Friendship of Salem, part of Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Friendship of Salem is a late-1990s replica of a 1797 merchant ship that was built in Salem. It is open to the public on select days of the week whenever docked along Derby Wharf at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. A sign on the wharf promises tours, but you really just board the ship on your own schedule. Rangers or park volunteers will answer questions and perhaps give a short lecture if enough people gather around. For the current operating schedule, see the National Park Service’s official Basic Information web page for the park.
The tall ship is without a doubt the most popular attraction at the park. Hundreds of people each day walk down Derby Street on their way to the second biggest tourist attraction in Salem, the House of the Seven Gables (a house made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book of the same name), and while they may not even know that Salem Maritime National Historical Park exists, the ship certainly stands out as something that needs to be investigated.
Friendship of Salem docked at Derby Wharf, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Friendship of Salem is a reproduction of a ship built for merchants Aaron Waite and Jerathmiel Peirce. If their names sound familiar, that’s because of one of the park’s two visitor centers, the Waite and Peirce Information Center and Park Store located on Central Wharf. Friendship of Salem regularly sailed a trade route that included Sumatra, Madagascar, and Batavia, bringing back teas, spices, and silk among other products. The ship was eventually captured by the British Navy during the War of 1812 and was most likely dismantled for its wood, because it was never heard from or referenced again.
Figurehead at the prow of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Visitors can tour both the top (weather) and the middle (tween) decks of the ship. An interesting item on the weather deck is a Quaker Cannon, a fake cannon made of wood designed to—hopefully—frighten away pirate ships (Quakers are opposed to war, thus the origin of the name). There were usually a few real cannon on a merchant ship, but most were Quaker cannon. Real cannon cost a lot of money, a sizable crew was required to man each one, and, more importantly, because a ship could only carry so much weight, merchants preferred to fill it with cargo, not with heavy metal cannon. For the most part, fights with pirates were hand-to-hand battles, for the pirates did not want to damage the ship or its cargo.
Weather deck of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Weather deck of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Quaker Cannon onboard the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
The tween deck is where crew bunk beds, extra masts, food, and other supplies needed on a daily basis were located. Cargo was stored below this deck.
Tween deck of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Mast stored on the tween deck of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Crew bunk beds of the Friendship of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park
If the Friendship of Salem is not docked along Derby Wharf, it could be at dry dock for repairs or perhaps away at a Tall Ship event in the New England area. It was made for the National Park Service, so its main purpose is to be on display at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. If you are coming to the park specifically to see the ship, be sure to call (978) 740-1650 and inquire about its current status.
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Last updated on November 14, 2025
