The Conservancy would like to thank the following member for renewing her membership at the Leadership Circles level:

In addition, we'd like to thank each and every one of our supporters for your donation of time, items, and funds. Your continued support is what helps to keep America's Flagship from an unhappy fate.

As we move forward in this critical year, we ask  that you renew your Conservancy membership or - if you're not a member - consider joining or giving the gift of membership to a friend or family member.

Remember, when you purchase inches on our "virtual" ship at SaveTheUnitedStates.org, you can upload a photo and share your memory of the SS United States. The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations to the organization are tax-deductible.

There are so many wonderful Big U memories and stories that are shared with us every day. We collect these stories for our Legacy Project, and you can read some of them in our Shipway N� 10 blog.

Guest writer Peter Paul shares his story with us in SS United States: The Soul of a Nation, Part 1.

A little over five weeks ago, the SS United States: Charting a Course for America's Flagship exhibition opened at the Independence Seaport Museum, just four miles north of where the ship is docked.

If you haven't yet seen the exhibit, curated by Liz Lewis Associates, and you're within a day's drive of Philly between now and mid-September, it's really worth the time to visit. In addition to learning about the ship's history, there are a number of artifacts on display, including a full china place setting, a deck chair, a bell boy's uniform, a chair from the lounge, fascinating photographs and documents, the Commodore's Flag, and so much more.

 

After an interview with Independence Seaport Museum curator Craig Bruns, Kristie Rearick of the South Jersey Times wrote an article about the exhibit titled, "Independence Seaport Museum exhibit puts SS United States in spotlight."

 

For those of you unable to make it to the exhibit, Bill Magee of MageeMedia Productions put together the following video of the exhibit, including clips from some of the speakers during the exhibit's preview reception.

SS United States Exhibition Preview Reception at Independence Seaport Museum

 

Attention artists and photographers: We have a unique opportunity for you! On April 26 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm, you can join Conservancy in-house photographer Christine Hower on a special limited-access curatorial study to help contribute to the historical records of America's Flagship through visual documentation.

Photo by Christine D. Hower

General public access to the SS United States is restricted. While limited vessel tours are offered as a Conservancy membership benefit at certain donor levels, we are offering this special opportunity to artists and photographers to assist in a creative documentation project.

 

Guided by the ship's on-location historian, this unique adventure is limited to 6 individuals. The cost to participate is $150 per person, with all proceeds going toward the ship's maintenance costs.

Pre-registration for this opportunity is required and is for Conservancy members only. To register for this tour, please click HERE.

 

To sign up for Conservancy membership, please click HERE.

 

 

Please note:  We anticipate a second documentation session on May 10. When you register for the photo tour, please be sure to indicate your availability for each date.

Our friends at the Cape May Lewes Ferry will be holding their 3rd Annual "Maritime Day" in Lewes, Delaware, and the Conservancy has been invited to participate. The event will be held from 9am to 4pm on May 17th at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal in Lewes, and we are looking for volunteers to staff an information table.

 

In their invitation, they stated: "We are very interested in keeping the SS United States alive and well in Philadelphia and believe the ship should be preserved for future generations."

 

If you are available to help us with this tremendous opportunity to increase exposure and spread awareness of the SS United States, please email us at info@ssusc.org.

 

Photo by Christine D. Hower

We are continually honored by so many supporters throughout the world who would like to get involved in helping to save the SS United States. In addition to interest in a New Zealand chapter as mentioned in our last issue, we've had some inquiries about starting a chapter in the North Carolina area!

If you live in either of these areas and are interested in joining a Conservancy chapter, we'd love to hear from you. Please send a brief email with your name, location and contact information to info@ssusc.org.

 

In addition, we have a couple of chapters with chair vacancies. Are you organized and enjoy planning events? Are you good at coordinating and rallying like-minded people for a united cause? Then you may be perfect to chair one of our chapters! We are currently seeking chairpersons for our New England and Washington, D.C., chapters.

As a chapter chairperson, you will work with support from Conservancy staff to recruit members, fund-raise, and raise local awareness of the SS United States. Most chapters have co-chairs or a small executive committee to coordinate chapter activities. If you live in one of these areas and are interesting in volunteering your time to make a difference, please send us a brief email with you name, location and contact information.

 

For a list of our current chapters, please visit our Chapters page to get involved! With your continued help, this is the year we can Save Our Ship!

 

 

At our last meeting, the decision was made to spread our wings beyond the Miami/Key West area, in the hope of attracting additional members. We are thrilled that certain members travel 8 hours with overnight hotel stays, simply to participate in our Conservancy chapter gatherings! However, that kind of travel is unrealistic on an ongoing basis. Therefore, as noted below, the May meeting will be held further north, in Palm Beach, and we sincerely hope to gather new interest and participation.

 

As part of our outreach efforts, it has been proposed that we try to leverage the recent initiative being taken by David Beckham to significantly develop a section of the Miami Waterfront. Why not incorporate "Big U" into this exciting new project? This will be a major topic of conversation at our upcoming meeting and we'd love to have your input. As we see it, "Nothing Ventured - Nothing Gained."

 

But more than anything else, we want to gain some momentum in the State of Florida, to further the cause of the SS United States. Depending on the level of support we receive in our May meeting, it is our plan to circulate a brief survey of all Florida Conservancy subscribers to get input to determine our path forward.

 

In the meantime, please join us for the third meeting of the Florida Chapter at 6:30pm on Saturday, May 3rd, at the following location in Palm Beach:

 

Greenacres Community Clubhouse
2200 Timberlane Circle
Greenacres, FL 33463
Local Contact is Alan Benson
(email us at florida@ssusc.org for Alan's cell phone number)

We look forward to seeing you on May 3rd!

The Hampton Roads Chapter will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, April 29, at the Newport News Office of Gibbs & Cox, Inc., located in Suite 100 at 700 Thimble Shoals Boulevard in Newport News. The meeting will begin at 7pm. We would like to invite all those interested in helping to save the Big U to come out and show their support. Susan Gibbs will be here sharing some stories about her grandfather -- designer of the SS United States -- and giving us the latest updates on the Conservancy's efforts to save the ship.

 

The support for the Hampton Roads Chapter grows every week and I'm happy to report that we are seeing new faces at every meeting. Please plan on attending and joining in on the fun April 29! There are stories from all different aspects of the ship's life -- from former shipbuilders, former crew, former passengers, and current collectors. Please contact Keith Harper at kharper@gibbscox.com with any questions.

We hope to see you on the 29th!

As we mentioned in our last issue, the Conservancy now has a New Jersey Chapter. If you are interested in joining our New Jersey Chapter, please contact Chapter Chair Chuck Parodi at newjersey@ssusc.org -- even if you've been involved with the Conservancy through our former New York/New Jersey Chapter. Our email lists do not include the state you live in, and we want to make sure you receive the proper notifications!

 

The New Jersey Chapter is ready to spring into action, and plans to focus on the following goals:

• Building a base of members and meeting this spring in Northern New Jersey.
• Building a "Think Outside the Box" group of members to help fulfill the goal of re-purposing areas of the ship.
• Starting a speaker's bureau, where members would do outreach by showing a Big U DVD and speak with various groups in New Jersey.
• Organizing a letter-writing campaign to select individuals living in New Jersey who may be interested in helping in various ways.

If you're a fan of the ship and live in New Jersey, we want to hear from you! Let Chuck know you're interested by contacting him at newjersey@ssusc.org.

United States, with the intention of restoring her to active cruise service.

 

April 15, 1912:  The RMS Titanic sinks after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Over 1,500 passengers and crew die in the disaster - triggering much stricter safety regulations on passenger vessels.

 

April 17, 1950:  The first of the SS United States's eight boilers is completed.

 

April 23, 1884:  Anglo-Irish engineer Charles Parsons files a patent for his steam turbine, first used to generate electricity, but later used to power ships, including the SS United States.

 

April 26, 1965:  The National Academy of Sciences awards the first Gibbs Brothers Medal for "outstanding contributions in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering." The recipient is Frederick H. Todd.

 

April 27, 1961:  Actor Peter Lawford and his wife Patricia Kennedy Lawford (sister of John F. Kennedy) travel to the Cannes Film Festival aboard the SS United States.

 

April 27, 1992:  The SS United States is sold to Marmara Marine for $2.6 million.

 

April 30, 1891:  Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., which would later build the SS United States, delivers its first ship - a 90-foot harbor tug, Dorothy.

Keep up-to-date and help us reach more people
in our quest to save America's Flagship.