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HISTORY
The
Charles W. Morgan is the last surviving wooden whaling ship
from the great days of sail. Built in 1841 in New Bedford,
Mass., the Morgan had a successful 80-year whaling
career. She made 37 voyages before retiring in 1921, and was
preserved as an exhibit through the efforts of a number of
dedicated citizens. After being on display in South Dartmouth,
Mass., until 1941, she came to Mystic Seaport, where each year
thousands of visitors walk her decks and hear the fascinating
story of her career as a whaling vessel, historic exhibit, film
and media star, and a porthole into America's rich history. Take
your own journey into the history of this remarkable survivor.
1.
Why is the Morgan important?
The Charles W. Morgan is the only remaining American
wooden whaling ship.
2.
Where was the Morgan built?
The ship was built at the Hillman shipyard in New Bedford, Mass.
3.
How old is the Morgan?
The Morgan was launched on July 21, 1841. She is 163
years old.
4.
How long did it take to build the Morgan?
The Morgan was built over a nine month period.
5.
How much did it cost to build her?
The ship itself cost $26,877, with another $25,977 to outfit her
with all necessary equipment and supplies for her first voyage.
6.
Who was Charles W. Morgan?
Charles Waln Morgan was one of six children born to Quaker
parents in Philadelphia. He was born on September 14, 1796. He
relocated to New Bedford, Mass., in 1819 where he married Sarah
Rodman and began investing in whaling vessels. Morgan managed 15
vessels and owned shares in 18 others during his career. With
his whaling profits, he invested in many other business
enterprises. Morgan left the Quaker faith to become a Unitarian
and was recognized as an abolitionist and a supporter of the
temperance movement. While he was away on business in 1841,
Morgan’s nephew took the liberty of naming the new whaling ship
after his uncle. Morgan died on April 7, 1861.
7.
How big is the ship?
The Morgan is comparable to many whaling ships of the
time: 105' on deck, 133' overall. Her beam (width) is 27.7' and
her draft (depth) is 12.6 feet, although fully loaded she could
draw as much as 17.6', her registered depth. Her displacement
(weight) is 313.75 tons.
8.
How long were the voyages?
Her longest voyage was four years and eleven months, while her
shortest was "only" eight and a half months.
9.
How many in the crew?
The Morgan's full crew complement was around 35 men.
10. Where was her home?
The Morgan sailed from New Bedford, Mass., from 1841 to
1886. Then, as the whaling industry waned, she relocated to San
Francisco from 1887 until 1906, off-loading her whale oil and
shipping it back east by rail. The Morgan returned to
New Bedford between 1906 and 1921, when she “retired” from
whaling.
11. How many trips did she make?
The Morgan made 37 whaling voyages under the command of
20 different captains.
12. How much money did the Morgan make?
The Morgan’s career was a profitable one. During her
80-year career, oil prices varied widely; but by the time she
stopped whaling, the Morgan had earned a total of more
than one million dollars. Her best voyage brought in $165,405,
and her least, $8,977.
13. Were there women aboard?
Five captains’ wives sailed with their husbands on the
Morgan. The captain was the only one permitted to bring his
wife and family members aboard the vessel.
14. Why did they hunt for whales?
Before petroleum oil was discovered in 1859, whale oil was a
primary agent for lubrication and illumination. Even after the
discovery of petroleum, whale oil was still used for many
applications. In addition, other important products, including
baleen (a plastic-like material), spermaceti (a waxy substance
used to make candles) and ambergris were harvested from various
species of whale.
15. Which kinds of whale did they hunt for?
Vessels like the Morgan primarily hunted three species
of whale: sperm, right and bowhead. These species were easy to
catch (relative to other species), yielded the most desirable
products and reliably remained afloat when they were killed.
Occasionally other species, including the California gray whale,
were also pursued.
16. How did they catch the whales?
When whales were spotted from the lookout hoops of the ship, the
officer-in-charge determined how many boats to send in pursuit.
For most of her career, the Morgan carried five
whaleboats. Six crew members manned each boat, which was then
rowed, sailed or paddled (depending on conditions) to the
whale(s). A harpoon, with a long line attached, was thrust into
the whale, securing the boat to the whale. Frequently, the whale
would swim away until it grew weary from pulling the boat over
the sea. When the whale stopped to rest, the crew would bring
the boat close to the whale and kill it with a long lance or
heavy firearm.
17. How would they process the whale?
Once along side the ship, the dead whale would be secured and
the insulating layer of blubber just below the skin would be
removed, cut into manageable pieces and melted into oil in the
kettles of the try-works on board. The oil would then be stored
in casks and barrels below deck. The head of the whale was
removed and various products (including baleen and spermaceti)
were harvested and stored.
18. How much whale oil could the Morgan hold?
The Morgan’s cargo capacity was around 3,000 barrels
(each barrel held 31.5 gallons). Therefore, the Morgan
could potentially bring home over 90,000 gallons of oil.
19. Was whaling dangerous?
At times, whaling was very dangerous. Numerous accidents
occurred while working aloft in the rigging, processing the
whales or during rough seas. The hunt and chase involved close
encounters with a very large and potentially aggressive
creature. Whaleboats were sometimes tipped over or smashed by
whales, and men were injured or killed as a result.
However,
compared with other seafaring trades, whaling was not terribly
dangerous. Men working in the commercial fishing trade were far
more likely to be injured or killed than whale men. |
