The Ship Builders of Essex


A world apart. Sit back and enjoy as this 1940’s documentary evokes wooden ship building in the legendary town of Essex, Massachusetts. A little hokie in a Movietone News sort of way, the film nevertheless shows how it took a village to build a boat in the era of the adze and the caulking mallet.


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5 Responses So Far to “The Ship Builders of Essex

  • RON THWEATT says:

    JUST GREAT…Those were MEN who loved there work, and most with hand tools.
    Some Times I think I would like to have lived then,After a good nap in an AC Condo I get over it but happy the times were captured on film.
    Capt Ron
    Heart Harbor Tn

  • Erik Sayce says:

    Thanks for putting this up Bill, a great watch!

  • Greg grundtisch says:

    I enjoyed this a lot. Would like to see more archival films like this. Bluenose raceing off gloucester for example, or hookers from Boston, etc.

  • Walter Connolly says:

    It was great to see young and old working together to build something that was worthy of their labor. One generation passing down those skills to the next that keeps the tradition alive.

  • Ginny Jones says:

    Loved this — Essex built Gloucester fishing schooners have to be some of the most graceful and lovely working watercraft ever. Although ST ROSALEE was a strictly powered vessel with a suitable hull shape for power, she shows the basic construction techniques used in building the schooners, as well as the materials — sap wood and all. It is fascinating and I even enjoyed the atmosphere of Hollywood.