Maryland Dove
The 17th Century English merchantmen pinnaceMaryland DoveatSt. Mary's City, Maryland,constructed for state 350th Anniversary, 1975-1978.
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History | |
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Maryland | |
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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Maryland Doveis a re-creation of theDove,an early 17th-century English trading ship, one of two ships (Dove and The Ark) which made up the first expedition fromEnglandto theProvince of Maryland.The1978 Dovewas designed by the naval architect and naval historianWilliam A. Baker.The Dove was a trading vessel that could be sailed by a crew of seven. The much larger Ark, was a passenger ship, and was sailed by a crew of 40 or more. The Dove was left behind as a local trading vessel to facilitate commerce between Maryland and the other colonies.
1978 Dove
[edit]Launched in 1978,1978 Dovewas 56 feet in length on deck, and 76 feet overall with a displacement of 42 tons. She was built by James B. Richardson in a shipyard nearCambridge, MarylandinDorchester County.Her home port isSt. Mary's City, Maryland.The ship is owned by theState of Marylandand operated/maintained by the Historic St. Mary's City Commission. She was commissioned October 8, 1978 with Captain Thomas Doyle of Valley Lee, Maryland as her first licensed Master.[citation needed]Due to deteriorating condition of the Dove a replacement ship was laid down in 2019, launched in 2022 and assumed nameMaryland Dove.[1]The 1978 Dove was hauled out of the water for preservation in 2023, the decision on its fate has not been determined.[2]
Maryland Dove
[edit]Length Overall: 84 feet
Length on Deck: 57 feet
Length at Waterline: 51 feet
Beam: 17 feet
Draft: 7 feet
Height of Main Mast: 64 feet
Sail Area: 2,019 square feet
Power: 2 John Deere, 4-cylinder, PowerTech 4.5L engines
With the deteriorating condition of the 1978 Dove, construction began on June 1, 2019 on a new vessel. Designed by naval architectIver Franzen,the ship was built at theChesapeake Bay Maritime Museumshipyard in St. Michael's, Maryland. All work on the ship was done in full public view, allowing the public to experience every stage of the project. Documentation of the project can be found onwww.MarylandDove.orgThe ship,Maryland Dove,was commissioned and delivered to Historic St. Mary's City on August 29, 2022.
The originalThe ArkandDove
[edit]The first expedition fromEnglandto the planned colony ofMarylandwas undertaken byCecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore(1605-1675), and consisted of two ships that had formerly belonged to his father,George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore,(1579-1632):The ArkandDove.[3]The two ships departedGravesend,inKentoff theEnglish Channel,with 128 settlers on board and, after being chased down and brought back by the BritishRoyal Navyso that the departing settlers could take an oath of allegiance to theKing of Englandas required by law, sailed in October 1633 for theIsle of Wight(betweenEnglandandFrance) to pick up more settlers.[3]
At the Isle of Wight,Doveand her larger sister shipThe Arkembarked again with twoJesuit(Society of Jesus) priests/chaplains and nearly two hundred more settlers before setting out across theAtlantic.[4]Since he could not lead the expedition himself, Baltimore sent detailed instructions for the governance of the Colony (appointing his younger brotherLeonard Calvertas the first colonial governor), including commands that his brothers seek any information about those who had earlier tried to thwart the granting of the colony and make contact withWilliam Claiborne(previously settled fromProvince of VirginiaonKent Islandin the middle of theChesapeake Bay) to determine his intentions for the trading station on Kent Island.[5]The instructions also emphasized the importance of religious toleration among the colonists, who were nearly equal parts Catholic and Protestant.[5]With these last instructions, the expedition sailed for the Americas.
The two ships arrived atPoint Comfortat the mouths of theJames,Nansemond,andElizabeth Rivers,inVirginia,February 24, 1634. On March 25, they landed at what is nowSt. Mary's,then the site of aNative Americanvillage, and they began the work of establishing a settlement there. The settlement of St. Mary's was built on land purchased from the nativeYaocomico.[6]
Back in England, Baltimore could do little to help the young colony through its tribulations, which included an ongoing feud with Claiborne that led to a series of naval skirmishes.[7]Lord Baltimore continued as Maryland's firstProprietor(1632–1675), and attempted to maintain an active involvement in the governance of the colony, though he never visited it. During this long tenure, he governed through deputies, the last being his only sonCharles.[citation needed]
In popular culture
[edit]1978 Dovewas used extensively to represent the Mayflower in the 1979 made for TV film'Mayflower: The Pilgrims Adventure' starring Anthony Hopkins as Captain Jones as well as Richard Crenna and Jenny Aguttar.
Notes
[edit]See also
[edit]- This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Maryand".Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Province of Maryland
References
[edit]- Browne, William Hand (1890).George Calvert and Cecilius Calvert: Barons Baltimore of Baltimore.New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company.
External links
[edit]- Historic St. Mary's City (official website)
- The Dove,riverexplorer.com
- MPT Discovering the Dove,video.mpt.tv
- 1978 ships
- English-American culture in Maryland
- English colonization of the Americas
- Exploration ships of England
- Replica ships
- Museums in St. Mary's County, Maryland
- English emigration
- Exploration ships
- History of the Thirteen Colonies
- Individual sailing vessels
- Ships built in Maryland
- Ships of England
- Museum ships in Maryland
- St. Mary's City, Maryland