Western-Rig Dragger Florence

Built in 1926 by Franklin G. Post in Mystic, Connecticut, Florence is a western-rig dragger typical of southern New England and, along with Roann, represents the net form of fishing that replaced the hook-and-line methods used by vessels like the schooner L.A. Dunton. She had a small pilothouse forward, a large working deck aft, a small varnished cabin with simple berths and a small Shipmate stove alongside the engine, and a fish hold where the catch was stored in barrels. In summer, Florence was rigged to harpoon swordfish off Block Island, and in winter she dragged an otter trawl fishnet across the ocean bottom to catch flounder, cod, and haddock. She generally worked off Montauk Point, the back of Long Island, Block Island, and Watch Hill, Rhode Island, with a crew of two or three. Restored to her original specifications, Florence is a rare example of the many similar fishing boats built on the Mystic River in the 1920s and 1930s, and her original engine, a 65-horsepower, 6-cylinder Lathrop Standard Model T-Head, was also built locally.

Mystic, Connecticut · United States