Nameboards
If the Graveyard of the Atlantic is where ships die, then nameboards are their tombstones. Nameboards are exactly as one would assume: the name of the ship to whom they are attached. Written in large, easy to read font, ship names are often based on important people or owners of the ship. Some longer names might be abbreviated, as in the case of Geo. M. Adams. The “Geo.” is an older common shortened term for “George.” The nameboards of ships were a popular token to salvage from wrecked vessels. The Outer Banks has a long history of repurposing materials from shipwrecks. A group of houses in Nags Head, NC, are commonly referred to as Nags Head Beach Cottage Row due to their primary construction materials being made of shipwrecked vessels. Decorations for these houses, as referenced by the accompanying photos, included items such as nameboards, liferings, and ship wheels.
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum has over 15 nameboards from various vessels. These boards vary in size and shape, but most were located on the sides of the ship near the bow or on the stern, above the home port location.
Click on the nameboards below to learn more about them!
