Some history of the Pride of Baltimore and a party you're invited to....
In 1975, the City of Baltimore adopted a proposal for the construction of a replica sailing vessel as the centerpiece of its Inner Harbor revitalization efforts. An iconic clipper ship was chosen because of the pivotal role Baltimore privateer vessels played in the War of 1812.
The Pride of Baltimore, the first Baltimore Clipper to be built in 150 years and the first tall ship to represent a city and a state was commissioned on May 1, 1977, in a ceremony at the Inner Harbor attended by thousands. During her nine years at sea, between her maiden voyage to Bermuda, New York, and Nova Scotia in 1977, to her final European voyage in 1986, the Pride of Baltimore extended the hand of friendship to countless visitors. Altogether, she logged more than 150,000 nautical miles, equal to six times around the globe. She sailed further in nine years than most sailing vessels travel in their lifetimes.
On her way home from a successful European campaign, the Pride of Baltimore was struck by a microburst squall north of Puerto Rico. Within minutes, the schooner sank; the ship, her captain, and three crew members were lost at sea.
Following the tragedy, an outpouring of unsolicited public support all but forced Pride of Baltimore, Inc. into going forward with a new ship. By late summer of 1986, plans for a replacement were under way. The ship was to be named Pride of Baltimore II and serve as a sailing memorial to the original.
Pride of Baltimore II was hoisted aloft and launched from her Inner Harbor birthplace on April 30, 1988. After being fitted out and rigged, she was commissioned on October 23 at Brown’s Wharf in Fells Point, just blocks from the shipyard where Chasseur, the original, had been built in 1812. Since her commissioning, Pride II has sailed over 250,000 nautical miles and visited more than 200 ports in 40 countries in North, South, and Central America; Europe; and Asia.
For four decades, these modern-day “prides” of Baltimore have promoted historical maritime education, fostered economic development and tourism, and represented the people of Maryland in ports throughout the world.
