National Historic Landmark · whaler · Mystic, Connecticut

Charles W. Morgan

American whaling ship built in 1841 in Mystic, Connecticut. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.

'The Boatsteerer’s Dance,' this photograph was made by Pardon B. Gifford aboard the New Bedford Whaling Bark, Charles W. Morgan in August, 1906234 Walfangboot235 Trankocherei an Deck236 Kapitänskajüte
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

Charles W. Morgan is an American whaling ship built in 1841 that was active during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Ships of this type were used to harvest the blubber of whales for whale oil which was commonly used in lamps. Charles W. Morgan has served as a museum ship since the 1940s, and is an exhibit at the Mystic Seaport museum in Mystic, Connecticut. She is the world's oldest surviving merchant vessel, the only surviving wooden whaling ship from the 19th century American merchant fleet, and the second-oldest seaworthy vessel in the world after USS Constitution. Charles W. Morgan was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeStructure
AddressMystic Seaport, Mystic, CT
CountyNew London County
ListedNov 13, 1966
Listed forCommerce
Level of significanceNational
Also known asCHARLES W. MORGAN Whaler
Reference number66000804
Type of placewhaler, preserved watercraft
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places contributing property
Contributing resources1 structure
StandingYes

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

AddressMystic Seaport, Mystic, CT
Coordinates41.3622° N, 71.9652° W · Directions ↗
Nearest national park unitTouro Synagogue National Historic Site · 35 miles · on Park Atlas
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Map

Local history books for New London County

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Connecticut

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was Charles W. Morgan listed on the National Register?

Nov 13, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

Can I visit Charles W. Morgan?

Yes. Charles W. Morgan is recorded as open to the public.

Source: Wikidata

Where is Charles W. Morgan?

Mystic Seaport, Mystic, New London County, Connecticut. The nearest national park unit is Touro Synagogue National Historic Site, 35 miles away.

Source: Touro Synagogue National Historic Site

Where is the nomination form for Charles W. Morgan?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Is there cell service at Charles W. Morgan?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000804. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.