"Elissa" is also another name for Dido, the queen of Carthage in Greek mythology.

The tall ship Elissa is a sailing ship launched on October 27, 1877. This iron-hulled barque is one of the oldest ships still sailing.

Elissa was built in Aberdeen, Scotland as a merchant vessel in the time when the use of steamships was overtaking sailing ships. The ship survived numerous ownership changes, renamings, and modifications, including the installation of an engine and the incremental removal of all her rigging and masts. In 1975, she was purchased by the Galveston Historical Foundation, her current owners, who began the process of restoration and repair.

In 1979, after a year of repairs to her hull in Greece, the Elissa was towed to Galveston, Texas, where the restoration process continued.

The Elissa made her first voyage as a restored sailing ship in 1985, travelling to Corpus Christi, Texas. A year later, she sailed to New York Harbor to take part in the Statue of Liberty's centennial celebrations.

When not sailing, the Elissa remains moored at the Texas Seaport Museum in Galveston.

Honors

• National Register of Historic Places - first object granted this status while outside United States territory
• National Historic Landmark
• Designated one of "America's Treasures" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Specifications

• Length at waterline - 141 ft.
• Beam - 28 ft.
• Displacement - 620 tons
• Cargo capacity - 430 tons
• Draft - 10 ft. 6 in.

External links

• Elissa homepage