Galveston Island

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Elissa:


Elissa is a three-masted, iron-hulled sailing ship built in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland by Alexander Hall & Company. She carries nineteen sails covering over one-quarter of an acre in surface area. Tall ships are classified by the configuration of their sailing rig. In ELISSA’s case, she is a ‘barque’ because she carries square and fore-and-aft sails on her fore and mainmasts, but only fore-and-aft sails on her mizzenmast. From her stern to the tip of her jibboom she measures 205 feet. Her height is 99 feet, 9 inches at the main mast and she displaces about 620 tons at her current ballast.

                                                                                             - Photo by Nolan Bailey

 

 

 

Texas Seaport Museum is the home of the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA. The Texas Legislature recently named her the Official Tall Ship of Texas. Additionally ELISSA is a National Historic Landmark and also designated one of America’s Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the recipient of many historic and educational awards. A visit to the web site will provide more information.
 

ELISSA was built in 1877 at the Alexander Hall & Sons Shipyard in Aberdeen, Scotland for a British merchant, Henry Fowler Watt. Captain Watt was her owner and Captain from 1877 until 1897 when she was sold for the first of many times. ELISSA was discovered in Greece, being prepared for the scrap yard when she was purchased in 1979 by Galveston Historical Foundation for restoration and return to Galveston. The ship had called on the port of Galveston in 1883 and 1886, giving her direct connections to Galveston and Texas maritime history. Since the completion of her restoration in 1982 ELISSA has made many voyages and annual sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico.

ELISSA and Texas Seaport Museum support many educational programs for young people including a youth sailing program on ELISSA, overnight and tour programs, marine biology tours and historic harbor tours on a 50 foot catamaran tour boat.

 

(Courtesy of www.shopformuseums.com)

 

                                                                        - Photo by Nolan Bailey

 

                                                                      - Photo by Nolan Bailey

 

 

 

 

Left:  1870’s era galley on board the Elissa