Lot Essay
The extreme clipper ship Great Republic was built by Donald McKay at his East Boston yards in 1853. McKay designed the ship to be the largest merchant sailing ship ever to be constructed in the United States, carrying 6000 tons in dead weight within her 4555 ton structure. She was launched on October 4, 1853, in the presence of some 30,000 people--the largest number of people ever to attend such an event up to that time. Unfortunately, she suffered irreparable damage in a fire shortly thereafter on December 26, 1853, while docked in New York.