The towering funnels of the legendary SS United States will soon be removed from the historic ocean liner in Mobile, Alabama. Soaring six stories high and sloping backward to convey the record-breaking speed of the ship, the iconic structures will form a dramatic centerpiece of the future SS United States Museum and Visitor Experience. The aft funnel is expected to be removed soon after the forward funnel. The ship is now being prepared for deployment as the “world’s largest artificial reef” off the coast of Florida’s Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
The SS United States, America’s Flagship, arrived in Mobile, Alabama today after an approximately 1,800-mile tow from her berth in Philadelphia. The iconic national symbol and last surviving American ocean liner will now undergo preparations for her deployment as the “World’s Largest Artificial Reef” off Florida’s Gulf Coast near Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
“Today, the nation’s sole surviving ocean liner will glide down the Delaware River to begin the next chapter in her uniquely American story. As the fastest ship to ever cross the Atlantic travels for the first time since arriving in Philadelphia in 1996, we are reminded of the postwar high-water mark that the SS United States so gracefully and powerfully embodied when she was launched in 1951.”
Titled “Opulent Crossings: Post War Tourism, Advertising and Design,” the panel discussion will build upon the digital exhibition’s work to examine the pivotal role America’s Flagship played as a global ambassador for the country and its brands in the post-World War II economic boom and subsequent social movements of the 1960s.
Bright Sun Films, the popular YouTube channel, recently came on board the SS United States. Host Jake Williams said, “Today I'm boarding one of the most iconic ships of all time. Sitting idle and powerless in Philadelphia, the SS United States was once a symbol of pride for her country. A massive vessel that shattered records and even to this day holds the record for the fastest Atlantic ship crossing. Since she was taken out of service in the 1960's, she has passed through a series of owners while awaiting her rebirth All while her paint peels and her future uncertain. I'm taking a rare look inside this infamous ship to discover what remains, thoughtfully reminiscing about the past and looking to the future. I also got to sit down with Susan Gibbs, the person at the forefront of the effort to save her.”
Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuBKewWTag0.
Philadelphia is the most historic city in all of America. American democracy was founded here, it was our Nation’s first capitol, and there has been no shortage of great American citizens or their innovations for hundreds of years.
But not all of our city’s legacy was born here. Some moved here at a young age, others relocated here at the end of their lives, and some, even after a quarter-century, still have their stories being told.
The latter is the current fate of the SS United States, which has been docked in Philadelphia for the last 25 years. The ship, which currently sits docked on Penn’s Landing by the Ikea on Delaware Avenue, was the brainchild of William Francis Gibbs, a Philly native.
Read the full story and see the photo gallery here: https://www.independentphilly.com/25th-anniversary-of-the-docking-of-ss-united-states-at-penns-landing/.
