She’s been away for more than a year for a major overhaul, but the U.S. Brig Niagara will be back home tomorrow. There will be fanfare when the brig arrives around noon, including a 40-boat parade of sail and a welcome from Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania.

The Niagara won’t be under sail, because the ship’s rigging still needs to be completed. But, when the fully rebuilt Niagara enters the Erie Harbor, motors around Presque Isle Bay, and docks at the Erie Maritime Museum, those who love the ship and understand her history say it will be a meaningful moment for many.

Erie News Now talked with two people who have a special connection to the flagship—both excited to welcome her home and hopeful for her future.

We spoke with Phillip Conner, known as “Pip,” whose two-week sail training experience at age 17 turned into a lifelong passion for the ship. “I’m really excited for it. It’s going to be fantastic to welcome her back home again,” Conner said, who plans to watch the return from the Lettie G. Howard, Erie’s sister tall ship.

We also talked with George Deutsch, one of the four original incorporators of the Flagship Niagara League, who was there at the beginning in the 1980s, pushing to get the historic brig rebuilt and sailing as a a living history museum.

For Conner, Niagara is more than a historic ship — it’s where he found a connection to the past, and to the community that supports the ship. Before heading off to college, his first two-week sailing experience turned into a passion that led to apprenticeships, crew positions, and 16 years sailing aboard Niagara.

“You get to live history, you get to learn about it, you get to feel the thump of the chest as you fire the guns, you get to feel the Manila lines in your hands — traditional rope, climb aloft, and you get to live and experience this whole world that is still possible today,” Conner said.

Deutsch said Niagara remains a powerful symbol of Erie’s place in American history.

“Erie has a long history, there’s lots of things to be proud of, but I think it is the singular symbol of Erie’s contribution to American history,” Deutsch said.

The ship’s return follows a major rebuild supported by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which operates the ship.

Deutsch said the state’s investment was needed to preserve Niagara for future generations.

“A major overhaul like this has to be done — and they stepped up, spent 7-million-dollars. It was a great opportunity to see that kind of commitment and that kind of work and now I’m looking for the future,” he said.

Looking ahead, Deutsch said he believes Erie will need to rebuild a local support system to help provide financial and volunteer resources for the ship.

“That’s going to have to be built from the ground up here — working with and getting some guidance from the state, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission,” he said.

For Conner, the goal is making sure others have the same chance to experience Niagara as living history.

“My hope is that the community that is most invested in Niagara gets a chance to access and be part of her again,” Conner said.

Erie News Now will provide live coverage of the ship’s return on Thursday beginning at noon.