SHIPBUILDING EMERGES ALONG THE MYSTIC RIVER

The intertwined history of the Mystic River and the Indigenous peoples of this region cannot be separated. Mystic Seaport Museum wishes to acknowledge that the land and waters we reside on today are in the original homeland of the Pequot tribal nations. We acknowledge the painful history and honor the Eastern Pequot and Mashantucket Pequot peoples still connected to this land.

Settled by colonists in 1654, Mystic has grown into a thriving village and the Mystic River is at its heart. Mystic received its name from the Pequot term “missituk,” meaning great tidal river. During the early colonial years, the estuary known today as the Mystic River was not considered of particular importance, but as time went on it became a center of shipbuilding.

In 1954 Phillip R. Mallory, then President of the Marine Historical Association, addressed the Newcomen Society upon the 300th anniversary of Mystic and the 25th anniversary of “Mystic Seaport,” the 19th-century New England coastal village recreated by the Marine Historical Association. In his remarks titled Mystic Seaport—And the Origins of Freedom Mallory speaks about the history of the area surrounding the Mystic River and its evolution into a shipbuilding center: “. . . in the heart of this small river valley, scarcely five miles long, and within whose confines there were cradled a group of early settlers whose activities resulted in accomplishments of a significance far beyond their actual size or apparent importance.” In his remarks, Mallory frequently refers to Carl C. Cutler, one of the founders of the Marine Historical Association. Cutler describes the terrain found in New England by the first Pilgrim settlers in the middle of the 17th century:

The Pilgrims had set out for the supposedly mild, pleasant climate of “Northern Virginia,” convinced that they would find rich plantations and a store of mineral wealth. Instead, they came “to a howling wilderness.” They found rough, wooded, boulder strewn hills and deep ravines, alternating with

Originally an avocation, shipbuilding began to grow as the advantages of the New England shoreline for shipbuilding became apparent. Surrounding areas such as Boston at one point had as many as twenty shipyards, and New London County had double that number. The unique coastline creates a special access to the water that benefited the industry of shipbuilding. Cutler goes on to describe the unique qualities of the area: worthless swamp and arid plain, where they had looked for smooth, fertile fields ready for the plow. They encountered a climate harsher than any they had known or conceived. . . . It is to their credit that they faced undaunted a harsh, laborious alternative. . . . for two centuries forest and sea were the central facts of [the New England pioneer’s] life. He learned to do a hundred things, but above all, he became a hewer of wood and a sailor of the sail. its three inspired founders to the preservation of those origins of freedom which stemmed so largely from our maritime way of life. What you see on these grounds represents what has been physically achieved to aid in the perpetuation of that inheritance.”

Long stretches of coastline had neither rivers nor coves. For twenty miles eastward from Watch Hill, for instance, there was not a single potential shipyard site. From Watch Hill westward for twenty-five miles, it was a different story. Every mile or two along the entire coast of New London County, tidal streams thrust deeply northward into magnificent stands of hard-wood. Each channel afforded readymade yards and tapped vast timber resources. One of these to which the Indians had given the name “Missituck” was barely five miles in length. Yet, a little village was to be established on its shores which was to become famous wherever ships floated.

However, the arrival of settlers to Mystic was slower than the growing populations in New London. According to Mallory: The reasons are not certain, but were probably several. New London possesses one of the great harbors of New England and was a natural stopping place for newcomers coasting along the shore. Stonington, too, had a small but protected harbor immediately adjacent to excellent fishing grounds. Furthermore, there were flat fields nearby which though stony like most of New England seem to have been less repellent than the average, and easy of access as well. The Mystic Valley, with rocky sides, very heavily wooded, ends in a winding and, to sailing craft, rather tortuous estuary. It is three miles from the open water to the protected areas at the Valley mouth. During this stretch strong tides and currents could easily set a vessel on sunken rocks or a hidden mud bank. Furthermore, the Mystic River was the dividing line between the townships of Groton and Stonington, and the area seems to have been considered a “no man’s land” between the two.

Mallory further explains, “Very soon after the first settlers came to New London County, the need for a steady supply of new craft of all kinds, ranging from small fishing smacks, to sloops and coastwise carriers, became apparent.” The demand for water transport increased over time, and the need for shipping allowed Mystic to flourish, as “here the conditions seem to have been ideal.” The River had short haul advantages and natural shipbuilding sites as well as shipwrights living along the shores.

“One cannot even venture a guess as to the number of vessels built on the Mystic during the century and a quarter which elapsed between the launching of the first ship in 1662 and 1789, the year the United States Customs Service was established. . . . The number was undoubtedly substantial,” Cutler wrote.

The trade of shipbuilding grew in all aspects such as rope walks, sail and rigging lofts, ship chandlers, cooper shops, block and trunnel makers, figurehead carvers, mast hoop makers, and shipsmith shops. Quality of ships also put Mystic on the map according to Mallory, “It was not the quantity alone that the Mystic record is based, for she produced a record equally brilliant in the sturdy quality and speed of her vessels, the ability of local captains and shipmasters, and the leadership in pioneering voyages and in commercial initiative of her citizens . . . ” Mystic gained quite the reputation, as Cutler points out, “Mystic was for a time to produce more noted captains, a greater tonnage of fine ships and a larger number of important sailing records than any place of its size in the world.” Curator William N. Peterson literally wrote the book on this topic titled Mystic Built: Ships and Shipyards of the Mystic River, Connecticut, available on the Museum’s website.

Today Mystic Seaport Museum sits along this famed Mystic River on what was once meadow and marshy land purchased by brothers Clark, George, and Thomas Greenman in 1837. The three brothers were local shipbuilders in Westerly, Rhode Island, at their father’s shipyard. The Greenmans’ shipbuilding dates to the 1820s. As the local need for vessels increased, the brothers established their own shipyard known as the George Greenman and Co. Shipyard where the Museum is today. The Mystic River was an ideal spot, within reach of the ocean, and calm enough to launch wooden vessels. The Shipyard’s location on the estuary allowed for easy access to the water to create a launch for the vessels that would be built here. Over time, the Greenmans became important leaders within the village of Mystic, providing employment opportunities for many and working together to manage, oversee, and build hundreds of vessels along the Mystic River.

As the great Age of Sail gave way to steamships and railroads, wooden ships and boats were turned into firewood and the nation’s seafaring traditions began to wane in Mystic. Three Mystic residents united to keep the past alive, and on Christmas Day in 1929, Edward E. Bradley, an industrialist, Carl C. Cutler, a lawyer, and Charles K. Stillman, a physician, founded the Marine Historical Association to preserve these rapidly disappearing artifacts of maritime history. The three men coming from different backgrounds shared a love for the stories of maritime history. Phillip Mallory says, “This organization was dedicated by

The Museum has occupied the space of the historic George Greenman and Co. Shipyard for 94 years, keeping alive the history of past shipyards along the Mystic River that supplied jobs and created the start of a long-standing community. In 1972 the Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard opened, the first shipyard built specifically for preservation in the United States, and possibly the world. Guided by the echoes of generations past, the shipwrights of Mystic Seaport Museum continue to maintain and restore vessels along the Mystic River. Mystic Seaport Museum has continued to grow and flourish within the community of Mystic and has created and maintained a strong connection with the Mystic River. To this day visitors to the Museum may arrive by boat on their own voyages of discovery. Those who come by car can get out on the River in search of their own sea story. As we plan for the Museum’s centennial, we are bringing our storytelling, collecting, and public programs forward in time, exploring the intersection of maritime heritage and contemporary society. To quote Phillip R. Mallory, “It would be pleasing to argue that the exceptional maritime record of Mystic during these 3oo years, in both war and peace, was due somehow to the superior quality of its first citizens. However, it may be more realistic to believe that much was due to the natural advantages of the Mystic Valley. . .”

By Juliona Martens, intern from Keene State College

Begun in 1958, the Mystic River Scale Model was created by a staff of model builders and artists which included S. Jerome Hoxie, Arthur Payne, Bob Morse, Jerry Aycrigg, and Ted McCagg to illuminate the historical community along the Mystic River. Extensively researched and created from historical photographs and hand-drawn maps to ensure the accuracy of the buildings and ships, the Model was built entirely from scratch except for the people and animals, which were purchased in railroad TT scale. Set to an architectural scale of 3/32":1' to fit onto a forty-foot-long by twelve-foot-wide base, the model was opened for display in 1961 after three years of initial model development and the construction of the building in which it resides today.

The Model shows one mile of the Mystic River and its environs, providing a visual depiction of life along the Mystic River during its shipbuilding and shipping heyday between the years 1850 and 1875. From the Mystic Ironworks and Woolen Mill (that made Civil War uniforms) on the South end to the Greenman & Co. Shipyard at the North end (where Mystic Seaport Museum exists now), the town and shipyards teem with life. Just north of the Woolen Mill is Cottrell Lumber Company, the first lumber yard in Connecticut and the second in New England. Across the river is the Burrows house, which has since been moved to become part of the Museum’s seaport village. The drawbridge in the center of the Model is located where the modern bascule bridge is today. North of the drawbridge on the west side of the river is St. Mark’s Church, which still stands in its original location. Back on the east side of the river is the Seventh Day Baptist Church which has since been moved to the Museum’s North end and renamed the Meeting House. At the very North end of the Mystic River is the Hughes house, also relocated to the Museum forming part of the Museum Store. The largest ship shown in the Model is the David Crockett , built at a cost of $96,000 and launched in 1853 from the Greenman & Co. yard.

In 1986 additional work was done on the Model by Bob Morse and

Arthur Payne, and shortly thereafter a volunteer group was formed by Arthur to continue the work. LED lighting was added to buildings to augment the recorded audio/visual programming. The work of further research, building, corrections, repairs, and cleaning continues to this day.

Over the years the volunteers have included Anny Payne, Cindy Crabb, Tim Straw, Dave Olson, Nick Dombrowski, and Rob Groves. The work continues as a labor of love by longtime, dedicated volunteers in order to “bring it to life” as the original co-creator Art Payne used to fondly say.

The Mystic River Scale Model offers visitors a detailed overview of the Museum’s grounds and surrounding area as it was prior to the Museum’s founding. Whether historian or history buff, the Scale Model is the perfect place to begin a visit and get your bearings.

William Peterson, author of Mystic Built and former Museum Curator of Collections, once said of the Model: “The historical accuracy