Galveston’s remarkable 1877 tall ship, Elissa, began its life as a British cargo ship, specializing in voyages to smaller ports of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and she twice loaded cotton at Galveston. This local connection prompted the Galveston Historical Foundation to purchase the ship and undertake a dramatic restoration in 1982. Elissa remains a fully functional vessel that continues to sail occasionally, and thousands of visitors board the decks of this floating National Historic Landmark, also designated one of America’s Treasures by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The adjacent Texas Seaport Museum tells the story of Elissa’s rescue from the scrap yard and her meticulous restoration through an engaging video documentary and intriguing artifacts. Located at Pier 22 in the historic port of Galveston, the museum also showcases the legacy of maritime commerce and immigration. Another popular museum attraction is its database exhibit, allowing visitors to search the names of more than 133,000 immigrants who entered the country through Galveston, once known as the Ellis Island of the West.