Maryland Dove facts for kids
The 17th Century English merchantmen pinnace Maryland Dove at St. Mary's City, Maryland, constructed for state 350th Anniversary, 1975-1978.
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| Name | Maryland Dove |
| Owner | State of Maryland |
| Operator | Historic St. Mary's City Commission |
| Ordered | 1975 |
| Builder | James B. Richardson, shipyard, Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland |
| Laid down | 1975 |
| Launched | August 14, 1978 |
| Commissioned | October 8, 1978 |
| Decommissioned | January 17, 2023 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 40 |
| Length | 76 feet (23 meters) overall, and 56 ft (17 m) on deck. |
| Beam | 17 ft (5.2 m) |
| Draft | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Propulsion |
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The Maryland Dove is a special ship that helps us remember history. It's a re-creation of a real English trading ship from the early 1600s. This original ship, called the Dove, was one of two ships that brought the very first settlers from England to the new Province of Maryland.
The first Maryland Dove replica was built in 1978. It was designed by a naval expert named William A. Baker. The original Dove was a small trading vessel. It only needed about seven crew members to sail it. The other ship on that first journey, called The Ark, was much bigger. It carried passengers and needed 40 or more sailors. The Dove stayed in Maryland to help trade goods between the new colony and other settlements.
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The First Replica Ship: 1978 Dove
The 1978 Dove was launched in 1978. It was 56 feet long on its deck and 76 feet long overall. The ship weighed about 42 tons. It was built by James B. Richardson near Cambridge, Maryland. Its home port, or main harbor, is St. Mary's City, Maryland.
The State of Maryland owns this ship. The Historic St. Mary's City Commission takes care of it. The ship officially started its service on October 8, 1978. Captain Thomas Doyle was its first licensed captain. Over time, the 1978 Dove started to wear out. Because of this, a new replacement ship was started in 2019. The new ship was launched in 2022 and took on the name Maryland Dove. The 1978 Dove was taken out of the water in 2023 to be preserved. People are still deciding what will happen to it next.
Building a New Ship: The 2022 Maryland Dove
A new ship was needed because the 1978 Dove was getting old. Construction on this new vessel began on June 1, 2019. Naval architect Iver Franzen designed the ship. It was built at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum shipyard in St. Michael's, Maryland.
The public could watch every step of the building process. This allowed people to see how a historic ship is made. You can find more information about the project online. The new Maryland Dove was finished and delivered to Historic St. Mary's City on August 29, 2022.
Here are some facts about the new Maryland Dove:
- Length Overall: 84 feet (26 m) (This is its total length).
- Length on Deck: 57 feet (This is the length of its main deck).
- Length at Waterline: 51 feet (This is how long it is where the water meets the hull).
- Beam: 17 feet (This is how wide the ship is).
- Draft: 7 feet (This is how deep the ship goes into the water).
- Height of Main Mast: 64 feet (This is how tall its main mast is).
- Sail Area: 2,019 square feet (This is the total area of its sails).
- Power: 2 John Deere, 4-cylinder, PowerTech 4.5L engines (It has two diesel engines for power).
The Original Journey: The First Dove Ship
The very first trip from England to the new colony of Maryland was a big adventure. Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore organized this journey. He used two ships that had belonged to his father, George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. These ships were The Ark and the Dove.
The two ships left Gravesend, England, in October 1633. They had 128 settlers on board. The British Royal Navy stopped them and brought them back. This was so the settlers could promise their loyalty to the King of England, as required by law. After that, they sailed to the Isle of Wight to pick up even more settlers.
At the Isle of Wight, the Dove and the larger Ark took on two Jesuit priests and almost 200 more settlers. Then, they began their long journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Lord Baltimore could not lead the trip himself. So, he sent detailed instructions for how the colony should be run. He made his younger brother, Leonard Calvert, the first governor.
Baltimore's instructions also stressed the importance of religious tolerance. This meant that Catholics and Protestants, who were almost equal in number, should live together peacefully. With these important rules, the expedition sailed for the Americas.
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The two ships reached Old Point Comfort in Virginia on February 24, 1634. On March 25, they landed at what is now St. Mary's City, Maryland. This was once a Native American village. The settlers began to build their new home there. The land for the St. Mary's settlement was bought from the native Yaocomico people.
Back in England, Lord Baltimore worked hard to help the young colony. He faced challenges, including arguments with William Claiborne, who had a trading post on Kent Island. Lord Baltimore remained Maryland's first Proprietor from 1632 to 1675. He was very involved in governing the colony, even though he never visited it himself. He governed through people he appointed, including his son, Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore.
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