San Deigo Historic Site 1030 STAR OF INDIA

The Star of India is the world's oldest ship still able to go to sea. She began her life on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in 1863. Iron ships were experiments of sorts then, with most vessels still being built of wood. Within five months of her keel laying, the ship was launched into her element. Shebore the name Euterpe, after the Greek goddess of music. Euterpe was a full-rigged ship and would remain so until 1901, when the Alaska PackersAssociation rigged her down to a barque, her present rig. In 1871 she waspurchased by the Shaw Savill line of London and embarked on a quarter century of hauling emigrants to New Zealand, sometimes also touching Australia,California and Chile. She made 21 circumnavigations in this service, some of them lasting up to a year.

Euterpe was sold to American owners in 1898, and in 1902, commenced sailing fromOakland, California to the Bering Sea each spring with a load of fishermen, canneryhands, box shook and tin plate. She returned each fall laden with canned salmon. This went on until 1923, when she was laid up by her owners, the Alaska Packers. The Packers had changed her name in 1906, dubbing her Star of India in keeping with their company practice.

By 1923, steam ruled the seas. Sailing ships were obsolete and scores were laid up in ports, including the Star of India. What saved this particular ship from the knacker's torch was a determined band of San Diegans, led by reporter Jerry MacMullen. They scraped up $9,000 to buy the Star in 1926, and the following year she was brought here under tow. For the next three decades, however, the Star languished; the depression and World War II delayedher restoration to her days of glory. In 1957, Captain Alan Villiers, a famous windjammer skipper and author, came to San Diego on a lecture tour. He took one look at the dilapidated Star and delivered a broadside to the local press,lambasting the citizenry for doing nothing to save this gallant ship. Things got better after that. Slowly, the nickels and dimes trickling in turned todollars. Skilled workmen along the waterfront volunteered their services,and the silence of decay aboard the Star was replaced by the cheerful soundof hammers and saws, and showers of sparks from welding torches.

Finally, in 1976, the fully restored Star of India put to sea for the firsttime in fifty years, under the command of Captain Carl Bowman. She sailedbeautifully that day, to the applause of half a million of her fans, ashore and afloat.