The Gundalow Company

The Gundalow Company is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 with a mission to preserve the gundalow Captain Edward H. Adams in order to serve as a platform for maritime, historical, social, and environmental education on and about the waters of the Piscataqua Region. The Captain Edward H. Adams was built in 1982 as a replica of the type of 18th century cargo vessel – known locally as a gundalow - that carried salt-marsh hay, bricks, timber, and raw materials between Portsmouth Harbor and the towns on seven rivers that define the Piscataqua Region. The gundalow design evolved over time as an adaptation to the extremely strong currents in the Piscataqua River, very shallow water, and the need for a barge with a capacity to hold up to 50 tons of bulk cargo. The earliest gundalows were simple flat-bottomed barges that moved with the tides and currents. By the mid-19th century the design had evolved to include a leeboard, long sweeps or oars, and a lateen rig that could be lowered to the deck when the vessels passed under bridges. Today, the Captain Edward H. Adams visits several ports in the Piscataqua Region each season providing hands-on educational programs, collaborative community events, and interpreted tours to over 15,000 people.

Molly Bolster
Gundalow Company
PO Box 425, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Tel: 603-433-9505 Fax: 603-433-6403
E-mail: info@gundalow.org
Website: www.gundalow.org