Maritime History Resources

Text: Maritime history is an interesting subject that many people ignore every day. These people are usually unaware of the fact that colleges around the world offer programs and coursework on this very topic, and that maritime programs often make boat donations and participate in community events as well. Students interested in the marine industry study everything from specific types of ships to nautical archaeology, which focuses on the artifacts left behind. The following resources provide a better understanding of the topic.

Researching Ships

Ship and Passenger Lists: gives steps on searching for specific vessels and passengers on those vessels.
Researching Ships and Seafarers: discusses how someone would research a specific ship based on name.
Ships & Passenger Lists: offers resources on researching ships.
Have Ship, Need Information: provides ways for people to research ships from World War II.
Maritime Information Exchange: U.S. Coast Guard database of ships.

Libraries and Databases

California Maritime Academic Library: complete library with searchable database dedicated to maritime history.
Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society: historical society focused on providing information on different ships and the history of the area.
National Maritime Museum Archives: gives instant access to holdings in the Museum.
National Maritime Museum Library and Manuscripts Catalogue: searchable database of books and manuscripts in their library.
Maritime Database: provides research into current and past ships, captains, ports and other information relating to maritime history.
Schooner Man Maritime Data Base: historical database covering different historical ships, dimensions, location and other information.

Maritime Museums

Maritime Museum San Diego: museum dedicated to the maritime history related to San Diego.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum: museum with exhibits and historical maritime artifacts.
Baltimore Maritime Museum: educational museum focusing on the maritime history surrounding Baltimore.
North Carolina Maritime Museum: North Carolina based museum with an emphasis on the history of the state.
San Francisco Maritime Park: National Park Service historical area that focuses on the history of San Francisco, with a maritime museum.

Nautical Archaeology

Institute of Nautical Archaeology: part of Texas A&M University dedicated to the topic or nautical archaeology.
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology: peer reviewed journal with articles and subjects relating to the field.
Nautical Archaeology: provides resources and more information on different topics within the field of nautical archaeology.
Underwater and Maritime Archaeology: contains resources in the field of nautical archaeology.
Underwater Archaeology: offers resources on underwater archaeology in relation to maritime history.

Maritime Education

Maritime Education: provides resources on the study into this field.
College of Maritime Education: higher learning institution emphasizing maritime studies.
Boat Donation: Educate yourself on how the marine industry gives back by donating old boats and schooners.
Marine Institute : institute associated with the University of Newfoundland.
Center for Maritime Economics & Logistics: European institute focusing on the study of economics and its relation to maritime concerns.
Maritime College: college program connected to the State College of New York.

With today’s technology they can even discover the exact passengers found on a specific ship and in some cases the things they brought onboard. It’s great for those researching their family tree or just those who think this is a fascinating subject worthy of more exploring.