Searsport in Waldo County, Maine — The American Northeast (New England)
Peter Ward, Ship Carpenter: Living and Working in a Neighborhood of Artisans
Peter Ward, charpentier de naviere : viet et travail dans un quartier d'artistans
— Searsport, Maine: The Museum in the Streets —
For the better part of the 19th Century Searsport shores were busy with shipbuilding and supporting industries. Close to the yards were steam sheds for bending timbers and planking, blacksmith shops, oakum shops, an iron foundry and a sail loft. The vessels were Searsport built and owned, often with the captain, the builder and local citizens owning shares. Peter Ward arrived in Searsport from Ireland in 1850 and found work as a ship carpenter in the Carver Shipyard. He built the house at 7 Leach Street and made much of the furniture in it, showing his skill as a fine cabinet maker. Some of his tools can be seen at the Penobscot Marine Museum. The diagram shows the cluster of houses, shops, and industries and two views of vessel construction, which supported shipping and provided the underpinning of the economy of Searsport.
Erected 2009 by The Museum in the Streets®. (Marker Number 7.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the The Museum in the Streets®: Searsport, Maine series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 44° 27.505′ N, 68° 55.534′ W. Marker is in Searsport, Maine, in Waldo County. Marker is at the intersection of East Main Street (Rt. US-1) and Leach Street, on the right when traveling east on East Main Street (Rt. US-1). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Searsport ME 04974, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Early Banking / Les premières banques (within shouting distance of this marker); Making a Living / Gagner sa vie (within shouting distance of this marker); Main Street, 1875 (within shouting distance of this marker); Raising the Flag / Hisser le drapeau (within shouting distance of this marker); Liberty Tree Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Civil War Soldiers' Monument / Monumnet aux soldats et La Guerre de Sécession (about 400 feet away); Searsport House (about 400 feet away); Union Hall (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Searsport.
More about this marker. Marker #7 (of 17) in "The Museum in the Streets". The text on the Marker is in English, followed by a French translation.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 30, 2011, by James True of Newark, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 805 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 30, 2011, by James True of Newark, New Jersey. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Transcription of the French text • Can you help?