Newburyport Preservation Week - Adventures: Water Street Entrepreneurs of Maritime Newburyport

Adventures: Water Street Entrepreneurs of Maritime Newburyport

Explore the lives of maritime merchants from Water Street

Friday, May 18^th from 7:00 - 9:00 pm the Newburyport Preservation Trust proudly presents a lecture and photographic essay by Skip Motes on Adventures: Water Street Entrepreneurs of Maritime Newburyport. He will explore the beginning of colonial maritime trade, the launching of the Continental frigate Boston, the turmoil of the quasi war with France, and the challenges of the 1807 - 1809 embargo and War of 1812.  The pictorial essay presents the evolution of the industrial waterfront.

“Water Street’s maritime history is often forgotten. My wife - Marge Motes - and I have focused our research on this particular area to great success,” said Skip Motes. “I plan on discussing men from the pre Revolutionary War era through the ‘new era’ merchants of 1790 to the War of 1812.  Prosperity returned to a new group of entrepreneur merchants who didn’t have the same debt or worthless bonds or old ships as the Colonial era merchants. So, they were able to heavily leverage trade with the West Indies, Europe and Asia to great wealth.”

The stories of these enterprising maritime entrepreneurs takes place along only  1,000 feet of Water Street and its waterfront in the area of Federal Streetwill include Anthony Gwynn, Ralph and Stephen Cross, Anthony Davenport, William Bartlet, William P. Johnson, William Coombs, and Daniel and Joseph Marquand.. Come learn about the merchants who made and risked their fortunes on the sea.

Location: Custom House Maritime Museum, 25 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950

Admission: $15 Fee for non members, $10 Fee for members.  Reception following.

Newburyport celebrates and commemorates historic preservation and Newburyport's Waterfront  during the sixth annual Newburyport Preservation Week, May 16 through May 20, 2012. Activities spanning five days will feature something for all ages and interests, including a walking tour and musket firing, expert panel discussion and rediscovered Newburyport’s wharves, the connection between the Newburyport Powder House, the waterfront and preparation for the War of 1812, historic photo slide shows and films, and the annual Historic Preservation Awards. Activities are open to the public and most are free. For more information, visit www.nbptpreservationtrust.org.