Mercantile (schooner) facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Mercantile |
| Builder | Billings Family |
| Launched | 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 155 ft (47 m) LOA, 80 ft (24 m) on deck |
| Draft |
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| Propulsion | Sail, auxiliary engine |
| Sail plan | gaff-rigged two-masted schooner |
| Notes | shoal draft centerboard |
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Mercantile
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 Location in Maine
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| Location | Camden Harbor, Camden, Maine |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Billings Family |
| NRHP reference No. | 82005265 & 90001470 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 4 December 1991 |
| Designated NHL | 4 December 1991 |
The Mercantile is a cool old ship called a schooner. It has two masts and is docked in Camden Harbor, Camden, Maine. This ship was built between 1914 and 1916 on Little Deer Isle, Maine.
Back then, schooners like the Mercantile were very common. They carried goods along the coast, a job called "coasting trade." Today, only a few of these historic ships are still around. In 1991, the Mercantile was named a National Historic Landmark. Now, it's a "Maine windjammer," taking people on fun sailing trips for several days.
Contents
What is the Mercantile Like?
The Mercantile is about 115 feet (35 m) long from front to back. Its main deck is 80 feet (24 m) long and 22 feet (6.7 m) wide. When it sails, it uses a big main sail, a front sail, and two smaller sails at the front. It doesn't use any sails at the very top of its masts.
The ship is built from strong white oak wood. Its deck is made of pine. Originally, its wooden parts were held together with wooden pegs called treenails. But when the ship was fixed up, these were changed to strong metal spikes.
The Mercantile's Journey Through Time
How the Mercantile Was Built
The Mercantile was built by the Billings family. They worked on it for three years on Little Deer Isle, Maine. The ship was finally ready and launched in 1916.
From Cargo Ship to Tourist Attraction
For many years, from 1916 to 1943, the Billings family used the Mercantile to carry goods. It was one of thousands of ships doing this "coasting trade" job. In 1943, it briefly helped with mackerel fishing in southern New England.
Later that year, a man named Frank Swift bought the Mercantile. He had a clever idea in the 1930s. Many old ships were just sitting in harbors, slowly falling apart. Swift thought, "Why not use these ships to take people on fun sailing trips?" The Mercantile was one of the first ships he used for this new kind of tourism.
Since then, the Mercantile has had a few different owners. But it has always been used for tourist trips out of Camden Harbor. The ship had a big restoration in 1989, making sure it stays in great shape for many more years of sailing adventures.
