Western Union (ship)
| Western Union (ship) | |||
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| National Register of Historic Places | |||
 The Western Union (2006) |
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| location | Key West , Monroe County , Florida | ||
| Coordinates | 24 ° 33 '30 " N , 81 ° 48' 27" W | ||
| surface | 483 m² | ||
| Built | 1939 | ||
| NRHP number | 84000930 | ||
| The NRHP added | May 16, 1984 | ||
Western Union is the name of a schooner that was built in Key West in 1939 . The sailing ship is almost 40 meters (130 feet) long and has a sail area of approximately 483 m² (5200 square feet). The hull is made of wood. The Western Union was in service for the Western Union Telegraph Company in the Caribbean from 1939 to 1974 and was used for laying telephone cables . For this purpose, the ship was also equipped with two engines so that it could hold its position at sea.
After being used as a cable layer , the ship was maintained from 1974 to 1984 by a group of business people and people interested in maritime history. In 1984 it was sold and renamed "New Way". The schooner was used in a program for problematic adolescents.
In 1997 the ship came back to Key West and was renamed "Western Union". It was used for day tours, evening cruises , and private charters for ten years . Finally, the Western Union of The Schooner Western Union Preservation Society was donated to maintain the ship and use it for sailing tours.
The Western Union is the last traditional schooner built in the United States, the last sailing ship in the world to be used as a cable lay, and the last major sailing ship built in Key West. It has been listed as a construction on the National Register of Historic Places since May 16, 1984 .
Web links
- Schooner Western Union (Engl.)
Individual evidence
- ^ Western Union (schooner) in the National Register Information System . National Park Service , accessed May 13, 2016