TICKETS All Rev250 Events Join experts from around the world for a one-day symposium on Revolutionary War privateers and Newburyport’s Atlantic impact! From Newburyport wharves, privateers surged into the Atlantic with a single mission: take the fight to British commerce. Armed with letters of marque, these privately owned vessels disrupted enemy supply lines, seized valuable cargo, and brought home provisions, weapons, and even captured vessels that could be refitted into more privateers to help keep the cause alive. Privateering was a town-wide enterprise. Merchants financed voyages. Carpenters, ropemakers, and sailmakers outfitted vessels. Mariners signed on for a share of prize money. Women kept households, farms, and businesses running, and stocked stores with goods brought in as prizes. When captures returned to port, they could make fortunes. When privateers were lost, it meant tragedy and ruin. As we mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, join us for a fast-paced, people-centered program that connects Newburyport to the wider Atlantic war and the astonishing records privateers left behind, from logbooks and diaries to prize papers and court documents. Accessibility note Due to ongoing work on the Firehouse Center for the Arts elevator, the theater is currently accessible only by stairs. If stairs are a barrier, please select the virtual attendance option, Content will be recorded and posted to our website shortly afterward as well. SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS It all starts at 8 a.m.! Settle in with coffee and light refreshments before opening remarks that frame Newburyport’s privateering story within a wider Atlantic war. Session 1 (Keynote): Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution Eric Jay Dolin (author and historian) opens the day with a brisk, narrative keynote on how privateers—licensed entrepreneurs of war—made tangible strategic impact when the Continental Navy was small and overstretched. Dolin connects policy, profit, and peril to the lived experience of crews, investors, and coastal communities. Session 2: “The Spirit of Privateering Prevails Here”: Essex County’s Revolutionary War at Sea Emily Murphy, Ph.D. (Curator, Salem Maritime National Historical Park & Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site) brings Essex County’s wartime waterfront to life—who financed voyages, who shipped out, what came back as prize, and what disappeared at sea. Expect a grounded look at how privateering reshaped local markets, labor, and daily life ashore. Session 3: Allies and Rivals at Sea: The Continental Navy and Massachusetts Privateers Abby Schreiber, Ph.D. (Curator, National Museum of the United States Navy) explores the complicated relationship between official naval forces and private enterprise. Where did interests align—and where did they clash? This session follows shipbuilding priorities, supply chains, manpower, discipline, and prize expectations in a fast-moving revolutionary environment. Midday...
The birthplace of the dory—we build, row, and restore boats. For info about visiting/joining the museum or participating in our programs, click below.
