From the establishment of the first shipyard in the 1730s until the mid-19th century, Fells Point was the engine that drove maritime commerce and international politics. Privateers, shipbuilders, immigrants, merchants and sailors sought their fortunes in this waterfront community, home to the world-famous Baltimore clipper schooners. These vessels, known then as pilot-built schooners, were the fastest in the world and carried cargoes both legal and illegal. On a single voyage in 1814, one of the most famous privateer captains, Thomas Boyle, captured 14 British vessels, 48 prisoners, and returned with cargo worth over $100,000. The Fells Point Maritime Museum is a satellite site of the Maryland Historical Society.