I know that times do change. That is one of the reasons why I love revisiting history and peaking back into life of bygone times. I have wanted to visit Mystic Seaport since I saw signs advertising it on a road trip north 25 years ago. Since I was rendezvousing with my daughter about wedding plans, naturally I had to forgo the pleasure. When I was invited to tour Mystic Seaport, I decided it’s now or never and started packing.
Mystic Seaport was founded in 1913. It is a recreated 19th century New England seafaring village housing forty historic and reconstructed buildings and a working waterfront on 37 acres of public land. Everything has been restored and maintained in that period form down to the cobblestone and gravel roads.
This living history maritime museum lies on the banks of the Mystic River in Mystic, Connecticut. It’s authentic–the reason why Spielberg chose the location for filming scenes from his 1997 movie Amistad. It houses its own research library, several shops, and some eating places like Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern and the Galley R.
If tall ships and historical vessels are your boats, Mystic Seaport has them. I watched craftsmen at work restoring the wooden whaler Charles W. Morgan in its Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard. Think of ALL manual labor in a time without the inventions of the Industrial Revolution.
As I walked about the docks, I was awed by the physical size ( measurements include 105 foot deck, 133 feet overall, beam 27.7 feet, draft 12.6 feet, displacement 313.75 tons) of the only remaining American built whaler now a National Historic Landmark.
The stories of sailors may sound romantic but the plain fact is that it isn’t. From the time the Morgan first went to sea in 1841 until the time it was retired in 1931, the ship made 37 voyages with 59 ports of call around the world. A captain and a crew of 35 being away from home and family from 8.5 months to 4 years 11 months at a time was the reality of a sailor’s life.
I enjoyed visiting Mystic Seaport enough to return there perhaps as soon when the foliage changes its colors this fall. The current year’s operating hours are 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P. M. March 27 through October 31 and 10:00 A. M. to 4:00 P. M. November 1 to 28. The price of an adult general admission is $24. Mystic seaport is located at 75 Greenmanville Avenue, Mystic, Connecticut 06355. Its telephone number is 888-973-2767. For further information, check online at www.mysticseaport.org.
Admission to the attraction featured in this review was provided for the sole purpose of review. This review has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.
on Jun 29th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I love all the old time boats and light houses are my thing. I go to as many light houses as I can. There is something so unique about each one even though they were all meant to do the same thing. Have fun on your adventures and stay safe.
on Jun 30th, 2010 at 7:06 am
I love Mystic, especially walking through all of the shops. We haven’t been in a good ten years.