Pip Conner

With Niagara returning back in Erie, the question is no longer only how we welcome her home. It is what kind of future we are willing to build for her.

Pennsylvania’s flagship deserves more than repair, ceremony, and nostalgia. She deserves a living mission worthy of her history: one that keeps her sailing, teaching, training, welcoming volunteers, serving Erie, representing Pennsylvania, and changing lives for generations to come.

Niagara is back in Erie, but new Coast Guard data raises serious questions about what it will take for her to legally sail again. If Pennsylvania’s flagship is to remain a living vessel, the public deserves clear answers from PHMC.

A companion piece to “What Comes Next for Niagara,” this public action guide explains how supporters can contact officials, request a public forum, and help shape Brig Niagara’s future.

Niagara was never just wood, canvas, and iron. She was made alive by the shipmates who served her: crew, volunteers, trainees, staff, donors, families, and a community that refused to let Pennsylvania’s flagship become a silent exhibit.

This is a personal account of what that community built, what was lost when the ship was separated from it, and why we should not give up the ship

A timeline of the last transit Niagara took through the St. Lawrence Seaway to find potential watch points for the return transit.

A former Niagara sailor discusses how Niagara saved their life while questioning if PHMC is qualified to care for her long term.

PHMC was caught illegally hiring Canadians to sail as Niagara crew on a recent trip to shipyard raising concerns over PHMC’s actions.

It’s well into February and PHMC has only managed to install 1/4 of Niagara’s winter cover after dragging their heels to prepare. The community has noticed…

Concerns grow over the future of PHMC’s stewardship of Niagara as they outsource her crew to a Canadian company.

PHMC’s delays over Niagara’s care now have very real consequences as PHMC announces that Niagara will not attend Tall Ships Erie 2025.

PHMC says that we should trust them. Let’s take a look at PHMC’s broken promises to see if they can be trusted.

Former Niagara deckhand Hank describes how sailing on Niagara transformed his life and was a catalyst for a career change.

PHMC has yet to publicly post the position for Niagara’s Captain, but they claim the search is ongoing. How could this be and how open is it?

PHMC’s meddling throws Erie’s volunteer ship crew into stormy waters, disrupting a vibrant community built on love for the Brig Niagara. Despite bureaucratic buffeting, they refuse to abandon ship. Smooth sailing? Not with PHMC at the helm.

US Brig Niagara is now considered inactive by the US Coast Guard. PHMC claims that is normal and good news, but is that true?

Seventeen-year-old deckhand Frankie Tracey discovered his passion for tall ships, leading him to the US Brig Niagara.

Despite the ship’s operational cessation, the resilient spirit of the Niagara lives on through its crew & community, and Frankie now thrives aboard the Schooner Lynx, expressing his gratitude for the community and skills the Niagara instilled in him.

PHMC’s big plans for the U.S. Brig Niagara sound swell, but there’s a tiny snag: they might not even be allowed to set sail! Turns out, navigating maritime regulations requires more than just good intentions. Without a legit 501(c)3, their promises are all at sea. Smooth sailing, eh?