Two Centuries of Maine (and Harpswell) Shipbuilding

Tuesday, August 9 from 6:30-8 p.m. Advance registration is requested.

Join Maine Maritime Museum’s Curator Emeritus, Nathan R. Lipfert for a lecture about shipbuilding! As long as wooden shipbuilding was the state of the art, Maine shipyards built more ships, and more tons of ships, than any other state. Every coastal community participated in this industry. Maine continues as an important shipbuilding region into the present, providing well-paid skilled employment to thousands of people and building vessels of wood, metal, and composite materials that have an impact felt around the world. Nathan Lipfert will discuss the history of Maine shipyards and shipbuilders and the vessels they built, with a special section on Harpswell shipbuilding. His presentation will be based on his research for his recent book, Two Centuries of Maine Shipbuilding: A Visual History.

Nathan R. Lipfert worked at Maine Maritime Museum from 1971 to 2017 as Assistant Curator, Curator, Library Director, Curator & Library Director, and Senior Curator. His present title is Curator Emeritus. He was educated at Hofstra University and Vermont College of Norwich University, and at the National Archives Institute of the National Archives. Nathan has curated dozens of exhibits for Maine Maritime Museum. He co-authored Lobstering and the Maine Coast, and co-authored and edited Maine & The Sea: 50 Years of Collecting at Maine Maritime Museum. He is the author of the 2021 book Two Centuries of Maine Shipbuilding: A Visual History. He is presently working on a small book on the history of the Bath Custom House and a future book on shipbuilding tools.