One of the region's most visited historic attractions is undergoing a major restoration effort.
Texas' tall ship, the Elissa, was pushed by tugboats from her home on the Galveston Ship Channel to dry dock in Texas City earlier this month. The hull of the 1877 ship will be completely restored, bringing her back to seaworthy condition.
The Elissa has been unable to sail since late 2010 when an inspection revealed that her hull was almost completely rusted through, according to the Houston Chronicle. The $1.5 million restoration effort will mean passengers can once again sail on the ship starting in 2013.
The damage to the Elissa's hull was traced back to 2008's Hurricane Ike. During the storm an electrical cable was torn loose from the dock and sent a power surge through the water around the ship. That spend up a process called electrolysis, which eats away at the hull, according to the Chronicle.
