A replica of the 1864 sailing scow Spirit of Crystal River has a new home.

  • Replica of 1864 sailing scow now in downtown Crystal River
  • Barge modeled on sailing scows used between 1830s and 1900s
  • Part of new project to revitalize downtown with historic twist

The replica of the sailing barge was loaded on the back of the truck and carried to its new home at a vacant lot on the corner of Citrus Avenue and U.S. 19.

The barge is modeled on the sailing scows that carried cargo up and down the coast between the 1830s and early 1900s.

"It was two years and two months and it's a labor of love for sure," said Mike Holup, who helped build the replica. "Everything was done by hand, the old fashioned way."

It was a slow ride along U.S. 19 to Spirit's new home in downtown Crystal River. You don't see something like that everyday.

Carol Kimbrough is with a group called Crystal River Main Street. They're working to revitalize downtown with a historic twist. Spirit is the perfect fit and the group's first project.

"It's a history lesson and it is preservation of the past and bringing it into the present," Kimbrough said.

The project was paid for by Duke Energy. The next phase of the project will include some landscaping and lighting.