National Historic Landmark

Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop)

West Sayville, Suffolk County, New York
Listed
February 17, 2006
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
06000238

About this property

Priscilla is a classic oyster dredging sloop and museum ship at the Long Island Maritime Museum. Built in 1888, it is the oldest surviving boat from the Great South Bay oyster fleet, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006. It is berthed near the Modesty, another National Historic Landmark sloop. On Saturday, April 7, 1888, Elisha Saxton launched his brand new working sloop, Priscilla on the Patchogue River. Saxton had built Priscilla for George Rhinehart of Lawrence, New York, who named the boat for his wife, Priscilla. From 1888 to 1963, Priscilla was owned and operated by several oystermen from Connecticut and New York. During these years, she experienced many changes. The oystermen spoke of "Pris" as a fast, able and "smart" boat - a "money maker" because, unlike other boats, she could dredge well in both light and heavy winds. By 1963, the oyster beds were completely exhausted or covered with silt from storms and hurricanes of the previous decades. Priscilla is one of the last of the New York oyster sloops. From 1963 to 1976, Priscilla became a cruising sailboat after much hull and interior restoration. Her owner, John Woodside, sailed Priscilla several times to the Bahamas and to Maine. In the early 1970s, he schooner-rigged her, copying the sail plan of the famous schooner America. In 1976, John Woodside donated her to the Suffolk Marine Museum, which is known today as The Long Island Maritime Museum. As the largest vessel in the museum's collection, Priscilla has traveled the Great South Bay visiting various ports of call, and has participated in special regattas held for classic vessels. In 1986, she participated in the Parade of Tall Ships at the Salute to the Statue of Liberty Fourth of July Celebration in New York Harbor, receiving featured television coverage by WABC-TV.

Location

West Sayville, Suffolk County, New York
40.72229, -73.09588

Categories

MARITIME HISTORYTRANSPORTATIONCOMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Rudolph Oyster House
Industrial
0 mi
MODESTY (Sloop)
Industrial
0 mi
Edwards House, The
Industrial
1.2 mi
Sayville Congregational Church
Industrial
1.3 mi
St. Johns Episcopal Church and Cemetery
Industrial
1.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Fort St. George (1780)
1780Revolutionary War
9.7 mi
Tallmadge's Raid on Fort St. George
1780Revolutionary War
13.1 mi
Battle of Fort Salonga
1781Revolutionary War
13.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) listed on the National Register?

Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 17, 2006.

What type of historic resource is Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop)?

Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop)?

The period of significance for Priscilla (Long Island Sound Oyster Sloop) is recorded as the industrial era.

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