With the advent of the California Gold Rush in 1848, many immigrants who were seeking out a living on the US East Coast decided to head West in search of fortune. The sea journey from New York to San Francisco via Cape Horn usually took more than 200 days. In 1854, the clipper Flying Cloud made the journey in just 89 days, setting a record that would last for 135 years.
This scale model shows the Flying Cloud with its copper-clad hull. Clippers constructed in the 19th century featured copper plating below the waterline to protect the vulnerable wood from attack by marine organisms.
