Overabove Volume 1: Falls River Cove | Page 45

THE WILLIAMS FAMILY BUILDS A SHIPYARD When one looks out at the tranquil north shore of the North Cove, it is hard to imagine all the sights, sounds, and smells that would have been the Williams Shipyard. A beehive of activity, it was the culminating enterprise of a truly remarkable period along the Falls River. In 1796, Samuel Williams and his son David developed the Williams Shipyard on the northern shore of the Falls River Cove, a short distance from the sawmill. The shipyard complex included a large bulkhead and wharf for ships to tie up, a repair yard and construction site, and a ships’ house for supplies used during construction, all located conveniently near the sawmill for easy access to materials. Williams-built ships transported local agricultural products, livestock and lumber to the American South and the European Colonies in the Caribbean. They participated in an Atlantic trade network stretching from Europe to Africa, Latin America and North America. 45