David Palsgrove

Brooklyn

Whitehall Gig.

The Whitehall Gig is a 27' wooden row boat that was a common sight in the Hudson and East Rivers in the 19th Century. These boats were designed and built here (they continue to be so). This is the all purpose boat that really was a corner stone to the early NYC economy. These boats were used to escort the trading ships to ports along the shores of Manhattan. They were used as transportation between the islands. They were used by the police and even oyster fishermen. There is a famous victory of a rowing team led by John Magnus in the General Lafayette where they beat a British crew team. There is even an old folk story that NY won Staten Island in a boat race involving this boat.