{"nrhp_refnum":"85000022","name":"ERNESTINA (schooner)","other_names":["Schooner Ernestina","Schooner Effie M. Morrissey"],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Steamship Wharf","address_restricted":false,"city":"New Bedford","county":"Bristol County","state":"MA","lat":41.63409976200006,"lon":-70.92024227999997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1985-01-03","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1990-12-14","areas_of_significance":["Exploration/Settlement","Transportation","Maritime History","Commerce","Industry","Architecture","Science"],"significance_levels":["national","state","local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-masted wooden Grand Banks fishing schooner, originally the Effie M. Morrissey and now the Ernestina, berthed at Steamship Wharf in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She was built at the James and Tarr Shipyard in Essex, Massachusetts, and launched in 1894 according to the description (the significance section gives 1884).","why_significant":"The nomination argues she is the oldest surviving Grand Banks fishing schooner, one of only two surviving Arctic exploration sailing vessels afloat, and the last sailing ship to bring immigrants to America. She is also the sole surviving example of the Fredonia-type Gloucester fishing schooner. These roles give her national significance in maritime, exploration, social and naval history.","narrative":"Ernestina is a 106-foot wooden schooner berthed at Steamship Wharf in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Launched as the Effie M. Morrissey at the James and Tarr Shipyard in Essex, she fished the Grand Banks for about thirty years, earning a reputation for speed and luck. In 1926 Captain Bob Bartlett bought her and carried scientists and students on Arctic expeditions, and during World War II she served the U.S. Navy as an Arctic supply and survey ship. Renamed Ernestina in 1948, she carried Cape Verdean immigrants and goods between the islands and the United States for sixteen years, becoming the last sailing vessel to bring immigrants to America. Returned from Cape Verde as a gift in 1982, she is being restored as a museum and sailing school vessel. Her hull, deck furniture and interior remain largely original, and she is the sole surviving Fredonia-type fishing schooner.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":"Captain William E. Morrisey (builder); designed by George Melville McClain; built at James and Tarr Shipyard, Essex, Massachusetts","architectural_style":"Fredonia-type (Fredonia-model) Gloucester fishing schooner","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Listed as in excellent condition and altered; occupied and used as a museum and educational vessel. Restoration to original appearance and sailing school use is under way, and she currently has no engine.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:11:53.922281-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/60/7945/63794560/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/85000022.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85000022/1b66e3b1de-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85000022/1b66e3b1de-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"User:Magicpiano","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NewBedfordMA_SchoonerErnestina.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">User:Magicpiano</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NewBedfordMA_SchoonerErnestina.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63794560","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effie_M._Morrissey","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5347467"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/bristol-county/ernestina-schooner-85000022/"}