Lettie G. Howard facts for kids
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The Lettie G. Howard is a historic wooden schooner built in 1893. It was made in Essex, Massachusetts, USA. This type of ship, called a Fredonia schooner, was often used by American fishermen far out at sea. The Lettie G. Howard is believed to be the very last ship of its kind still existing.
In 1989, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark because of its importance. Today, the ship is based at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. It serves as a museum ship, helping people learn about maritime history.
Contents
- About the Lettie G. Howard
- A Ship's Long Journey
- From Fishing to Museum Ship
- Awards and Adventures
- See also
About the Lettie G. Howard
The Lettie G. Howard is a two-masted schooner. This means it has two tall poles (masts) that hold its sails. The ship's body is made of wood. It is about 74.6 feet (22.7 m) long. It is 21 feet (6.4 m) wide and its lower storage area is 8.4 feet (2.6 m) deep.
The ship's frame is built from strong oak wood. Pine planks cover the frame. These planks are held together with wooden pegs called treenails. In the past, the ship had three main areas below deck. The front part was for the crew to live. The middle section was a large space to hold fish. The back part was used for other storage.
A Ship's Long Journey
The schooner was built in 1893 by a famous shipbuilder named Arthur D. Story. He built it at his shipyard in Essex, Massachusetts. Story was one of four owners of the ship. They used it for fishing in an area called the Georges Banks until 1901. That year, the ship got stuck on a sandbar near Gurnet Point, Massachusetts.
In 1902, the ship was sold to E.E. Saunders in Pensacola, Florida. He used it to fish for red snapper fish. They fished off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. The ship stopped being used for fishing in 1922. It was rebuilt in 1923 and renamed Mystic C.
From Fishing to Museum Ship
In 1966, the ship was sold again. It was bought by a group in Gloucester, Massachusetts. They wanted to turn it into a museum ship. They mistakenly called it Caviare. This museum did not succeed.
So, in 1968, the ship was sold to the South Street Seaport Museum. It was then carefully restored. Another big restoration happened in 1991. Today, the US Coast Guard says it is a certified Sailing School Vessel. This means it can be used to teach people how to sail. It also works as a floating museum.
The Lettie G. Howard now sails along the Northeast coast of the United States. In 2013, it had major repairs in Portland, Maine.
Awards and Adventures
In 2014, the schooner received two important awards.
- The first was the Sail Training Vessel of the Year Award. This came from Tall Ships America. It recognized the ship's great sailing programs.
- The second was the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award. This award was from the New York Landmarks Conservancy. It honored the efforts to keep the ship historically accurate.
In 2015, the ship and its crew took third place in a race. This was the Gloucester Schooner Festival's Esperanto Cup. Some of the crew members were high school students. They came from the New York Harbor School and the MAST Academy.
In 2018, the schooner sailed to Lake Erie. It is now hosted by the Flagship Niagara League. It offers sailing tours from the Erie Maritime Museum in Erie, Pennsylvania.
See also
In Spanish: Lettie G. Howard (goleta) para niños
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
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| Namesake | Lettie G. Howard Barron |
| Owner | South Street Seaport Museum |
| Builder | A.D. Story yard, Essex, MA |
| Launched | 1893 |
| Acquired | 1968 |
| Refit | 1993 |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Sea-going museum ship |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | two-masted gaff schooner |
| Displacement | 102 short tons (93 t) |
| Length | 125.4 ft (38.2 m) overall |
| Beam | 21.1 ft (6.4 m) |
| Draft | 10.6 ft (3.2 m) |
| Depth of hold | 8.4 ft (2.6 m) |
| Sail plan | mainsail, main topsail, foresail, staysail, jib; 5,072 square feet (471.2 m2) |
| Crew | 17 POB for exposed waters, 36 POB for day sails, 20 POB overnight (Captain, Lic Mate crew varies: bosun, engineer, cook deckhand up to 7 paid crew) |
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Lettie G. Howard (schooner)
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Lettie G. Howard in 1989 prior to restoration
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| Location | South Street Seaport, Manhattan, New York City, New York |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Arthur D. Story |
| Architectural style | Fredonia schooner |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002779 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 7 September 1984 |
| Designated NHL | 11 April 1989 |
