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Captain
Freeman Nickerson of Cape Cod proudly sits with his copy of
"Coastal Pilot" in his right hand while his packet
schooner the "Lodi" of Boston shows off her profile
under full sail behind him. If you were in Boston in 1837
and were entertaining the idea of visiting Philadelphia, and
your cargo was too heavy for a coach, a voyage on the "Lodi"
might be one of your limited options. Packets provided regular
service between cities on the coast, but did not run on "railroad
time" as they were dependent on tide, wind and weather.
This painting, and the documentation that is found with it,
tells us a story about transportation in Early New England
that you might not even find in a published history book.
The idea of sailing to Philadelphia in the "Lodi"
under sail with no engine, radio, or radar would be fairly
daunting to the modern passenger, but taken for granted by
the traveler of 1837. The conservation work on this painting
required that it be lined with a new support before it was
cleaned. We restored the water-stained mahogany frame as well
as the painting since both had been subject to major water
damage.
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