JOSEPH CONRAD 1882-1982 Retail: $5.00  Member Price: $4.50

The Joseph Conrad:
1882-1982

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the construction of the iron, full-rigged ship Joseph Conrad. Originally built as the Danish training ship George Stage, and a veteran of a round-the-world voyage in the 1930's, this handsome vessel has been part of the Mystic Seaport since 1947, and has served the Museum well. During 1982, we intend to celebrate the centennial of the Conrad with a variety of programs, projects, and activities.

A few ships have survived for a century or more because of their roles in historical events. The U.S.S. Constitution in Boston, the U.S.S. Olympia in Philadelphia, and H.M.S. Victory in Portsmouth, England, are maintained and exhibited as symbols of their nations' naval successes. However, the great majority of ancient vessels have survived because of a combination of fate and circumstance working together without rhyme or reason. This was the case with the Joseph Conrad. Throughout the last century, there have been numerous moments when, because of accidents at sea, she might have been given up. Each time, however, she was saved and continued to serve her owners.

It should be said that this ship certainly would not have survived had she not been so well built originally by Burmeister and Wain, shipbuilders in Copenhagen. The fact that this firm remains in business today bears testimony to the quality of their work for more than a century.

Having served as a training vessel for the U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II, she was given to Mystic Seaport by the United States Government, to resume her training service. In 1949 the Conrad began to serve the young people of this country as the focal point of the Seaport's sail training program. Over the last thirty-three years, more than 20,000 young men and women have had the experience of living aboard this ship, absorbing its history and traditions, and learning to sail in small boats on the Mystic River. In addition, millions of visitors to the Museum have had the opportunity to walk the decks of the Conrad, look aloft into the maze of rigging, and experience a tall ship firsthand.

Mystic Seaport Museum is committed to the preservation of the Joseph Conrad. Shortly, her worn teak deck will be meticulously replaced with new teak by Seaport shipwrights who respect the craftsmanship that went into her original construction. The Conrad will continue to serve both the young people involved in the sail training program, and the visitors to the Seaport for many years to come, and her image will continue to grace the Mystic Seaport.

Published by Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc. 1982

Size: 7" x 10"
41 pages

Item #1011301
Paperback
Regular retail $5.00