The maritime heritage of Mystic goes back to the 1600s, first as a seaport and then as a center of shipbuilding. Between 1784 and 1919, the golden age of American maritime enterprise, more than 600 vessels were constructed along the Mystic River. However, the advent of steam power in the late 1800s spelled the end of the wooden shipbuilding era and with it the Mystic maritime economy. In 1929, the Marine Historical Association was formed to preserve the seaport area. Now known as Mystic Seaport, the historical area has become America's leading maritime museum, a dynamic educational institution designed to preserve America’s maritime culture and to turn the achievements of a past era into an inspirational force for the future.