Essays

• The Black Ball Liner
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The Black Ball Liner was the very first ocean liner to make the transatlantic cross to Liverpool, and whose initial departure was from the port of South Street. By Simone Kennedy-Mitton.


• China Trade Paintings
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A dicussion of the artwork that surfaced during the heyday of the trade between America and China. by Yelena Ambartsumian.


• Clipper Ships as Pop Culture of the 19th Century
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The Clipper Ship was the symbol of American goals and values. The speed of the ship, combined with its beauty, was attractive to all Americans. The courage of the sailors and hardships endured in rounding the Cape created a phenomenum. Clipper captains were the rock stars of their time. By Aleksandra Radyuk.


• Goods from across America, Europe, and Asia
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In its heyday, South Street Seaport was the recipient of a variety of unique and diverse goods from across the globe. By Simone Kennedy-Mitton.


• Melville in the Port of New York
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Herman Melville was born and died in New York, the 'island of the Manhattoes'. Although his life took him far from the Seaport of New York, his work reminds us of his heritage. By Aleksandra Radyuk.


• Prominent Families
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This essay highlights two of the families who were some of the Port of New York's leading merchants, the Beekmans and the Griswolds, and what contributions they made to the development of New York as a commercial center. By Morgan Greene.


• Regular Departures and Fixed Schedules
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Regular departures and fixed schedules were two concepts that significantly contributed to the transformed of both South Street Seaport and the international trade commerce in the 19th century. By Simone Kennedy-Mitton.


• Ship Chandlers
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With ships passing in and out of the port, ship chandlery became a vital trade and business for South Street Seaport’s maritime existence. By Simone Kennedy-Mitton.


• The Journey of A Clipper Ship
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The struggle of the California Clippers to reach their destination in record times was almost legendary. Here, the harsh journey of a New York clipper and its consequences are described. By Aleksandra Radyuk.


• The United States, Opium, and the China Trade
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This essay discusses what role opium played in how the trade between New York and China developed, and how this illegal drug trade furthered the success of New York merchants in Canton. By Morgan Greene.