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More than seven decades ago, the S.S. United States — a ship bigger than the Titanic — made its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, breaking the trans-Atlantic speed record.
The ocean liner, which once transported heads of state and members of the Hollywood elite from New York City to destinations across Europe, may soon make history again — this time underwater, as the world’s largest artificial reef off the coast of Florida.
The stately ship, once graced by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and John F. Kennedy, could soon be home to sea turtles, starfish and grouper.
On Tuesday, local officials and the SS United States Conservancy announced that the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in Florida had approved a contingent contract to acquire the S.S. United States and submerge it offshore of Destin-Fort Walton Beach on the Panhandle.
The agreement would also come with money from the county to open a land-based museum dedicated to the ship, one that would be run by the conservancy.
“The S.S. United States has inspired millions the world over as a symbol of American pride and excellence,” Susan Gibbs, president of the SS United States Conservancy, said in a news release. “Converting the world’s fastest ship into the world’s largest artificial reef will write a new chapter for the S.S. United States as a world-class destination.”
Currently docked in Philadelphia on the Delaware River, the ship has struggled for over a decade to find a new, floating home. The conservancy, which acquired the ship in 2011, championed the idea of permanently mooring the vessel as a waterfront, mixed-use development. Their efforts were unsuccessful.
This past summer, a federal court ordered that the ship be evicted from its Philadelphia pier, necessitating a quick solution for its future.
In an interview with The New York Times, Ms. Gibbs, whose grandfather William Francis Gibbs designed the ship, addressed the idea of turning it into an artificial reef, meaning the ship would be intentionally sunk to allow it to serve as a habitat on the seafloor. While Ms. Gibbs acknowledged that there was “something poignant” about the ship helping marine life thrive or providing enjoyment for divers, she ultimately downplayed the idea.
But earlier this week in a news release, Ms. Gibbs expressed confidence that Okaloosa County officials appreciated the historic significance of the S.S. United States and she stressed that the artificial reef plan would be an “alternative to scrapping” the boat for parts.
In an Instagram post, the conservancy also shared its “ambitious” ideas for the museum, which would offer public access to components of the ship and to their archival and curatorial collections, while acknowledging that the plan may be “deeply challenging” for the community of supporters who had fought for years to keep the ship afloat.
Sometimes known as “America’s Flagship” or “The Big U,” the S.S. United States was designed as a top-secret Cold War weapon capable of transporting 14,000 troops. But the 990-foot ship was as luxurious as it was sturdy and fast, complete with 395 staterooms and 14 first-class suites, and furnished with Steinway grand pianos.
Passengers aboard the S.S. United States, whose maiden voyage was in July 1952, included four U.S. presidents (including a young Bill Clinton), Bob Hope, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe. The ship was featured in several films, such as Walt Disney’s “Bon Voyage!” and “Gentlemen Marry Brunettes,” and was shown from above in the opening credits of “West Side Story.” It also once carried the Mona Lisa.
But the ship faced financial difficulties in the 1960s, thanks to the rise of jet airplane travel, and its falling out of favor led to its being permanently docked in 1969.
The S.S. United States still faces a long, winding road to its future home. Alex Fogg, the Natural Resources chief of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, said that the contract could be finalized in the coming weeks but hinges on the completion of court-imposed mediation that is related to the federal-court case.
Even after the deal is done, the ship must undergo extensive environmental remediation, expected to be completed in Norfolk, Va., before it can be deployed to the Florida coast.
Its specific resting place in the Destin-Fort Walton Beach area also remains unknown, but Mr. Fogg said that there were several possible homes to consider and that county officials would seek input from the local community before making the decision.
Once the process is finalized, Mr. Fogg said, he expects a boom to local tourism as people travel from around the world to visit the historic ship, even underwater.
“It’s going to attract a lot of people that want to dive Everest,” Mr. Fogg said, comparing the future S.S. United States experience to climbing Earth’s highest mountain above sea level. “They want to be able to say that they dove the largest artificial reef in the world.”
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