Moggridge and Merrill Shipyard

Between the foot of Forrester and Butler Streets, ships were built there for almost 100 years.

Lithograph from the USS Constitution Museum, showing the “Wasp” in battle

The Shipyard

As early as 1730 Samuel Moggridge owned a shipyard between the foot of Forrester and Butler Streets, Mr. Moggridge and his sons built ships for nearly one hundred years.

Three brothers Orlando B. Merrill, Jonathan Merrill, and Nathan Merrill bought part of the Moggridge shipyard in the late 1700s. In 1794 Orlando B. Merrill invented the “water-line” model, which revolutionized the science of shipbuilding, showing the form and shape of the boat and helped shipbuilders to build more accurate vessels. The original model designed by Orlando Merrill was presented to the New York Historical Society in 1853.

1884 Map of Moggridge and Merrill Shipyard Newburyport MA

1884 Map courtesy of the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center

Shipyards on the Merrimac Newburyport MA

Shipyards on the Merrimac, courtesy of Gordon Harris

Shipyards at Newburyport, Mass., published by P.K. Sanders

The U. S. Brig Pickering

The Merrill family built over sixty vessels at the Moggridge shipyard. In 1798 when American shipping was threatened by foreign privateers during the war between France and Britain, Merrill and his brothers Johnathan and Nathan were contracted to build a naval vessel. Ninety days from the contract date the U. S. Brig “Pickering” was completed and launched from Merrill’s yard in what was then a part of Newbury, now Newburyport.

US Revenue Cutter Pickering Newburyport MA

U. S. Brig Pickering

The Wasp

In 1813 Orlando Merrill with Ralph Cross built the fourteen gun U. S. Sloop of War “Wasp” in the Merrill shipyard. The vessel was launched on September 18, 1813.