Her Legacy

From a historic perspective, the SS United States is the crown jewel of the American merchant marine and the marine design firm of Gibbs & Cox. So significant were the accomplishments of this firm, that founder William Francis Gibbs remains the only individual ever to be awarded both the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers' gold medal for both his naval architecture and marine engineering accomplishments. Gibbs passed away in 1967, but his enormous legacy lives on in the design firm of Gibbs & Cox, which continues to supply marine engineering for government contracts, though it has long been out of the passenger ship business. Of the numerous passenger ships designed by Gibbs & Cox, only the SS United States remains extant, stripped of all interior fittings, with the exception of heavy machinery.

Interior fittings and furniture, auctioned off in 1984, have found their way into museums and private collections around the world. So significant was the interior design of the SS United States, it is still lauded over 50 years after the ship's maiden voyage. In summer 2004, Modernism Magazine celebrated the forward thinking 1950s female design firm of Smyth, Urquhart & Marckwald. The magnificent interiors and custom furniture they created are displayed in museums and still evoke a sense of the classic elegance of mid-20th century design.

The significance of the SS United States to the American Merchant Marine cannot be overstated. The ship remains the largest passenger vessel constructed in the United States and the fastest ocean liner to ever cross the North Atlantic (both eastbound and westbound). As the nation's flagship for over 17 years, the ship's service was exemplary and it was never plagued by mechanical difficulty. For over 35 years the ship has been spared from the worst humiliation a vessel can endure: the breaker's torch. It is not only unusual that a ship, out of service for well over three decades, remains intact, it is extraordinary. In the past decade, a tremendous awareness has emerged of the liner's plight, and former builders, passengers and crew have come forward in large numbers determined to ensure that the SS United States is preserved as an amazing technological and engineering triumph, and American cultural icon. The tremendous red, white and blue funnels, while somewhat faded, still stand strong and are a testament to the ingenuity, vision, determination and pride that represent the American dream. As the stewards of her historical legacy, the SS United States Conservancy remains committed to the vision of a revitalized United States that can serve as a brilliant example of American industrial might for generations to come.

Photo courtesy Greg Shutters