The Piscataqua Gundalow

Gundalows were once the dominant cargo bearers of the Piscataqua River, moving supplies throughout the river basin of New Hampshire and Maine. For more than two hundred years, from colonial times through the nineteenth century, gundalows formed an indispensable link in a transportation network embracing over a thousand square miles of inland waters, from the river ports to Portsmouth on the seacoast. During their heyday, more than two thousand gundalows were built in this region. Without the Piscataqua gundalow, the development and growth of the entire basin would have been severely hampered.
        In this, the first book-length study of the gundalow, author Richard W. Winslow III traces the evolution of the gundalow’s design, reviews its history and uses, and tells the stories of the colorful men who made their living from its decks.
        Here too, is the story of the construction of the Edward H. Adams, a new gundalow, now sailing the Piscataqua as part of an educational project on local maritime history. The vessel is named for the last gundalow captain, Edward H. Adams, who lived on Adams Point on the shore of Great Bay.