Charles W. Morgan

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The Morgan was launched on July 21, 1841, from the yard of Jethro and Zachariah Hillman in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It typically sailed with a crew of about 35, representing sailors from around the world. The whaleship measures 113 feet, 11 inches length on deck with a beam measuring 27 feet, 8 inches. Its main truck on the mainmast is 110 feet above the deck; fully-rigged, and the ship carries 7,134 square feet of sail. The huge try-pots used for converting blubber into whale oil are on deck; below are the cramped quarters in which the officers and men lived.

Over an 80-year whaling career, the Morgan embarked on 37 voyages with most lasting three years or more. Built for durability, not speed, it roamed every corner of the globe in pursuit of whales. The Morgan is known as a “lucky ship,” having successfully navigated crushing Arctic ice, countless storms, Cape Horn roundings and, after finishing its whaling career, even the Hurricane of 1938.

The whaleship was designated a National Historic Landmark by order of the Secretary of the Interior in 1966, and is also a recipient of the coveted World Ship Trust Award. Since its arrival at Mystic Seaport Museum, more than 20 million visitors have walked its deck. Where once it hunted and processed whales for profit, its purpose now is to tell an important part of our nation’s maritime heritage and the lessons that history has for current generations.