GALVESTON.COM: 1877 Tall Ship Elissa

Built in 1877 The Tall Ship Elissa measures 205 ft. long, 99 ft. tall, and displaces about 620 tons at her current ballast. Today Elissa is much more than an artifact from a bygone era. She is a fully-functional vessel that continues to sail annually during sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Unlike some tall ships of today Elissa is not a replica, but a survivor. She was built during the decline of the "Age of Sail" to fill a niche in maritime commerce. Over her 90-year commercial history she carried a variety of cargos to ports around the world, for a succession of owners. Her working life as a freighter came to an end in Piraeus Harbor, Greece, where she was rescued from the scrap yard by a variety of ship preservationists who refused to let her die. The story of Elissa's discovery and restoration is nothing short of miraculous, and is beautifully retold in photographs and a video presentation at the Texas Seaport Museum.

For more information:
Galveston.com
http://www.galveston.com
Galveston Historical Foundation
http://www.galvestonhistory.org

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• 1877
• Tall
• Ship
• Elissa
• Galveston
• Texas

[ezcat1000]

Long live the Elissa!