Did you know the S.S. Selma rests beneath the waves? Right here in Galveston Bay lies a concrete giant a relic of World War I. The S.S. Selma wasn’t built for war though. Steel shortages led the US to experiment with concrete ships. The S.S. Selma was one of these experimental vessels. It was the largest concrete ship ever built.
Launched in 1919 the S.S. Selma was a marvel of engineering. It was a 7500-ton oil tanker. It was launched on the same day Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles. The S.S. Selma never saw wartime service. Instead it became an oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico.
But the S.S. Selma’s career was short-lived. In 1920 it hit a jetty in Tampico Mexico. A sixty-foot gash ripped through its hull. Repairs failed. Selling the ship proved impossible. So US officials made a drastic decision. They scuttled the S.S. Selma.
A channel was dug. The S.S. Selma was intentionally sunk. This happened near Pelican Island in 1922. The S.S. Selma became an underwater monument. It’s a unique historical site. It’s the only permanent prominent wreck along the Houston Ship Channel.
Interestingly the S.S. Selma wasn’t just forgotten. During Prohibition it served a surprising purpose. Smuggled liquor was destroyed there. Federal agents used the ship to smash thousands of bottles of illegal booze. Millions of dollars worth of liquor met its end in the S.S. Selma’s hull.
Even today the S.S. Selma holds its secrets. Its concrete structure fascinates scientists. It’s a testament to ingenuity and a reminder of a bygone era. You can even glimpse it from Galveston Island. It’s a fascinating piece of history just offshore. The S.S. Selma’s story continues to captivate. It’s a reminder of Houston’s rich maritime past.