“Stripped Clean by Wind and Water”: Historical and Archaeological Investigation of a Provincetown Plum-Pudding Whaling Company and its Reaction to a Dimming Industry

Abstract

Industry decline after the 1859 discovery of petroleum prompted American whalers to adopt innovative strategies for survival, such as plum-pudding whaling. Characterized by short, Atlantic expeditions, it minimized risk and proved effective during periods of uncertainty. This thesis employs social risk theory to analyze the operational history of E. & E.K. Cook & Company and the 1879 collapse of their industrial, fishing, and whaling "empire" in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Highlighting the company's strategic shift to plum-pudding whaling in the 1860s, this study examines distinct features of plum-pudding schooners, discusses internal and external factors contributing to the company's 1879 dissolution, and establishes a theoretical framework for evaluating discrete maritime risk. Through extensive historical research and archaeological surveys of suspected Cook vessel remains, this thesis serves as a case study in understanding the impact of strategic response to crisis and risk during the whaling industry's decline.