Moshulu

Moshulu is a four-masted steel barque launched in 1904 by William Hamilton and Company at Port Glasgow, Scotland. Built for the German shipping company G. H. J. Siemers & Co., the vessel was originally named Kurt, after the company’s director general and president, Kurt Siemers. It was one of the last large four-masted steel barques constructed on the Clyde and was designed for long-distance bulk cargo work, particularly the nitrate, coal, coke, fuel, timber, and grain trades. During its first decade, Kurt operated under German ownership on routes connecting Europe, South America, Australia, and Mexico. Its voyages included coal shipments from Wales to South America, nitrate transport from Chile to Germany, and coal movements between Australia and Chile. The ship also completed a notably fast 31-day passage from Newcastle, Australia, to Valparaíso under Captain Wilhelm H. G. Tönissen. The outbreak of the First World War changed the vessel’s ownership and identity. In 1914, Kurt sailed to Astoria, Oregon, where it was laid up. After the United States entered the war in 1917, the vessel was seized and initially renamed Dreadnought. Because that name was already registered to another American sailing ship, it was renamed Moshulu. The new name, associated with the Seneca language, conveyed the meaning “one who fears nothing.” Edith Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson and First Lady of the United States, is associated with the renaming. From 1917 to 1920, Moshulu was owned by the United States Shipping Board and carried wool and chrome between North America, Manila, and Australia. It then passed through several private owners based in San Francisco. Between 1920 and 1928 it operated in the timber trade along routes linking the western United States with Australia and South Africa. After its final timber voyage, the ship was laid up at several Pacific Northwest locations, including Los Angeles, Lake Union, Winslow, and Esquimalt. In 1935, Finnish shipowner Gustaf Erikson purchased Moshulu. Under Erikson’s ownership, the vessel returned to commercial sailing in the Australian-European grain trade under the Finnish flag. Its most famous voyage took place in 1938–1939, when the ship carried grain from Australia to Europe. The crew included the young British apprentice Eric Newby, who later described the voyage in The Last Grain Race and Learning the Ropes. Moshulu reached Queenstown, Ireland, on 10 June 1939 after a 91-day passage, completing what is described as the last major grain race of the square-rigged sailing-ship era. The Second World War and its aftermath ended Moshulu’s working life as a cargo sailing ship. The vessel was seized by Germany in 1940 while carrying wheat from Buenos Aires. It was progressively derigged and later capsized near Narvik, Norway, during a 1947 storm. Salvors stabilized and towed the hull to Bergen in 1948. The ship subsequently served as a grain store in Stockholm and later in Finland. A proposed conversion into a cargo-carrying merchant-marine training ship under the name Oplag did not proceed after the prospective owner became bankrupt. Moshulu instead continued as a floating warehouse. In 1970, Specialty Restaurants Corporation acquired the vessel and restored it for exhibition and hospitality use. Replica masts, yards, and rigging were installed at Scheveningen in the Netherlands. The ship was then towed to New York’s South Street Seaport Museum and later moved to Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing waterfront. It became part of the waterfront’s maritime attraction landscape, near museum vessels including USS Olympia and USS Becuna. Moshulu’s present identity is primarily that of a preserved historic ship and floating restaurant rather than a working commercial vessel. Since 2003, it has been operated by SCC Restaurants LLC. Its cultural profile has also been reinforced by appearances in popular culture, including The Godfather Part II and Rocky, as well as by Eric Newby’s influential accounts of life aboard the vessel. As a surviving original windjammer, Moshulu combines maritime heritage, tourism, hospitality, literature, and film history.

Moshulu was launched in 1904 as Kurt by William Hamilton and Company at Port Glasgow, Scotland. The four-masted steel barque was commissioned by G. H. J. Siemers & Co. of Hamburg for long-distance bulk cargo service and cost £36,000 to build. Along with its sister ship Hans, it belonged to the final generation of large four-masted steel barques built on the Clyde. From 1904 until the First World War, Kurt served in international cargo trades. It carried coal from Wales to South America, Chilean nitrate to Germany, Australian coal to Chile, and coke and patent fuel to Mexico. Its early commanders included Captain Christian Schütt and Captain Wilhelm H. G. Tönissen. Tönissen commanded a particularly quick 31-day passage between Newcastle, Australia, and Valparaíso. In 1914, as war began in Europe, the vessel sailed to Astoria, Oregon, and was laid up. The United States seized it in 1917 after entering the war. The ship was briefly called Dreadnought before receiving the name Moshulu, reportedly connected with a Seneca expression meaning “one who fears nothing.” From 1917 to 1920 it operated under the United States Shipping Board, transporting wool and chrome between North America, Manila, and Australia. The vessel moved into private American ownership after 1920. Based in San Francisco, it was used in the timber trade between the western United States, Australia, and South Africa. After completing its last timber run in 1928, Moshulu was laid up at locations including Los Angeles, Lake Union, Winslow, and Esquimalt. Its commercial sailing career resumed in 1935 when Gustaf Erikson purchased it for $12,000. Erikson placed the ship in the Australian-European grain trade under the Finnish flag, with Swedish used as the working language among much of the crew. Moshulu’s best-known working voyage began in late 1938. The ship sailed from Belfast toward Australia under Captain Mikael Sjögren, carrying the young apprentice Eric Newby. After loading approximately 4,875 tons of bagged grain at Port Victoria, the vessel sailed for Europe and arrived at Queenstown on 10 June 1939 after 91 days. Newby later turned the experience into The Last Grain Race, published in 1956, and Learning the Ropes, published in 1999. These works helped preserve an unusually detailed literary record of the ship’s final commercial era. The Second World War brought further disruption. Moshulu was seized by Germany in 1940 after returning to Kristiansand with wheat from Buenos Aires. It was gradually stripped of its rigging and capsized near Narvik in 1947. A salvage operation in 1948 stabilized the ship and towed it to Bergen. The hull was then used for storage purposes, including as a grain warehouse in Stockholm from 1948 to 1952. A later plan to convert the ship into a cargo-carrying training vessel named Oplag failed when the proposed owner entered bankruptcy. In 1953, the Swedish Farmers’ State Union acquired it for continued warehouse use. Finland purchased the vessel in 1961 in exchange for Russian rye and towed it to Naantali, where it remained a grain store. The transition from industrial vessel to heritage attraction began in 1970, when Specialty Restaurants Corporation acquired Moshulu. Replica masts, yards, and lines were fitted at Scheveningen in the Netherlands. The restored ship was towed to the South Street Seaport Museum in New York and later relocated to Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. There it became a floating restaurant and a prominent part of the city’s waterfront tourism offer. Since 2003, SCC Restaurants LLC has operated the vessel. Moshulu has retained a strong cultural presence beyond its restaurant function. Eric Newby’s books made its 1938–1939 voyage widely known, while its film appearances in The Godfather Part II and Rocky introduced the ship to broader audiences. It remains notable as a preserved four-masted steel barque, a former international cargo carrier, a literary subject, and a Philadelphia maritime attraction.

• 2003

  Operation by SCC Restaurants LLC

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  SCC Restaurants LLC began operating Moshulu at Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing waterfront.

• 1970

  Restoration for heritage and hospitality use

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  Specialty Restaurants Corporation acquired the vessel, restored its rigging, and moved it to New York and subsequently Philadelphia.

• 1961

  Conversion to a Finnish grain store

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  The Finnish government acquired Moshulu and towed it to Naantali for use as a grain warehouse.

• 1947

  Capsize near Narvik

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  After wartime derigging, the ship capsized in a storm near the Norwegian coast and was subsequently salvaged.

• 1939

  Completion of the final grain race

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  Moshulu reached Queenstown after a 91-day passage from Australia, with apprentice Eric Newby aboard.

• 1935

  Purchase by Gustaf Erikson

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  Gustaf Erikson purchased Moshulu and returned it to the Australian-European grain trade under the Finnish flag.

• 1917

  Seizure and renaming as Moshulu

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  The United States seized the ship, initially renamed it Dreadnought, and then adopted the name Moshulu.

• 1914

  Laid up in Astoria

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  Kurt sailed to Astoria, Oregon, after the outbreak of the First World War and was laid up there.

• 1904

  Launch as Kurt

  [1]Moshuluen.wikipedia.org

  William Hamilton and Company launched the four-masted steel barque Kurt at Port Glasgow for G. H. J. Siemers & Co.

A heritage hospitality and tourism venue built around one of the largest surviving original windjammers, combining historic ship preservation with waterfront dining and cultural tourism.

• Hospitality · 1970

  Moshulu floating restaurant

  Moshulu’s principal contemporary offering is a restaurant operating aboard the preserved historic vessel at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia. The dining concept uses the ship itself as the central visitor experience, linking waterfront hospitality with maritime heritage. The vessel is no longer a cargo carrier or active sailing ship; its modern commercial identity is based on food service, tourism, and event use aboard a historically significant windjammer.

• Maritime tourism · 1970

  Moshulu historic ship attraction

  The ship functions as a preserved maritime landmark and waterfront attraction. Its surviving hull, four-masted configuration, restored replica rigging, wartime history, and association with Eric Newby provide the basis for its heritage value. Its appearances in The Godfather Part II and Rocky further connect the vessel with popular culture and Philadelphia’s film identity.

• 2003

  Continuation under SCC Restaurants LLCStrategy

  Background

  Moshulu had already been repositioned as a restaurant and maritime attraction on the Philadelphia waterfront.

  Action taken

  SCC Restaurants LLC assumed operation of the vessel.

  Aftermath

  The ship continued as an active floating restaurant and heritage venue.

  Source

• 1970

  Conversion from cargo vessel to heritage hospitality venueStrategy

  Background

  After decades of cargo and warehouse service, Moshulu was acquired for preservation and public-facing use.

  Action taken

  Specialty Restaurants Corporation installed replica masts, yards, and rigging and relocated the vessel to museum and waterfront destinations.

  Aftermath

  Moshulu gained a new commercial life as a historic attraction and floating restaurant, eventually settling at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.

  Source

• 1917

  Adoption of the Moshulu name after wartime seizureStrategy

  Background

  The United States seized the vessel after its wartime layup in Oregon. The initial replacement name, Dreadnought, could not be retained because another American sailing ship already held that registration.

  Action taken

  The vessel was renamed Moshulu and placed under United States Shipping Board ownership for wartime and postwar cargo service.

  Aftermath

  The new name remained with the ship through later ownership changes, commercial service, preservation, and its eventual restaurant operation.

  Source

1. 1Moshuluen.wikipedia.org