Marietta in Washington County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Shipbuilding
Commodore Abraham Whipple
Photographed By J. J. Prats, April 23, 2017
1. Shipbuilding Marker
One of the first industries in Marietta was shipbuilding. Due to the abundance of trees and the shipbuilding talent of the New England settlers, twenty-nine ocean-going vessels were built in eight shipyards from 1800 to 1812. In 1845 shipbuilding resumed and seven more vessels were constructed. The last ship left dry dock in 1847. The first vessel built was the 110-ton brig St. Clair, captained by Commodore Abraham Whipple. Whipple was a noted Revolutionary War naval officer who escaped the British blockade in 1778 to carry important dispatches to France. He later captured ten vessels worth one million dollars from a British convoy and, in 1784, was the first to fly the American flag on the River Thames in England.
Erected 2003 by Ohio Bicentennial Commission, Tall Stacks, Inc., and the Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 16-84.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Revolutionary • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1800.
Location. 39° 24.63′ N, 81° 27.133′ W. Marker is in Marietta, Ohio, in Washington County. Marker is at the intersection of West Ohio Street and Greene and Front Streets, on the right when traveling west on West
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lafayette (a few steps from this marker); S. Durward Hoag (a few steps from this marker); Southern Boundary Picketed Point (a few steps from this marker); Bicentennial Plaza (a few steps from this marker); The Public Landing (a few steps from this marker); Historical Flood Mark (within shouting distance of this marker); The Ohio River’s Wild Side (within shouting distance of this marker); Marietta’s Historic Corner (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marietta.
Also see . . .
1. Shipbuilding on the Ohio River 1798-1816. The Old Northwest Notebook website entry (Submitted on July 15, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Abraham Whipple. Wikipedia entry:
“In 1772, Whipple sank the first British ship of the American Revolution, the British schooner Gaspee, in the Gaspée Affair. The first to unfurl the Star Spangled Banner in London, Whipple was also the first to sail an ocean-going ship 2000 miles downriver from Ohio to the Caribbean, which opened trade with the Northwest Territory.” (Submitted on May 5, 2017.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, April 23, 2017
2. Shipbuilding Marker
West Ohio Street and the Hotel Lafayette with the blue awnings in the distance.
Oil on canvas by Edward Savage, 1786
3. Commodore Abraham Whipple (1733–1819)
Via Wikipedia Commons. Original is at the US Naval Historic Center in Washington DC.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, April 23, 2017
4. Shipbuilding Marker
The Ohio River and the Marietta-Williamstown Bridge (US 60) between Ohio and West Virginia in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 15, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 5, 2017, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 923 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 5, 2017, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
