The Lettie's History

Hello my name is Matthew Rodriguez and I am going to tell you about my time on the Lettie. The Lettie G. Howard is a 1893 fishing boat from Glouster, Massachusetts. For her first eight years she was similar to the schooners that carried their Long Island and New Jersey catches to New York City's Fulton Fish Market. After an active life in the fisheries of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Lettie was sold to the South Street Seaport Museum in 1968 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988. Between 1991 and 1993 the museum completely restored her to her original 1893 appearance, and fitted her out to accommodate trainees (like us) on educational trips (like the day sails we do with Harbor Class - which is what I'm writing this blog for). In 1994, the Lettie was certified as a Sailing School Vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard. The museum now offers sail training programs aboard the Lettie.