The Smith and Dimon Shipyard on the East River, New York

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This view takes in the Smith and Dimon shipyard on the East River, a working waterfront where the firm's name stood for ship construction and repair. In the nineteenth century, the East River shoreline of Manhattan was lined with yards like this one, where crews framed wooden hulls, rigged masts and launched vessels into the crowded tidal strait. The scene shows the close link between the city's commerce and its water traffic, when sailing ships and steamboats moved most of the port's cargo and passengers. Look at the density of masts, sheds and workboats, which reflects how busy these yards were before steel and larger dry docks shifted shipbuilding to other locations.

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