Arrival Date Of Tall Ship Providence Set In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The wait is over for the arrival of Alexandria's own tall ship. Tall Ship Providence, a replica of the first ship authorized to serve in the Continental Navy, will sail into Alexandria on late Monday, July 1.

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge will open just before midnight for Tall Ship Providence to come through. The ship will be accompanied by welcome ships and be greeted by a water arch from the Alexandria Fire Department.

The ship will open to the public as an exhibit in late summer. A temporary visitor center will be located at 1 Cameron Street, lower level. A permanent visitor center is being built and could open in 2020. It will provide an interactive experience on the U.S. Navy's origin.

"We are delighted to bring Providence to Alexandria," said Clair Sassin, executive director of the Tall Ship Providence Foundation, in a statement. "Providence will entertain, educate and serve as an economic development vehicle for the City. We are looking forward to welcoming City residents and tourists alike aboard the ship."

Visitors will be able to board the ship and learn about life in the sea in the 18th century and the history of the original ship with a reenactor of John Paul Jones, the father of the U.S. Navy. The ship will host weekly sails, tours, craft brew cruises, private tours and charters.

The original ship was first a merchant ship called Katy before becoming a key part of U.S. Navy history. Owner John Brown, who Brown University is named after, chartered it to become the flagship of Rhode Island's navy to protect ships from the British Navy.

It was later purchased to become part of the new Continental Navy's fleet. At that time, was also on a secret mission for General George Washington to search for gunpowder in Bermuda. It was renamed Providence and became the fifth ship commissioned in the Continental Navy. The ship served in the Continental Navy for four years.

A descendant of the original ship built the replica for America's Bicentennial in 1976. It has also appeared in movies such as two "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. The ship was originally docked in Rhode Island but was damaged by a winter storm in 2015. The Tall Ship Providence Foundation was created in 2017 to purchase the ship.

Restoration efforts started when the ship was purchased and are near completion. Last week, the ship set sail from Wiscasset, Maine, where the second half of the restoration happened.

Follow the latest updates about the ship at tallshipprovidence.org.