The rusted ocean liner that looms over the Philadelphia waterfront like a ghost ship from a more romantic time may disappear permanently, according to the Inquirer.
The SS United States, an enduring and surreal fixture on the Delaware River since 1996, may be dismantled and sold as scrap metal, reports Inga Saffron. Romantics are pulling together to make sure the once-glorious cruise ship does not go gentle into that good night.
Larger than the Titanic, the SS United States was designed by a native Philadelphian and built in Newport News, Va. It was the world’s fastest and most luxurious cruise ship when it took its first trip in 1952. But its owner, Star Cruises of Hong Kong, is selling it, says the Inquirer.
A group of people who see the 990-foot-long ship with 12-story stacks as a beautiful piece of history are advocating that the ocean liner be saved. On Wednesday, the SS United States Conservancy will begin its campaign by hosting a free screening of a documentary at the Independence Seaport Museum.
