There’s A Shipwreck Ruin From World War I In The Middle Of The Galveston Bay In Texas

Shipwrecks aren't just the stuff of movies - in fact, there's one right here in Texas that you can see with your own two eyes. The SS Selma, a concrete ship built during WWI, is located just north of Pelican Island in Galveston Bay. Slowly succumbing to the elements, the ruins of the historic vessel are absolutely awe-inspiring to behold.

If you've ever taken a dolphin tour of Galveston Bay, chances are you probably recognize this dilapidated ship that looks like something straight out of a pirate movie.

Named the SS Selma in honor of the Alabama city's successful wartime Liberty Loan Drive, the ship was built in 1919 for use in World War I.

Made from concrete rather than steel due to shortages during the war, the SS Selma was the largest vessel of its kind.

The 7,500-ton ship was launched on the very same day Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, so it never actually entered the battlefield.

Instead, the ship was used as an oil tanker in the Gulf of Mexico - until tragedy struck, that is.

On the fateful day of May 31, 1920, the SS Selma hit a jetty in Tampico, Mexico. The impact ripped a 60-foot-long hole in its hull, and attempts to repair the damage were unsuccessful.

Two years later, U.S. officials decided to sink the SS Selma after trying to sell it to no avail.

The ship was officially laid to rest on March 9, 1922, in a channel located just off the eastern shoreline of Pelican Island.

Despite succumbing to the elements more and more with each passing day, the ship is far from forgotten.

It earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and has long been a subject of interest for scientists. At various points throughout history, the vessel was even considered for use as a fishing pier, pleasure resort, and oyster farm!

The fishing pier idea may never have panned out, but the area surrounding the SS Selma is still a popular spot to cast a line.

For a reason nobody fully understands, fish of all different types flock to the shipwreck, and the best times to catch them (dawn and just before dusk) are also when the scenery is most beautiful. When the sun dips below the ruins and casts a hauntingly beautiful silhouette on the water, it truly is a picture-perfect view.

You'll find the SS Selma in the Texas City Channel, an area of the Galveston Bay just north of Pelican Island.

If you have a boat or other watercraft, feel free to venture out and look for it on your own. Otherwise, most of the dolphin tours in the area take you up close and personal with the wreckage - and feature the added bonus of a narrated history lesson!

Have you ever seen the SS Selma up close? If so, what did you think of it? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below, then check out our previous article for another historic ship in Texas - this one, you can actually tour!