Maine, Cumberland County, South Portland
![]()
Shipbuilding has been an important part of South Portland’s economy since colonial times. Small vessels built prior to the Revolutionary War were used for fishing and the coasting trade which ranged from the Kennebec River to Virginia. During the mid-1700’s, locally built one- and two-masted ships were used in the expanded West Indies trade. Vessels built of native timber carried Maine lumber, barrels, and dried codfish to exchange for molasses and rum. They also carried Southern cotton and served as slave ships.
Specialized needs, such as vessel speed and protection, resulted in ship design modifications. The schooner Dart, built in Ezekiel Dyer’s Ferry Village shipyard in 1812, was an early privateer that raided British merchant ships. This ship had hinged masts to be lowered for concealment purposes when seeking refuge from pursuit.
The need for large cargo space and vessel stability led to the construction of shallow drawing, full bodied ships. The most common of these merchant vessels was the two masted, square rigged brig.
Competition on the China and West Indies trade routes, as well as the California gold rush, brought the need for speedy ships. By the height of the clipper ship era of the 1850’s, five of these fast ships had been built locally, including the Snow Squall built in Alford Butler’s yard in 1851.
Before the Civil War, over thirty shipyards flourished in Ferry Village, employing many skilled craftsmen. They produced a variety of trading vessels and gunboats, including Joseph Dyer’s Kineo, and an ironclad, the Wassac, for the Union Navy. From 1848 to 1868, master shipbuilder Benjamin Pickett of the Turner and Cahoon yard directed the construction of at least twenty ships, ranging from the steam ferryboat Elizabeth to the 1150 ton clipper Grecian.
By the end of the nineteenth century, competition from faster steamboats had dealt a fatal blow to the construction of the great wooden sailing vessels. For a time, ship repair and rebuilding was a successful industry, primarily based at the Portland Merchants Marine Railway. Occasional small vessels were produced, but shipbuilding was not to be significant here again until the 1940’s.
For more information see:
Jordan, William B. Jr., A History of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Portland, 1965.
Rowe, William H., The Maritime History of Maine, New York, 1948.
Willis, William, The History of Portland from 1632-1864, Portland, 1865.
(Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
Shipbuilding has been an important part of South Portland’s economy since colonial times. Small vessels built prior to the Revolutionary War were used for fishing and the coasting trade which ranged from the Kennebec River to Virginia. During the mid-1700’s, locally built one- and two-masted ships were used in the expanded West Indies trade. Vessels built of native timber carried Maine lumber, barrels, and dried codfish to exchange for molasses and rum. They also carried Southern cotton and served as slave ships.
Specialized needs, such as vessel speed and protection, resulted in ship design modifications. The schooner Dart, built in Ezekiel Dyer’s Ferry Village shipyard in 1812, was an early privateer that raided British merchant ships. This ship had hinged masts to be lowered for concealment purposes when seeking refuge from pursuit.
The need for large cargo space and vessel stability led to the construction of shallow drawing, full bodied ships. The most common of these merchant vessels was the two masted, square rigged brig.
Competition on the China and West Indies trade routes, as well as the California gold rush, brought the need for speedy ships. By the height of the clipper ship era of the 1850’s, five of these fast ships had been built locally, including the Snow Squall built in Alford Butler’s yard in 1851.
Before the Civil War, over thirty shipyards flourished in Ferry Village, employing many skilled craftsmen. They produced a variety of trading vessels and gunboats, including Joseph Dyer’s Kineo, and an ironclad, the Wassac, for the Union Navy. From 1848 to 1868, master shipbuilder Benjamin Pickett of the Turner and Cahoon yard directed the construction of at least twenty ships, ranging from the steam ferryboat Elizabeth to the 1150 ton clipper Grecian.
By the end of the nineteenth century, competition from faster steamboats had dealt a fatal blow to the construction of the great wooden sailing vessels. For a time, ship repair and rebuilding was a successful industry, primarily based at the Portland Merchants Marine Railway. Occasional small vessels were produced, but shipbuilding was not to be significant here again until the 1940’s.
For more information see:
Jordan, William B. Jr., A History of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Portland, 1965.
Rowe, William H., The Maritime History of Maine, New York, 1948.
Willis, William, The History of Portland from 1632-1864, Portland, 1865.
(Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
