Priscilla (sloop) facts for kids
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Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop)
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Priscilla at the dock.
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| Location | West Sayville, New York |
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| Built | 1888 |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000238 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 17, 2006 |
| Designated NHL | February 17, 2006 |
Priscilla is a special kind of boat called an oyster dredging sloop. She is now a museum ship at the Long Island Maritime Museum. Built way back in 1888, Priscilla is the oldest boat still around from the big oyster fishing fleet that used to work in the Great South Bay. Because she is so important, she was named a National Historic Landmark in 2006. You can find her docked near another famous boat, the Modesty, which is also a National Historic Landmark.
Contents
The Story of the Priscilla
Building a Special Boat
On April 7, 1888, a boat builder named Elisha Saxton launched a brand new working boat called Priscilla. He built her on the Patchogue River for a man named George Rhinehart from Lawrence, New York. Mr. Rhinehart named the boat after his wife, Priscilla.
A Hard-Working Oyster Boat
For many years, from 1888 to 1963, Priscilla was owned and operated by different oystermen from Connecticut and New York. During these years, she changed hands many times. The oystermen often said that "Pris" was a fast, strong, and "smart" boat. They called her a "money maker" because she could collect oysters well in both light and strong winds, unlike other boats.
A New Life as a Museum Ship
By 1963, the oyster beds were mostly gone. They were either completely used up or covered with mud from big storms. Priscilla is one of the very last oyster sloops from New York. From 1963 to 1976, Priscilla was changed into a sailboat for cruising. Her hull (the main body of the boat) and inside parts were repaired.
Her owner, John Woodside, sailed Priscilla many times to places like the Bahamas and Maine. In the early 1970s, he changed her sails to be like a "schooner." He copied the sail design of a very famous schooner called America.
In 1976, John Woodside gave Priscilla to the Suffolk Marine Museum. Today, this museum is known as The Long Island Maritime Museum. Priscilla is the biggest boat in the museum's collection. She has traveled around the Great South Bay, visiting different towns. She has also taken part in special races for classic boats. In 1986, she was part of the Parade of Tall Ships. This event was a celebration for the Statue of Liberty's birthday in New York Harbor. Priscilla was even shown on television during this event!
