Docked along Columbus Avenue on the Philadelphia waterfront since 1996, America’s Flagship is a recognizable landmark for residents of south Jersey and the City of Brotherly love. Driving across the Walt Whitman Bridge to visit her grandmother in south Philadelphia, Ashley Latrella would gaze upon the SS United States with wonder and fascination.
Maiden Voyage T-Shirt Conest Runner Up: Stephen Bloom
Stephen Bloom’s passion for ocean liners started as a child, after reading about the maiden voyage of another famous vessel, the Titanic. Bloom’s parents had traveled on board the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), and Stephen had cruised on the SS Norway (formerly the SS France). Fascinated with ships, Stephen Bloom’s first interaction with the SS United States came when he built a model of the Blue Riband holder during his youth.
SS United States Conservancy Celebrates Women's History Month
These safety requirements challenged the team of women designers – led by Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart – who created the ship’s celebrated mid-century modern interiors using only fireproof materials. They commissioned works from female artists, such as Gwen Lux’s “Expressions of Freedom,” Hildreth Meiere’s “The Mississippi: Father of Waters,” and Mira Jebwadnik van Doren’s vitreous enameled tabletops and plaques of North American birds.