on her davits. Her maiden voyage took place in 1841 and included a voyage around Cape Horn. She was managed by the J. & W. R. Wing Company out of New Bedford. Coincidentally, this past summer, I had the pleasure of meeting a woman who was a direct descendant of William R. Wing - she came to my workplace to learn about our part in Mystic Seaport's restoration of the Morgan (which I will address later in this entry).
Anyone familiar with the history of whaling is sure to know the potential for enormous profit. Oil and baleen were the most desired parts of the whale and were used in everything from lipstick and interior lighting to women's undergarments. During her long career, the Morgan returned some 54,483 barrels of oil and nearly double that number in pounds of baleen - in total, these goods were worth roughly the amount of one million dollars today.
Profit, however, could not dispel the imminent danger of whaling. When whales were spotted, the head officer aboard the ship would determine how many whaleboats were to be sent out. The smaller boats would then be lowered into the water, manned by six men, one of which would harpoon the whale while the others controlled the boat. The well-known "Nantucket sleigh-ride" would then ensue until the whale tired, at which point it would be brought back to the whaleship for processing. Oftentimes the whaleboats and the men aboard them were unsuccessful; tales of whales smashing apart the smaller boats are numerous.
The Charles W. Morgan was retired in the mid-20th century and is currently undergoing an historic restoration project at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. The project is estimated to cost $1.5 million and is slated to be completed in 2014. There are a number of boat shops across the country participating in the Morgan's restoration by building the smaller whaleboats she would traditionally have carried. One of these is Lowell's Boat Shop in Amesbury, Massachusetts. For information on their part of the project, one should visit http://www.lowellsboatshop.com/whaleboatproject/projhome.html. For information on the overall restoration of the Charles W. Morgan at Mystic Seaport, and how you can see her, please visit http://www.mysticseaport.org/.

Sources:

"SUCCESSFUL WHALER RETURNS. - View Article - NYTimes.com." SUCCESSFUL WHALER RETURNS.  NYTimes.com. New York Times, 30 Oct. 1900. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

"Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea." Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

Hirshson, G. Warren. The Whale Ship Charles W. Morgan,. New Bedford, MA: Reynolds Print., 1926. Print.