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SS United States deck chairs overlook the LA Basin .
Table set with SS United States china.
Austen Purves birds adorn the stairway .
The Browning family enjoys the real deal in 1955 . |
Dear Friend of the SS United States:
The SS United States Conservancy is pleased to bring you the following update which includes information about three very special upcoming Conservancy Spring events: In this update: Conservancy Spring 2007 Events Los Angeles, (April 15); Nags Head, NC, (April 21); Philadelphia Annual Meeting, (June 9) Progress on our Documentary Film, "Lady in Waiting" Thank you to Donors/Welcome New Members! Conservancy Lecture aboard NCL's Pride of Hawai'i Contingency Planning update THREE CONSERVANCY SPRING 2007 EVENTS A Very Special Los Angeles Event, April 15 The SS United States Conservancy and Big Ship Films would like to extend a very special invitation to former passengers, crew, builders, or anyone whose life or family has been personally touched by our great national treasure, the SS United States. On Sunday, April 15, 2007, Conservancy board member and SS United States collector Mark Perry will open his home for a unique afternoon and evening in honor of the Big U. The festivities will begin at 3:00PM with an SS United States tea which will be served on the deck overlooking the Los Angeles Basin. There are nine deck chairs from the ship available to help recreate as authentic an experience as possible. Mark will also be conducting tours of his maritime memorabilia collection
including numerous models, an SS United States guest room with furniture
from the ship, a Queen Mary stateroom, and original works of art from the
ship by American artists Austen Purves and Gwen Lux. Highlights from his
collection of ocean liner home movies will be screened during the afternoon. A silent auction of select SS United States items, including signage, a life jacket, and a few other pieces of memorabilia will be held throughout the day. After the tea, champagne will be offered at 5:00PM, followed by a sit down
three course meal at 7:00PM which will be served on authentic SS United
States china, glassware, and silver. Even the table lamps, linens, and
table numbers will be from the first class dining room of the ship. Mark's
home was recently featured in the LA Times, and this promises to be a very
unique and nostalgic afternoon and evening. (A link to the LA Times article Special guests will include former SS United States purser Jim Green and his wife Frieda (they met aboard the ship when she "accidentally" dropped her handkerchief and a handsome young deck officer retrieved it for her!). Conservancy President Susan Gibbs, granddaughter of the ship's builder William Francis Gibbs, will also be on hand. The entire afternoon and evening will be filmed by director Robert Radler for our upcoming documentary about the lasting legacy of our nation's flagship, and individual attendees will be interviewed on camera throughout the day and evening. The event will provide a unique environment for you to share your experiences about the Big Ship for our film, and may be the only opportunity available before the documentary is completed in August, 2007. The tea and champagne will be served free of charge, and we're respectfully requesting a minimum $100.00 per plate donation for those who'd like to stay for the SS United States dinner. If you are traveling from outside Los Angeles, there are numerous hotels
nearby, including the venerable RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach just forty
minutes away, and easily accessible from Mark's house by freeway. To find a If you have stories to share about the ship and would like to attend, please respond by clicking here, and include your name, affiliation with the ship, and whether you will be joining us for the dinner. Also, please specify a preference for chicken or beef. Payment can be made either through Paypal on our website (please indicate that your contribution is for the dinner), or by checks made payable to the SS United States Preservation Society also designated for the dinner. A confirmation email with directions will be sent to those attending. Checks may be mailed to: The SS United States Conservancy Seating for the dinner is limited to 24 people, so please RSVP by March 30! Also note that because of the special nature of this event, priority confirmations will be given to those who wish to share their direct first hand personal experiences regarding the Big U, and the general public will be wait-listed. We hope to see you there for an afternoon and evening "aboard" our favorite ship, the SS United States! Link to the article about Mark's house and collection Steamship Historical Society and SSUS Conservancy Event, Nags Head, April 21 In partnership with the Steamship Historical Society's Hampton Roads Chapter, the SS United States Conservancy is sponsoring special presentations and a gala dinner at the Windmill Point Restaurant in Nags Head, North Carolina! The Windmill Point Restaurant contains one of the largest collections of SS United States memorabilia and furniture in the country, including the famous kidney-shaped bar from the first class lounge. The event will feature special presentations on the SS United States and her sister ship, the SS America. Speakers will include Susan Gibbs, SS United States Conservancy President and granddaughter of William Francis Gibbs, and maritime historian Bill Lee, who apprenticed at Newport News Shipbuilding and has followed the S.S. America through every facet of her long career. Date and time: Saturday April 21st. 4:00 - Aperitifs and social hour. 5:00 - Presentations. 6:00 - Gala dinner. Venue: Wind Mill Point Restaurant, 6906 South Croatan Highway, Nags Head, NC 27959. Phone (252)441-1535. For more information on the restaurant and the SS United States Lounge, visit their website. Cost: $40.00 per person for hors d'oeuvres, salad, dinner, dessert, one glass of wine with dinner, and coffee/tea service. RSVP: Please RSVP by sending an email to info@ssunitedstatesconservancy.org. You must also pre-pay for dinner by sending a check for $40.00 per person to: Elizabeth Fletcher, Chairman, Hampton Roads Chapter, Steamship Historical Society of America, 208 Amesbury Lane, Newport News, VA 23606. Telephone (757) 249-8688. RSVP deadline is Saturday, April 14th, 2007. Hotel information: The nearby Dolphin Motel is offering rates of $99 for ocean view rooms and $79 for courtyard rooms. To make a reservation, call (800) 699-1962. Conservancy Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, June 9 The Conservancy is pleased to announce that its annual meeting will take
place once again within sight of the Great Lady herself, on Saturday, June
9. Our annual meeting will again be held at the impressive Independence
Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing, within mere steps of the SS United States.
More information will follow in early April about this exciting meeting and
lunch event, so please mark your calendars! We are also very excited that
Conservancy Board member and marine engineer, Mr. John Milligan, has been
invited to present an academic paper this same weekend at the Society for
Industrial Archeology's annual meeting. The Society for Industrial
Archeology is made up of over 1,800 members worldwide, who have a strong
interest in preserving, interpreting and documenting our industrial past and
heritage. We are delighted to have the opportunity to spread the word about SS United States Documentary Update In addition to the shoot scheduled for April 15th at Board member Mark Perry's house, filming of our documentary, "SS United States: Lady in Waiting," is in progress, with two days of filming scheduled aboard and around the ship in Philadelphia, as well as a day of filming interviews with key NCL personnel in Miami. WTTW, the public television affiliate in Chicago, continues to be excited and committed to be our presenting station. Funding for the production is nearly complete, and we anticipate a completion date of August, 2007. (Unfortunately, we cannot honor requests to join the filmmakers on the pier or aboard the ship). Thank You Donors/Welcome New Members! The Conservancy would like to offer a big THANK YOU to all those who have responded so generously to our fall 2006 membership drive! The success of our organization depends entirely upon the generosity of SS United States enthusiasts like you. Your contributions will allow us to continue our educational and social outreach activities on behalf of the ship, including print and USPS mail updates. In 2007 we will offer a revamped SSUSC website which will allow us to spread the word about the Big U more effectively through a greater ease of navigation and expanded content. We will also continue to expand the line of items we offer for sale in our Slop Chest through Café Press, including artist David M. Boone's gorgeous American Beauty imagery, available on select items, used with the kind permission of the artist. Please support our activities by purchasing quality SS United States merchandise in our store. SS United States Lecture aboard NCLA's Pride of Hawai'i In February, Conservancy Board member Richard Rabbett presented a discovery
lecture aboard NCLA's newest American-flagged vessel, the beautiful Pride of
Hawai'i. The Pride of Hawai'i is the largest passenger vessel to ever sail
under the American flag. In 2005/2006, the Conservancy collaborated with the
design team at Norwegian Cruise Line to theme and ultimately dedicate the
beautiful SS United States Library aboard the Pride of Hawai'i. Richard's
lecture was aimed at weaving together the historical significance of the SS
United States within the context of the NCLA fleet and the potential
rebirth of the Big U. Captain Evans Hoyt and Chief Officer Mingta Yuen, Contingency Planning The Conservancy is well aware of concerns raised among the preservation minded for a viable Plan B should NCL decide that refurbishing the ship is unfeasible. NCL has stated repeatedly that returning our ship to sea is contingent upon the success of their NCL America operation in Hawaii. When board members Susan Gibbs, Greg Norris, and Mark Perry sat down with NCL's Colin Veitch and Susan Robison last December, NCL assured them that it will keep the Conservancy informed and that it will work together with the Conservancy and others in evaluating all alternatives. The Conservancy maintains a line of communication with NCL and remains committed to fighting the good fight on behalf of our National Flagship. We are also exploring options in the New York area should the ship not see a return to service. More information will follow in the weeks ahead regarding our June 9 annual meeting. In the meantime, we hope you will consider joining us either in Los Angeles on April 15 or in Nags Head on April 21. We are proud to bring these exciting events to you and to continue to spread the word on both coasts (and in between!) regarding the magnificent SS United States! With best regards, Board of Directors SS United States Conservancy |
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