Ole time charm, today's tech

摘要

With its colonial-style homes, cobblestone streets, and period trolleys, Savannah, Ga., oozes Southern charm. That same charm is embodied in two new 55 ft, 100-passenger ferries being built for Savannah by Patti Shipyard, Pensacola, Fla. The two 1890 steamboat-style ferries, designed by William Preston's naval architectural firm, Marine Design, will enter service for the Chatham Area Transit (CAT) between historic downtown Savannah and the International Trade & Convention Center. The first, the Susie King Taylor, will be delivered in March 2003, followed one month later by the sister vessel, the Juliett Gordon Low. Following the keel laying on Sept. 10, 2002, construction is progressing rapidly on both boats at Patti's Bayou Chico yard (see photos). The boats are named for notable women in Savannah's history. Juliett Gordon Low was the founder of the Girl Scouts of America, while Susie King Taylor was a Civil War nurse and opened one of the city's first schools for African-American children.