As the last whaling ship built in Mattapoisett, the Wanderer signaled the end of an era for the town.

In the 135 years since it left Mattapoisett Harbor, it has become an icon of its history, and now a piece of the whaling ship has returned to its home port.

The foremast of the ship, approximately 34 feet long, was donated to the Mattapoisett Museum at the end of November.

The piece was on display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum until about three years ago, when it was moved outside during a renovation, said Seth Mendell, Town Historian.

“It was covered with a tarp, but it would blow off. It was open to the elements,” said Mendell, a docent at the Whaling Museum. “I was concerned that this piece of history from this whaling vessel was going to melt away in the elements.”

Although the Mattapoisett Museum owns another piece of the mast and the Selectmen’s gavel is made from a piece of the ship, most of the Wanderer has been lost.

Launched in 1878 from New Bedford, the vessel sailed in the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.

In 1924, the ship left New Bedford Harbor, becoming the last whaling ship to launch from the port.

While waiting out a storm on Martha’s Vineyard, the whaler came unmoored and wrecked on Cuttyhunk Island.

At 110 to 120 feet in length, he explained, “Here was a huge treasure trove of wood. A whaling vessel on dry land was three stories high.”

Some pieces of the boat were recovered; however, Mendell said islanders probably salvaged much of it.

Besides Mattapoisett’s bits of the boat, Mendell said, “Other people claim to have pieces. I have heard rumors that the wheels of the Wanderer are in some yacht club down on the Cape.”

While that is unconfirmed, Mendell knows the newly acquired foremast is the real deal.

The mast is currently in storage at a local boatyard. “We will be working on it come spring — getting it cleaned up, painted, and brought to the museum,” he said.

Mendell said the Mattapoisett Historical Society will probably seek funding for the restoration, but was not sure how much it would cost.

The size of the piece means it is too big to fit in the small museum, so Mendell said it will be waterproofed and the Historical Society will create a shelter to protect it from the elements.

The Historical Society plans to unveil the mast this summer, along with a short history of the Wanderer and the local whaling industry.

“We’re very thankful that the New Bedford Whaling Museum saw fit to give it to us,” he said. We’re really tickled to get this pristine artifact.”