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The public ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. July 21 at Mystic Seaport, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state.
“The Charles W. Morgan is an exceptional and truly unique artifact of our shared maritime heritage,” said Mystic Seaport President Steve White. “She is the last remaining wooden whaleship in the world and the sole survivor of a fleet of American ships that once numbered more than 2,700. The Morgan is quite simply an American icon and a living portal into an important chapter of American history.”
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ric Burns will deliver the keynote address, at which point the ship will be lowered into the Mystic River. The whaleship is a National Historic Landmark.
The Morgan’s restoration has been conducted in the museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The project, which began in November 2008, has focused primarily on restoring the vessel from the waterline down to her keel and structural work in the bow and stern. Once launched, the shipyard will complete the restoration. Remaining work includes rigging, internal carpentry, and reinstalling much of the ship’s equipment.
The 113-foot vessel was built and launched in New Bedford, Mass., in 1841 and had a whaling career that lasted 80 years and 37 voyages that spanned the far reaches of the globe. The ship came to Mystic Seaport in 1941. More than 20 million people have walked her decks since she arrived.
The Morgan will embark on a ceremonial 38th voyage to historic ports of New England to celebrate the importance of America’s maritime heritage in May 2014. After a period of refitting and sea trials based in New London, the ship will sail to Newport, Vineyard Haven, New Bedford and Boston as well as venture onto the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary near the mouth of Massachusetts Bay and participate in the centennial celebration of the Cape Cod Canal.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said, “The Morgan is an important part of Connecticut’s historic whaling industry, and I’m so grateful to Mystic Seaport for its impressive restoration work to help preserve the last remaining wooden whaleship in the world. I’m also thrilled that the Morgan‘s voyage next year ... will focus on raising awareness on environmental protection, and bringing attention to how we can protect our planet’s whale population.”
Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic. Admission is $24 for adults and $15 for children ages 6 to 17. Museum members and children under 5 are admitted for free. For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org.
If you can't make it, watch the event live here on the Mystic Seaport website.
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