A guide to the Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk, 1951-1981

Processed by: L. Bianchi, September 2014.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Building E, Fort Mason

San Francisco, CA 94123

Phone: 415-561-7030

Fax: 415-556-3540

SAFR_Historic_Documents@nps.gov

URL: http://www.nps.gov/safr

2015

A Guide to the Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk

P92-078

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service

2015, National Park Service

Title: Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk

Date: 1951-1981

Identifier/Call Number: P92-078 (SAFR 24257)

Creator: Mystic Seaport Museum

Physical Description: 32 items.

Repository: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department

Building E, Fort Mason

San Francisco, CA 94123

Abstract: The Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk, 1951-1981, (SAFR 24257, P92-078) consists of photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk located at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.

Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department

Language(s): In English.

Access

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Credit Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc. Permission is required before publication use.

Publication and Use Rights

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Processing Note

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.

Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Preferred Citation

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P92-078 (SAFR 24257), Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Acquisition Information

SAFR-00518

The photographic prints were found in the SAFR-00001 (GOGA-01075) accession file; however, they are not part of that accession. Since GOGA-01075 is comprised of Tubbs Cordage Co. material, the prints are related by subject matter and seem to have been acquired as possible display images to accompany SAFR's Tubbs ropewalk artifacts.

Historical or Biographical Note

The Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk building, formerly located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, was acquired by the Mystic Seaport Museum of Mystic, Connecticut, in 1950. The building was disassembled and transported to Mystic. The reassembled ropewalk opened to the public in 1951. (Source: Peterson, William N. and Peter M. Coope. Historic Buildings at Mystic Seaport Museum. Mystic, Conn.: Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc., 1985.)

Collection Scope and Content

The Mystic Seaport Museum photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk, 1951-1981, (SAFR 24257, P92-078) consists of photographs of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk located at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.

Contains photographs mainly of the interior of the Plymouth Cordage Company ropewalk building, including the spinning loft and pieces of machinery, at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut, 1951-1981. There are 32 unique photographic images (black-and-white photographic prints). The photographs were possibly taken by Mystic Seaport Museum staff. Items 01-23 are 4 x 5 in. contact prints from the Mystic Seaport Museum photo files. Items 24-32 are 8 x 10 in. contact prints that are apparently from a special curator's file rather than Mystic's photo files. Note that the machinery pictured in Items 25-28, 30-32 are not part of the ropewalk located at Mystic; they appear more modern.

Photographs

Item 01. Man at work in the spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 81-5-1.
Item 02. Afterturn machine, detail view. Mystic Seaport photo number 81-3-25.
Item 03. Afterturn machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 81-3-26.
Item 04. Forming machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 81-3-27.
Item 05. Laying truck. Mystic Seaport photo number 8-3-23.
Item 06. Foreturn machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 81-3-22.
Item 07. Diagram titled "The Forming of a Strand," showing the forming machine, register plate, and creel. Mystic Seaport photo number 77-2-232.
Item 08. Diagram titled "The Laying of Rope," showing the afterturn machine, laying truck, and foreturn machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 77-2-233.
Item 09. Exterior of the Plymouth Cordage Company building at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Mystic Seaport photo number 74-10-87.
Item 10. Forming and laying machines. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-68.
Item 11. Laying truck top. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-67.
Item 12. Afterturn machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-66.
Item 13. Register plate. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-65.
Item 14. Spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-64.
Item 15. Spinning loft, with hackling spikes. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-63.
Item 16. Creel of yarns and register plate. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-61.
Item 17. Foreturn machine. Mystic Seaport photo number 73-1-60.
Item 18. Spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 71-3-219.
Item 19. Plymouth Cordage Company advertisement. Mystic Seaport photo number 70-6-65.
Item 20. Demonstration in the spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 66-6-39.
Item 21. Demonstration in the spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 53-5-11.
Item 22. Spinning loft, detail view. Mystic Seaport photo number 51-7-61.
Item 23. Spinning loft. Mystic Seaport photo number 51-7-63.
Item 24. Twine ball, two views. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.3.
Item 25. Rope machine at an unidentified ropewalk, showing finished 3-strand rope (coiling). Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.5.
Item 26. Coarse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.7.
Item 27. Coarse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.35.
Item 28. Coarse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.36.
Item 29. Plymouth cordage, ladder mat detail. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.49.
Item 30. Coarse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.59.
Item 31. Coarse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.69.
Item 32. Corse spreader at an unidentified ropewalk. Mystic Seaport photo number 66.140.70.

Collection Arrangement

Arranged in the order listed on two inventory sheets in the collection file, with 4 x 5 in. photographic prints first followed by 8 x 10 in. prints.

Related Materials

Researchers should note that the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park holds collections related to the Tubbs Cordage Company of San Francisco, California, including documents (SAFR 18874, HDC 0496) and components of its ropewalk. Researchers can search the Park's web catalog for more information.

This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Ropewalks

Cordage industry

Museums

Mystic Seaport Museum

Plymouth Cordage Company

Mystic (Conn.)

Black-and-white prints (photographs)

Gelatin silver prints