Paper short abstract:

Harold A. Burnham, despite his relative youth, has earned a place in history as a master shipwright. In this era of mass-produced fiberglass hulls built elsewhere, Burnham has successfully revived long-dormant techniques in Massachusetts, reconnecting a town to its shipbuilding heritage.

Paper long abstract:

Referencing Henry Glassie's idea of "robust centers of culture," I focus on the shipbuilding industry of Massachusetts's North Shore and its "star" Harold A. Burnham who, despite his relative youth, has earned a place in history as a master shipwright. The Burnham shipyard is located on the banks of a tidal river where, for eleven generations, members of the same family have built and launched wooden vessels. The town once supported fifteen shipyards, but after WWII, the industry collapsed. Economically, Essex turned away from shipbuilding and toward restaurants and tourism. As a consequence, traditional woodworking skills largely fell out of use.

For the next fifty years, a few Essex shipwrights continued to build smaller vessels like lobster boats and pleasure craft. It was in these small shops that traditional shipbuilding methods were kept alive. Harold spent his youth watching and learning from these men, including his own father who, despite his day job as an engineer, spent weekends and evenings in the boatyard.

In this era of mass produced fiberglass hulls, Burnham holds true to elders' materials and techniques. Using hand tools familiar to a 19th-century shipwright, he works outside through New England winters and launches vessels the old way using wedges, grease and gravity. He cuts timber from local sources and mills it himself. Rather than use computer-aided design, Burnham works with a more tactile design tool, the half model. By successfully reviving long-dormant, shipbuilding techniques, Burnham have successfully reconnected a town to its shipbuilding heritage.