SLIDE SHOW: Mystic Seaport Model

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  The Charles Mallory Shipyard

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Out to sail on the Mystic River

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Coriolanus, a square-rigged whaling vessel

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Visitors' faces in background help show scale

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Workboat being launched at the D.O. Richmond boatyard.

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Victoria

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Next to the N.G. Fish & Co. store on lower Water Street

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  The view from Fort Rachel

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Home along the west side of the Mystic River

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Shore Line Railroad crosses a wooden trestle

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Construction of a home in Mystic

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Mystic Bridge, the town on the east bank of the river

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  At home in Mystic

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Horse and buggy riding through Greenmanville

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Man on bridge fishing in the Mystic River

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  A church in the downtown area on the west bank

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Greenmanville Seventh Day Baptist Church, built in 1851

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  House at Adams Point

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  A “company town” around the Greenman Shipyard at Adams Point

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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  Sailing vessel on the Mystic River

  

• Photo/Art by Julie Bidwell

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Scale models rarely surpass their real life counterparts, but among the countless treasures of Mystic Seaport is an impressive diorama of the area as it was in the 19th century. The 1:128-scale model represents more than 50 years’ work by one man, Arthur Payne.

A surprise to many who visit the seaport, the model is overwhelming, with minute details and carefully crafted land, architecture, and atmosphere. The detailed model represents one mile along the Mystic River as it appeared in the 1850s through the 1870s, when this little community produced a greater tonnage of ships and steamers than any place its size in America. Five working shipyards are shown. The photographs are by Julie Bidwell.

See the complete exhibit at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT.

Read the tales of two more model makers: