A View of the East River and Manhattan Shoreline, New York, with the American Clipper Glory of the Seas outward bound and Brooklyn Bridge nearing completion

Glory of the Seas was the last of a long line of medium clippers designed and built by the famous Donald McKay at his East Boston yard. Launched in October 1869, she was registered at 2,009 tons net and measured 24 feet in length with a 44 foot beam.. Built to his own account at a time when he was in financial difficulties, McKay spared no expense in her construction and even accompanied her on her maiden voyage from New York to San Francisco. Unfortunately for him, news of his money worries had preceded him and when she docked, McKay found that his ship had been sold to Charles Brigham of Boston in lieu of debts. Brigham soon resold her to Captain Josiah Knowles, who kept her until 1880, and under his command she achieved many notable passges and two records which still stand. Changing hands several more times, she spent the 1890's in the Pacific coast coal trade but was laid up in 1902 until sold again for conversion to a barge in 1905. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake reprieved her and she spent a busy five years hauling lumber from the Northwest needed for the city's rebuilding. She ended her career as a floating cannery and then storage hulk until burned for her scrap metal in 1923.