Charles W. Morgan (ship)

For the naval officer, see Charles W. Morgan (naval officer). For the whaling businessman, see Charles Waln Morgan.

Charles W. Morgan
Charles W. Morgan at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut
History
United States
Owner
BuilderJethro and Zachariah Hillman, New Bedford, Massachusetts
Launched1841
Identification
StatusMuseum ship
General characteristics
Tonnage351.3 (Old Tons); 313.8 (New Tons)[2]
Length113 ft (34 m) LOA
Beam27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
Depth17.1 feet (5.2 m)[3]
Sail planDouble-topsail bark rig; 13,000 sq ft (1,200 m2) of sail[4]
Charles W. Morgan
Charles W. Morgan (ship) is located in Connecticut
Charles W. Morgan (ship)
Charles W. Morgan (ship) is located in the United States
Charles W. Morgan (ship)
LocationMystic, Connecticut
Coordinates41°21′44″N 71°57′55″W / 41.36222°N 71.96518°W / 41.36222; -71.96518
Built1841
Part ofMystic Bridge Historic District (ID79002671)
NRHP reference No.66000804
Significant dates
Added to NRHP13 November 1966[5]
Designated NHL13 November 1966[6]
Designated CPAugust 31, 1979

Charles W. Morgan is an American whaling ship built in 1841 that was active during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Ships of this type were used to harvest the blubber of whales for whale oil which was commonly used in lamps. Charles W. Morgan has served as a museum ship since the 1940s and is now an exhibit at the Mystic Seaport museum in Mystic, Connecticut. She is the world's oldest surviving (non-wrecked) merchant vessel, the only surviving wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet (of an estimated 2,700 built),[7] and second to USS Constitution, the oldest seaworthy vessel in the world. Charles W. Morgan was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference nrhpinv was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Davis, Lance E.; Gallman, Robert E.; Gleiter, Karen (1997). "Chapter 6: Capital" (PDF). In Pursuit of Leviathan: Technology, Institutions, Productivity, and Profits in American Whaling, 1816–1906 (pdf). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Table 6.11 at p. 254. ISBN 0-226-13789-9. See p. 215 (pdf) & fn. 5 for discussion of the difference in tonnage measurements.
  3. ^ Results for Vessel CHARLES W MORGAN, Port State Information Exchange, United States Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange. June 14, 2021.
  4. ^ "Charles W. Morgan – Whaling Ship". Mystic Seaport. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
  5. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  6. ^ "Charles W. Morgan (Bark)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 1, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2007.
  7. ^ "Charles W. Morgan - The Last Wooden Whaleship in the World!". Mystic Seaport Museum. Retrieved June 2, 2021.