Watch the latest video of the restoration voyage
<Watch videos>
View photos from the Morgan's restoration
<View photos>
Help us preserve this national treasure by clicking on the banner below.
| << Live Oak Vital in Morgan Restoration |
Charles W. Morgan Preservation History and Methods
Help Support the Morgan Restoration: Donate Now
When the Charles W. Morgan first came to Mystic Seaport in 1941, she was preserved in a sand berth. Her hold was filled with ballast stone and her hull surrounded by sand so that she would not float and could not be moved by high tides or storm conditions. Upon the Morgan's arrival, vessel preservation was accomplished by experienced ship carpenters and riggers, as well as volunteers and scouts.
In the late 1960s, concern for the integrity of the Morgan's aging hull structure led to extensive investigations into the vessel's condition. Following these surveys, it was determined that the most responsible way to continue the whaleship's long-term preservation was to restore her to floating condition -- since a floating vessel is mobile and can be moved to haul out facilities for periodic inspection and maintenance. In order to successfully accomplish this work, Mystic Seaport dedicated significant resources to establish the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, the first facility in the nation dedicated to full-time historic vessel preservation and restoration.
The vessel was floated from her sand berth in 1973 and moved to a newly constructed ship lift. Lower portions of the hull were rebuilt only to the extent necessary to achieve the desired goal of floating her on her own bottom. After eight months of work, the vessel was launched and moved to Chubb's Wharf, a newly constructed wharf replicating the setting she typically would have berthed at during her years of active service. Now as a floating vessel, she could be periodically moved to the shiplift for maintenance and repair guaranteeing her continued long-term preservation.
In 1982, the Morgan underwent a second major regime of restoration. The vessel's upper structure was showing signs of decay and it became necessary to restore topside areas of the hull, replace her deck and deck structures. This period of restoration took three years, and throughout the duration the vessel remained open to visitors and was continuously interpreted as the principle artifact in Mystic Seaport's collection.
The work accomplished in these early phases of restoration helped define the standards of maritime preservation and historic vessel documentation as widely practiced today. Staff executing the restoration and documentation work on the Morgan contributed heavily to the compilation of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects, published by the National Maritime Initiative of the National Park Service in 1990.
Ships, especially those constructed of wood, need constant maintenance and periodic restoration intervention. These earlier restoration efforts are now viewed as Phase I and Phase II of the Morgan's ongoing long term preservation. Watercraft preservation is a featured element in Mystic Seaport's statement of purpose and an enormous financial commitment each year.
Recognition of Mystic Seaport for the Morgan's preservation efforts:
- Designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1966
- The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's National Historic Preservation Award in1992
- Inclusion as an element of the Connecticut Freedom Trail in 1997
- Recipient of the World Ship Trust Maritime Heritage Award in 2000.
| << Live Oak Vital in Morgan Restoration |