Hamburg (barque) facts for kids
Hamburg was a very large sailing ship called a three-masted barque. She was built in 1886 in Hantsport, Nova Scotia, Canada. What made her special? She was the biggest three-masted barque ever built in Canada!
Quick facts for kids History |
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 Canada |
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| Name | Hamburg |
| Owner | Ezra Churchill & Sons (George and John Churchill), Hantsport, Nova Scotia |
| Port of registry | Windsor, Nova Scotia |
| Builder | E. Churchill & Sons Yard, John Fox Davidson, master builder, Hantsport |
| Laid down | February 1886 |
| Launched | September 29, 1886 |
| Maiden voyage | New York to Liverpool, December 1886 |
| Out of service | Cut down to barge 1908. Hulked 1925. |
| Identification |
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| Fate | Upper hull burned 1936 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 1743 Gross Tons |
| Length | 216.2 ft (65.9 m) |
| Beam | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Depth | 24 ft. |
| Decks | 1 deck plus orlop beams |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Sail plan | Three Masted Barque |
Building a Giant Ship
The Hamburg was built by the Churchill family in Hantsport. They were famous shipbuilders who had built over a hundred large sailing ships. The Hamburg was one of their very last creations. The family often named their ships after important ports where their ships would pick up cargo. So, the Hamburg was named after the city of Hamburg, Germany.
Adventures at Sea
The Hamburg's captain for almost its whole life was Andrew B. Coldwell. This amazing ship sailed mostly across the Atlantic Ocean. But she also made several long trips across the Pacific Ocean. She sailed around Cape Horn many times. Cape Horn is the very southern tip of South America, known for its rough seas!
In 1891, the Hamburg even completed a circumnavigation of the world. This means she sailed all the way around the entire globe! In 1895, she visited her namesake city, Hamburg, Germany.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1908, the Hamburg was changed into a gypsum barge. A barge is a flat-bottomed boat used for carrying goods. For 17 years, she carried gypsum (a mineral used in plaster and drywall) from the Minas Basin in Nova Scotia to New York.
Her working days ended in 1925. She was pulled ashore at Summerville, Nova Scotia. In 1936, the upper part of her huge wooden hull was burned down. But her lower hull is still there, partly covered and protected by river silt.
The remaining hull of the Hamburg is very important. It's a rare example of how wooden sailing ships were built during Canada's "Golden Age of Sail." This was a time when Canada built many impressive sailing vessels.
You can learn more about the Hamburg's history at a few places:
- The Avon River Shipbuilding Museum at Newport Landing.
- The Churchill House Marine Memorial Room in Hantsport.
Some parts of the ship are also preserved:
- A lower mast from the Hamburg is kept at the Age of Sail Heritage Centre in Port Greville, Nova Scotia.
- One of her massive iron bollards (a strong post used for tying ropes) is on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
