Category: Merrimack River

The city of Newburyport is looking to bring Tall Ships to shore for a four day festival in 2012:

They rose and fell on the swells of the world’s oceans en route to exotic ports of call, selling spices or goods from their ports of origin.

Now, some of those tall ships, which have been captivating spectators across the globe, may make their way next year to Newburyport, a city with a rich maritime history of its own.

The Newburyport Daily News reports:

The mission of the 2012 Merrimack River Maritime Festival will be to “recognize, celebrate and preserve the maritime heritage of Merrimack River basin while engaging local businesses in an opportunity to generate economic activity and visitor spending, all while showcasing the allure of Greater Newburyport as an iconic maritime regional destination,” Ormond said.

The four-day festival would coincide with the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, offering a host of opportunities to spotlight local history from the period, Ormond said. She expects local museums, such as the Custom House Maritime Museum and Historical Society of Old Newbury in Newburyport, as well as historical and marine organizations in Amesbury and Salisbury that have deep roots in the area’s rich maritime past, to be involved.

This is fabulous. Anyone who grew up in the Newburyport area is well aware of our longtime maritime history. Among Newburyport’s maritime history is the fact that clipper ships were built in the area including the Dreadnought, and the it is the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard.

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