The L. A. Dunton is a distinguished two-masted wooden-hulled schooner, recognized as a National Historic Landmark and preserved as a museum exhibit at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut. Launched in 1921, she stands as one of the last remaining vessels of her type, which was once the predominant sail-powered fishing craft operating from New England ports. Her construction was carried out at the A.D. Story Shipyard in Essex, Massachusetts, and she was modeled after the now-lost ship Joffre, designed by influential naval architect Thomas F. McManus. Measuring approximately 121 feet in total length, with a hull length of about 104 feet 3 inches, the Dunton features a rounded bow and bowsprit, with a beam of 25 feet and a draft of 11 feet 6 inches. Her rigging includes two topmasts reaching a height of 112 feet 8 inches, and her standard sail plan comprised a mainsail, foresail, gaff topsails, fisherman staysail, forestaysail, jib, and jib topsail. Constructed from woods such as white pine, yellow pine, white oak, and maple, her interior joinery features sycamore and white pine, reflecting quality craftsmanship. Her displacement is 188 long tons, with gross and net tonnages of 134 and 94 respectively. Initially built without an engine, a gasoline motor was installed in 1923, although her original rigging remained largely intact during her early fishing career. She served in New England waters until roughly 1934, after which she was sold to Newfoundland, where her rig was modified, and she was used in the cod fishery on the Grand Banks into the 1950s. Later, she was converted into a coasting cargo ship, with interior modifications that diminished her original features. Acquired by Mystic Seaport in 1963, she underwent restoration efforts to return her to her authentic sailing configuration, with subsequent restorations extending into the 1980s. Although she is no longer fully rigged due to deterioration, she remains a vital maritime artifact, illustrating early 20th-century sail-powered fishing vessels and their significance in maritime history.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.