Fall 2002 Meeting Port of New Orleans, Louisiana September 27, 28 & 29, 2002 |
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Without question America's greatest river, the mighty Mississippi begins as a small creek that rushes out of Lake Itasca in northwestern Minnesota and continues on a journey of 2,350 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. She is the third largest river in the world, and continues to be a focal point of commerce, trade and tourism.
The Port of New Orleans is at the center of the world's busiest port complex - Louisiana's Lower Mississippi River.
Come join us for a weekend of fascinating lectures, nautical excursions, and some great food and music at the 'Big Easy'.....New Orleans, Louisiana.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, September 27, 2002
1:00-5:00 pm - Board meeting for the Officers, Directors & Advisers of the Steamship Historical Society at Arnaud's Restaurant, 813 Rue Bienville. Society members are welcome to attend. (Walking distance from hotel: 1 block)
4:30-6:30 pm - Registration at the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel, 301 Rue Dauphine, New Orleans. Pick up your meeting packets at this time.
6:30-8:30 pm - Wine and cheese 'Welcome Reception' at the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel. Guest speaker - Steamboat Captain and Chaplain on the Mississippi - St. Joseph of Medaille Sister, Joy Manthey, has plied the waters of the Mississippi as a registered steamboat Captain for 26 years. She is part of the Seaman's Church Ministry on the River, established in 1836. She'll tell us about her fascinating days spent providing spiritual guidance to seamen, as well as piloting a variety of vessels on the Mississippi River.
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Carnival Holiday in port from 8am-4pm
9:00-11:00 am - Continued registration at the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel.
11:30-1:30 pm - Board the paddle steamer Natchez for a tour of the Mississippi River, narrated by river legend Captain Clarke C. (Doc) Hawley. (Depart hotel at 11:00 am. Walking distance from hotel: 8 blocks)
Savor the beauty and romance of New Orleans on the two hour cruise from the heart of the French Quarter on New Orleans' only steamboat....the Natchez.
See one of the world's most active ports as you journey back in time. The Natchez is a genuine steam powered vessel, with an open engine room for you to explore. A New Orleans style lunch buffet and cash bar are offered onboard (not included in voyage ticket).
1:30-2:30 pm - One hour for lunch/shopping on your own.
2:30-4:30 pm - Board buses (at the Steamboat Natchez Docks) for a narrated tour of the City of New Orleans. Absorb the sights and sounds of the famous French Quarter and historic Jackson Square, home of the Cabildo and Presbytere Museums.
Listen as your tour guide points out the landmarks and splendid architecture that made New Orleans famous.
Walk through St. Louis Cemetery #3, one of our unusual "Cities of the Dead" (cemeteries), and learn about this unique above-ground burial system.
Marvel at stories of Voodoo and piracy on Bayou St. John, the waterway used by Jean Lafitte and his band of pirates, as we make our way to the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. (Buses will return participants directly to the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel.)
6:00-7:30 pm - Social hour (cash bar) with swap & sell tables at the Chateau LeMoyne. Come meet your fellow members and examine the memorabilia at the swap & sell tables. Tables are available to members for a small fee (see reservation form).
7:30 pm - Dinner at the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel. Dinners are complete with Creole garlic mashed potatoes, salad, rolls, dessert (White chocolate bread pudding), coffee, etc. and your choice of roasted Cornish hen, grilled rib eye steak, or saut‚ed fish topped with Louisiana crawfish tails. (Special dietary requests available with advanced notice.)
After Dinner - Slide presentation and talk by Captain Doc Hawley. Doc will present "Steamboating 101", a pictorial history of steamboating on the Mississippi River. Of the six remaining steamboats on the Mississippi system, Capt. Hawley has commanded or piloted five of the six. Serving as a modern day steamboating public relations man & goodwill ambassador, Capt. Hawley has hosted US Presidents, government officials, royalty, entertainment & sports stars, river buffs and countless media people.
The Steamship Historical Society wishes to thank the Delta Queen Steamboat Company for the use of their slide projector and screen for the evening's presentation.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Carnival Inspiration in port from 8am-6pm
9:30-11:00 am - Board buses from the hotel to the Delta Queen Steamboat Company docks for a guided tour of the laid up American Queen - the largest steamboat ever built. She's scheduled to return to service in January 2003, joining her fleetmates Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen. The tour will be guided and narrated by Doc Hawley, former Delta Queen Master, and Mike York, Director of Hotel Operations for DQSC. (Buses will board at the hotel at 9:30am for a 10:00 tour. The buses will return participants to the hotel or the Jazz Brunch)
12:00 pm - A New Orleans tradition - Jazz Brunch at the Court of Two Sisters restaurant, 613 Rue Royal Street. Enjoy hot & cold buffets, including made-to-order omelets, eggs Benedict, grits, oysters, jambalaya, gumbo, shrimp, crawfish, soups, salads, and of course a large variety of desserts. While enjoying brunch, relax with the strolling Jazz trio. (Walking distance from hotel: 5 blocks.)
The remainder of the day is open for you to enjoy on your own.
WHERE TO STAY:
We have reserved a block of rooms at the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel for Friday & Saturday nights at a special rate of $139.00 for a single or double. The Chateau LeMoyne is owned and operated by Holiday Inn. Consisting of four Greek Revival townhouses built in the 1840's and lovingly restored to their original grace and grandeur, the Chateau LeMoyne pampers its guests with period furniture echoing the tastes of wealthy merchants and aristocrats of years ago. The Chateau LeMoyne has every amenity from a heated swimming pool to room service. Guests can relax in the comfortable lounge, enjoy a live New Orleans jazz combo on weekends, or enjoy romantic courtyard dining with Sclafani's tantalizing Creole Italian dishes.
Parking is available for hotel guests and visitors. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 800-747-3279. You must book the hotel on your own, but be sure to mention the Steamship Historical Society to get the special rate. Reservations must be made by August 31, 2002.
Holiday Inn Chateau LeMoyne
301 Rue Dauphine
New Orleans, LA
800-747-3279
For other hotels in the area, contact your travel agent.
TRANSPORTATION:
By Air: Louis Armstrong International Airport is served by most major airlines. Call your travel agent for more information. From the airport to the hotel, taxi's are $24.00 flat rate for up to two people, or you can take the Airport Shuttle at $10 per person. Transportation options are located near baggage claim.
By Bus & Train: New Orleans is served by Greyhound and Amtrak, with the terminal located at 1001 Loyola Ave. Contact your travel agent for more details. Contact United Cab (telephone 504-522-9771) for the short ride from the terminal to the hotel.
By Car: From I-10 East, exit 235A, at light left on Orleans Ave, left on Conti, right on Dauphine. From I-10 West, Exit 235A, left on Conti, right on Dauphine.
For additional information email sswanson67@yahoo.com.
The spring meeting held in Albany over the weekend of June 21-23, 2002 was a great success. Over 150 members and guests enjoyed a dinner cruise on the Dutch Apple 2, a Hudson River lunch cruise on the Captain J.P. and a sightseeing cruise from Schuylerville on the Champlain Canal Tour Boats. At the dinner meeting there was a preview of our new video, Steamboats: The Hudson River and a presentation by former SSHSA President Roger Mabie who discussed his years of employment (1935-1939) with the Hudson River Dayline.
Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings attended the dinner and discussed his ongoing efforts to enhance the waterfront in Albany and make it a more "visitor friendly" part of the city. He was well received by the members in attendance.
At the annual meeting the following members were elected to three year terms on the society's board of directors:
The fall meeting of the SSHSA will be held in New Orleans, LA the weekend of September 27-29, 2002. The next meeting of the board of directors will be held in New Orleans on September 29, 2002.
A retired editor, a distinguished inland river mariner, a 72-year-old New York fireboat, and a harbor ferry service are the recipients of the Steamship Historical Society of America's awards for 2001.
The H. Graham Wood Award for Distinguished Service to the Steamship Historical Society goes to William M. Rau. Mr. Rau served as editor-in-chief of Steamboat Bill, the society's quarterly magazine, from 1989 to 1996. He had also been an associate editor for several years. He was a society director from 1990 to 1999. A native of Bayonne, New Jersey, he has been a society member since 1963 and is known as an accomplished marine photographer. Mr. Rau is an expert on New York ferryboats and excursion boats as well as Atlantic liners. His tenure as editor-in-chief was marked by many improvements in Steamboat Bill, including the use of artwork on the covers.
The Samuel Ward Stanton Award for Lifetime Achievement is being awarded to the late Captain Charles W. Stoll (1916-2001). A pilot of steam vessels on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, C.W., as he was known to just about everyone, distinguished himself in 1962 by leading the effort to save the 1914-vintage steamboat Avalon. That vessel continues to steam today as the Belle of Louisville. C.W. also piloted the Delta Queen from New Orleans to Cincinnati at the end of her epic voyage from California in 1947. He also served as pilot for the Mississippi Queen and Natchez. C.W. also maintained, for many years, a steamboat photograph business from his Kentucky home. C. W. Stoll is regarded by his peers as a giant among inland river mariners.
The 2001 Ship of the Year Award goes to the former New York City fireboat John
J. Harvey. Having been retired in 1995, she was in the midst of a new career of taking
people on harbor cruises when she was unexpectedly called back into duty on September
11, 2001. Manned by a volunteer crew, the old fireboat spent the better part of that
terrible week pumping water onto the fires raging at the World Trade Center site. Built in
1930 with gasoline engines, John J. Harvey was the first New York fireboat not to be
steam-powered. She was converted to diesel in 1957. The vessel had been laid up for four years
when, in 1999, she was acquired by a group of enthusiasts who restored her to operating
condition and put her back in service cruising New York harbor.
The society's C. Bradford Mitchell Award is given each year to honor an individual, institution or agency for a single achievement that contributes to the aims of the society. The 2001 honoree is NY Waterway, the family-owned ferry system linking New York and New Jersey. It was selected to receive this award for its rapid response to the World Trade Center attacks, evacuating people from Manhattan, and for its efforts in helping re-establish mass transit in the area following the attacks. Founded in 1986 by Arthur E. Imperatore, NY Waterway has become the largest operator of boats in New York harbor.
All four awards will be presented at the Steamship Historical Society's annual meeting in Albany, New York from June 14-16, 2002.
When The Billet that accompanied the spring issue of Steamboat Bill went to press, all indications were that Waveland Investments would succeed in obtaining the assets of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company at an auction on May 3. That information turned out to be premature.
An agreement had been reached between Waveland and Delta Queen that seemed to assure that the Chicago-based company would acquire the company and its three steamers. But on the day of the auction, Delaware North Companies surprised everyone by bidding $80 million and obtaining the assets of Delta Queen and the three sternwheelers.
DNC has a Hospitality and Entertainment Group which is responsible for visitor services at Yosemite National Park and the Kennedy Space Center, among other attractions. Dennis Szefel, president of that arm of the company, told Travel Weekly on May 20 that Delta Queen is "back in business and on a financial footing that's committed". He went on to say that the steamboats fit in well with the firm's commitment to telling "the American story".
Under the new ownership, Delta Queen Steamboat Company's headquarters will remain in New Orleans. Reservations are being accepted for the coming cruise season on the Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen. The company is reportedly negotiating for the Columbia Queen on the west coast as well. Not included in the purchase are Delta Queen Coastal Voyages' coastwise vessels Cape May Light and Cape Cod Light.
For more information, Click here to log onto www.Steamboats.org or Click here to log onto www.Delawarenorth.com. Future developments will be reported in upcoming issues of Steamboat Bill.
The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. will hold its Spring 2002 Meeting and Annual Business Session in Albany, New York from June 14 through 16, 2002. The highlight of the meeting will be the unveiling of the society's newest video Steamboats: The Hudson River.
There will be a variety of events taking place during this three-day meeting, beginning with an afternoon cruise on Friday on the historic Champlain Canal at Schuylerville. The cruise will be narrated by society member Bob Foster, who also owns Champlain Canal Tour Boats. That evening there will be a dinner cruise from Albany to New Baltimore aboard the Dutch Apple 2.
Saturday begins with the annual meeting of the society and the election of new directors. Then it's off to Troy for a luncheon cruise up the Hudson, under the Green Island Draw Bridge and through the First Federal Lock. Members will have the afternoon free to explore Albany on their own.
Saturday's evening's events begin with a social hour and swap-and-sell session at the Albany Crowne Plaza Hotel, headquarters for the meeting. Dinner follows with a preview of the video Steamboats: The Hudson River, produced by society member Paul Bloomhardt. Copies of the video will be available for sale. Following the preview, former SSHSA president and one-time Hudson River Day Line employee Roger Mabie, will give a slide presentation entitled Working On The Day Line.
On Sunday morning, the board of directors will meet at the hotel for their regular business session. A deluxe brunch follows at the Hudson Harbor Steak and Seafood Restaurant, located in the former Hudson River Day Line Ticket Office.
For a reservation form and other information, contact the SSHSA Business Office, 300 Ray Drive, Suite 4, Providence RI 029096 or call 401-274-0805. The deadline for registering is May 24th.
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The tour departs on August 9, 2002 and ends August 21. Organized by Mir Corporation of Seattle. a firm recognized as expert in Russian travel, it includes two nights on the paddle steamer N.V. Gogol for a cruise from Archangelsk on the Dvina River. The Gogol was originally built in 1911 for transportation service between cities on the Dvina, and was completely reconditioned recently for cruise service out of Archangelsk. One of the stops on the cruise is the well-known museum of North Russian wooden architecture at Malye Korely.
The tour also includes a two-night trip by the motor vessel Klavdiya Yelanskaya from Archangelsk to the famous Solovetsy Islands, with a day of touring there. The Solovetsly Islands, located in the White Sea, were a fortified Orthodox monastery for centuries, and after closure of the monastery by the communist regime became a prisonpart of the famous Gulag Archipelago. Today the monastery has been re-established, and the islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with magnificent buildings dating over five centuries, and a fascinating, if forbidding, 20th century history as well.
Flights are into and out of St. Petersburg, and the tour includes several days of sightseeing in and around St. Petersburg, the magnificent capital of the tsars. Included are the usual city sights, such as the Hermitage, the Peter & Paul Fortress, and the naval cruiser Aurora, built in 1900; the summer palaces at Pushkin and Pavlovsk; and a day devoted to seldom-seen palaces and mansions of St. Petersburg.
Land cost is anticipated to be about $2,695 per person, with air available from Newark at about $895 per person. Final costs depend on the size of the group. Leading the tour on behalf of the Steamship Historical Society is William M. Worden, former editor-in-chief of Steamboat Bill and well-known maritime historian.
For further information on this unique adventure, contact Worden at bworden@worldnet.att.net or at 1020 Iroquois Avenue, Detroit, MI 48214, ph. 313-824-9503.
(correction posted 5/16/2002)
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When it was chartered in 1872 to carry passengers and freight between Savannah, Georgia and New York, the Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah was the only coastwise steamship company with headquarters in the South. Better known simply as The Savannah Line, it flourished for over seventy years and proved to be a major trade and travel link between the agricultural areas of Georgia and the markets and distribution centers of New York and Boston.
In the years immediately following the Civil War, the Central of Georgia Railroad played an integral role in helping the war-ravaged South regain its stature by improving the region's transportation system. The Savannah Line, a subsidiary of the railroad, was a major component of this rebuilding process. Over the years, it created some of the finest coastwise passenger and cargo steamers ever seen on the East Coast. They were familiar sights on both the Savannah River and the Hudson River as they departed on their two-day voyages along the coast.
Beginning with an overview of water transportation in Georgia from the earliest days, this book takes readers through the glory days of coastwise steamship service, the company's role in World War II and its ultimate demise in a postwar world which no longer had time for coastwise steamships.
Edward A. Mueller is a professional engineer whose specialty has been the field of transportation. He was Florida's first secretary of transportation and has spent a lifetime researching and writing about steamships and steamboats. A former editor of Steamboat Bill, he has written a number of books, mostly recently Queen of Sea Routes: The Merchants and Miners Transportation Company, for the Steamship Historical Society of America. Mr. Mueller was chosen to receive the society's Samuel Ward Stanton Award For Lifetime Achievement for the year 2000.
The book is 239 pages, with dozens of illustrations, many of which have never before been published, as well as a comprehensive fleet list. It is available in a hardback, numbered, limited-edition version and a softback version. Click Here to order.
Asbestos removal in the SSHSA Library at the University of Baltimore has been completed and the library has re-opened to researchers. Because of the backlog of research requests that have accumulated since the library closed for this work, researchers are being asked to call the library before visiting to allow the staff to search out material they may want to use. We thank you for your patience.
Ship of the Year Award
The Ship of the Year Award honors a vessel that has made or is making a major contribution to the purpose of the society. The Steamship Historical Society of America is pleased to announce that its Ship Of The Year For 2000 is the venerable American liner Independence of American Hawaii Cruises, which will be celebrating her fiftieth year in service in 2001.
After serving on the Atlantic for seventeen years, Independence has spent the last twenty-one years successfully sailing in the Hawaiian Islands.
Independence, and her sister Constitution, were the American alternatives to the Italian Line ships that dominated the New York to Italy service in the 1950's. The Independence and Constitution entered service in 1951 at the Bethlehem Steel Company yard in Quincy, Massachusetts for American Export Lines' New York-Mediterranean service and were considered the last word in American passenger ship design.
Independence was built with a gross tonnage of 30, 293, a length of 683 feet, width of 89 feet and a service speed of 23 knots. Her capacity in 1951 was 295 in first class, 375 in cabin class and 330 in tourist class.
During the 1950's and early 1960's, Independence operated on a three-week express run between New York, Algeciras, Naples, Genoa and Cannes. She was very popular with Americans and also built a strong following with the Italians, many of whom were immigrants traveling to the United States. In the mid-1960's, like many transatlantic liners, she began to offer cruises with greater frequency. Within three years, by the fall of 1968, she was operating at losses which forced her removal from service.
In the 1960s, the two vessels also operated on cruises, as travelers deserted the Atlantic liners for airplanes. Operating losses forced the layup of both vessels in 1968.
Independence spent the next six years at lay-up in Baltimore. In 1974, C.Y. Tung, owner of Orient Overseas Lines, purchased the ship. She was sent to Hong Kong where her lay-up continued for another year. She was then sent to South Africa to run cruises into the Indian Ocean, but instead was chartered by the government of Portugal to evacuate Angolan colonials. After this, Oceanic Independence, as she had been renamed, was again laid-up, awaiting a brighter future.
The two ships were subsequently purchased by Taiwanese shipowner C.Y. Tung. The Independence returned to service under the banner of Orient Overseas Line. In 1980, she was returned to American registry and has operated ever since in Hawaiian waters for American Hawaii Cruises.
In early 1993, Sam Zell, an American entrepreneur and real estate investor who currently serves as the Chairman of American Classic Voyages, gained control of American Hawaii Cruises. He knew that the Independence needed a major refurbishment and mechanical upgrades in order to stay competitive with the hotels in Hawaii. In 1994, Independence sailed to Newport News, Virginia for a multi-million dollar upgrade. She was totally redone in a Hawaiian motif. New cabins were added, lounges rebuilt and the public rooms "opened-up" by connecting the lounges to the lanais. A focus on the culture and history of Hawaii was brought onboard the ship for the enjoyment of about 50,000 passengers a year. The designs of Henry Dreyfuss, the original designer, are still visible throughout the ship. She is as fresh and modern today as she was fifty years ago and the management of American Hawaii Cruises, a subsidiary of American Classic Voyages Co., lead by Chief Executive Officer Philip C. Calian, must be applauded for the wonderful care they have given to this great ship which is now in twenty-first year of service in Hawaii. She truly is deserving of our Ship of the Year Award.
Lovingly maintained, the Independence currently operates seven-day cruises among the Hawaiian Islands. The society has just published S.S. Independence and S.S. Constitution: Great American Ocean Liners by William H. Miller. For more information click here.
H. Graham Wood Award
The H. Graham Wood Award For Distinguished Service To The Society goes to Frank A. Clapp of Victoria, British Columbia. Mr. Clapp was the West Coast Editor of the society magazine Steamboat Bill for 25 years. Employed with the Provincial Government in British Columbia for many years, Mr. Clapp wrote 102 consecutive columns that covered a large area of the west coast from Alaska to Mexico as well as Hawaii. Over the past thirty years, he has also written 25 articles for Steamboat Bill and has often been sought out by researchers with inquiries on west coast shipping.
Mr. Clapp took over as West Coast regional editor upon the retirement of Robert W. Parkinson. His first column appeared in the summer 1975 issue (SBB #134). Since then, he has submitted 102 consecutive columns covering the geographic region of Alaska to Hawaii. His columns have covered a large region with a terrific amount of detail, providing members with valuable information about the recent "happenings" on the West Coast.
Contributions to the society do not end with his job as regional editor. In the past thirty years, Mr. Clapp has written twenty-five articles that have been published in Steamboat Bill and has taken the time to answer hundreds of queries about West Coast ships that have been sent to him by members.
Besides his involvement with the society, Frank is a Life Member of the World Ship Society, a member of the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the Victoria Historical Society and the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. He also enjoys tennis, walking and riding the many ferry routes of British Columbia. Frank lives with his wife Lenora in Victoria, B.C. He has four children, Michael, Margo, Michele and Melissa and six grandchildren. Our hats are off to Frank for thirty years of dedicated service to the society!
C. Bradford Mitchell Award
The C. Bradford Mitchell Award recognizes a single achievement that contributes to the goals of the society. The award winner for 2000 is Project Liberty Ship in Baltimore, Maryland. Project Liberty Ship is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the Liberty Ship John W. Brown as a living memorial and museum ship honoring the men and women who built the great wartime merchant fleet and the merchant seamen and Naval Armed Guards who sailed the ships worldwide during World War II and other national conflicts.
The Liberty Ship John W. Brown is one of only two such vessels left today. Project Liberty Ship began in 1978 in New York and succeeded in bringing the Brown to Baltimore, the home of her birth, in 1988. Her reactivation was completed in 1991 and she has since made 36 one-day cruises on the Chesapeake Bay and has also steamed to ports such as Halifax, Charleston, Boston and New York. In the spring and summer of 2000 the John W. Brown made a three and a half month long voyage to the Great Lakes, visiting nine ports and hosting over 36,000 visitors. Over a million hours of volunteer time have gone into the restoration of this classic steamship.
Project Liberty Ship began in 1978, when a seminar on Liberty Ship preservation was held onboard the John W. Brown, which at the time was operating as a nautical high school run by the City of New York. Those attending the seminar could foresee the day, rapidly approaching, when the last ship of the fleet of 2700 Liberty Ships would be scrapped or sunk as an artificial reef. Many onboard her that day became determined to preserve at least one Liberty Ship as a memorial museum on the east coast.
With the backing of the National Maritime Historical Society an organization was formed to work toward the preservation of the John W. Brown. A small group of volunteers began to plan for the day when the high school closed and the ship would be released from her service. A membership drive was commenced and Liberty Log, a newsletter, began to be printed.
When the day finally arrived, in 1982, for the end of the ship's career as a schoolship, the group, now officially known as Project Liberty Ship, was in the midst of a search for a suitable berth in New York Harbor at which to display the John W. Brown. Despite their best efforts, the Project could not locate a single berth in the entire harbor that would accept the ship. The ship was towed out of New York and placed in the James River Reserve Fleet in Virginia in July 1983.
In August 1988 the ship left the Reserve Fleet for Baltimore and reactivation and preservation work began on her. By 1991, her reactivation was completed.
To fund the work the organization has raised $9 million in cash and $8 million worth of in-kind contributions. The ship has been drydocked six times since she left the Reserve Fleet with the condition of her hull being improved each time.
The members, staff and volunteers of Project Liberty Ship, headed by society member Captain Brian Hope, can be proud of their accomplishments with the John W. Brown. The organization is a very worthy recipient of the C. Bradford Mitchell Award for their great work in recording, preserving and disseminating the history of the Liberty Ship.
The Samuel Ward Stanton Award for Lifetime Achievement
The Samuel Ward Stanton Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to honor an individual for the accumulated value of ongoing work in the society's area of interest. The winner of the 2000 award is life member Edward A. Mueller of Jacksonville, Florida.
A professional engineer who was Florida's first Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Mueller is a distinguished maritime historian whose specialty is steamships of the east coast. He is a past editor of Steamboat Bill. He has written eight books on Florida and Mississippi River steamships. Queen of Sea Routes: The Merchants and Miners Transportation Company was published by the Steamship Historical Society in 2000. Click here. The society will publish Mr. Mueller's The Savannah Line: A History of the Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah later this year.
Mr. Mueller graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from Notre Dame University in 1947. He attained a MS in Civil Engineering at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 1967. He served as the Secretary of Transportation for the State of Florida from 1970-1972 and as Executive Director of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority from 1972-1980. After government service, he returned to private engineering firms until his retirement in fall 1996.
After his retirement, Mr. Mueller served as the Executive Director and Curator of the Jacksonville Maritime Museum from 1996-1999. He was the editor of Steamboat Bill from 1967-1970 and has spent countless hours writing many books on steamboat and steamship history. He has produced Farewell Old Mount Washington, The Stateliest Ship (about the Queen Mary) and Muskingum River Steamboats for the society. In addition to these, Mr. Mueller has also published Steamboating on the St. Johns, Ocklawaha River Steamboats, St. Johns River Steamboats, Perilous Journeys (ACF rivers), Upper Mississippi River Rafting Steamboats, Steamships of the Two Henrys- Being an account of the maritime activities of Henry Bradley Plant and Henry Flagler and Images of America, Along the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers.
The latest works of Ed Mueller for the Steamship Historical Society of America are Queen of the Sea Routes: The Merchants and Miners Transportation Company, which was published in 2000, and Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah which is scheduled for publication in the fall of 2001.
The Steamship Historical Society of America thanks and honors Edward A. Mueller for his lifelong work recording the history of steamboats and for his valuable contributions to the society.
The society's collection at the University of Baltimore will be closed to the public from July 27 until September 17 for asbestos removal work at the Langsdale Library . The staff will not be able to perform any research or photographic searches while the library is closed.
The Society offers its apology for this inconvenience.
Over one hundred members gathered in Oak Bluffs, Marta's Vineyard for the spring 2001 meeting and annual meeting. Beautiful weather and an interesting program, "A Short History of the Island Steamers", made it one of the most memorable meetings in recent years.
At the annual meeting, the following members were elected to the board of directors for three-year terms:
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Additionally, 83% of the votes recieved approved an increase in the annual dues to $35.00 effective 2002.
At the director's meeting on June 10, 2001 the following officers were elected to a one-year term:
It was noted that the spring issue of Steamboat Bill is almost ready to go to the printer and that the summer and fall issues are on schedule. It was also announced that the new book by William Miller, Great American Ocean Liners: S.S. Independence and S.S. Constitution is ready and available for $22.50 plus $1.50 postage (from the business office) and that 100 members will be onboard the society sponsored cruise on American Hawaii Cruise's Independence sailing on June 30, 2001.
The fall meeting will be held in Miami, FL the weekend on November 9-12, 2001.
Forty posters of the Steamship Historical Society of America's Stephen B. Chase collection are now on exhibit in New York City. Most of those on exhibit have never been shown in the New York area, including eleven cross sections of ships. Some of the ships included are Caronia, Queen Mary, Paris, Ile de France, Normandie and the United States.
The exhibit is in the Water Street Gallery of the Seaman's Church Institute located at 241 Water Street in New York City and is open through September 1, 2001 from 10 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. is proud to announce the publication of a new book entitled SS Independence/SS Constitution: Great American Liners by William H. Miller.
Publication of this new book is designed to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the maiden voyages of the liners Independence and Constitution. It is a joint publishing project of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. and Purple Mountain Press of Fleischmanns, New York.
Independence and Constitution were the first important American passenger ships to be built following World War II. At the time, at 29,500 tons, they were the largest liners under the stars and stripes. Owned by American Export Lines, they initially operated between New York and the Mediterranean. When it became uneconomical to operate passenger ships under American registry, they were sold overseas, but made their way back to the American flag in 1980 and cruised the waters around the Hawaiian Islands for the next two decades.
Happily, Independence still operates in those waters and on June 30, 2001 author William H. Miller will be the featured speaker on an SSHSA-sponsored cruise aboard this historic vessel. The book is also being sold aboard Independence and vessels of the affiliated United States Lines. Miller is a well-known maritime historian, specializing in passenger liners. He has published numerous books in this field, and is in great demand as a cruise ship lecturer.
The book is a 116-page, soft-cover volume, featuring 122 illustrations and cover art by noted marine artists William H. Muller and Don Stoltenberg. It covers not only the story of these two classic liners, but also the operations of American Exports Lines' other passenger vessels, the Four Aces and La Guardia.
SS Independence/SS Constitution: Great American Liners is available for $22.50 plus $1.50 postage from the SSHSA Business Office, 300 Ray Drive, Suite #4, Providence RI 02906, or Click Here! to order from the Society's web store.
The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. will hold its annual meeting from June 8-10, 2001 on the historic island of Martha's Vineyard off the Massachusetts coast.
Participants in the meeting will stay at the Wesley Hotel, a famous Victorian inn overlooking the scenic harbor of the town of Oak Bluffs. The activities get underway the evening of Friday, June 8th with a wine and cheese reception at the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society in Edgartown. The museum is noted for its collection of Van Ryper ship models, depicting vessels of all eras.
A cruise by ferry from Oak Bluffs to Nantucket Island is scheduled for Saturday, June 9th. While in Nantucket, meeting participants will have an opportunity to visit the famous whaling museum and see the many homes from the whaling era that line the island's streets. The ferry will return to Martha's Vineyard in time for the evening dinner at the Winnetu Inn overlooking the ocean at South Beach. Following dinner, society Secretary Barry Eager, a well-known New England maritime historian, will present a program entitled A Short History Of The Boats That Served The Islands. This program will feature many photographs and stories of the varied steamers and ferries that have linked these islands with the mainland. After the lecture, participants will be treated to a program of steamboat songs from that long-ago era.
On Sunday, June 10th, the society's Board of Directors will hold its regular meeting. There will be ample time on Sunday for meeting participants to see the many fishing villages and other sights of Martha's Vineyard on Sunday.
For more information, contact the Steamship Historical Society Business Office at 300 Ray Drive, #4, Providence RI 02906 or by telephone at 401-274-0805 between 10am and 3pm weekdays.
The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. announces that it has purchased the remaining inventory of a series of rare booklets featuring the work of marine artist Samuel Ward Stanton, and is making them available for sale.
Stanton was one of the best known maritime historians, illustrators and editors of the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth century. He published Seaboard Magazine and wrote and illustrated the landmark book American Steam Vessels in 1895. His career was cut short at an early age when he was lost on the Titanic.
His daughter, Elizabeth Stanton Anderson, with the help of other family members, later collected and published a series of booklets featuring Stanton's drawings of American steamboats and steamships. There are nine in all: Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay Steam Vessels; Ocean Steam Vessels; Nineteenth Century United States Naval Steam Vessels; Steam Vessels of Chesapeake and Delaware Bays and Rivers; New York Bay Steam Vessels; Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, Southern and Western Inland Steam Vessels; Coastal Steam Vessels; Towboats and Tugs and Hudson River Steamboats.
When these booklets are gone, there will be no more. To purchase Click here or contact the Steamship Historical Society Business Office, 300 Ray Drive, Suite # 4, Providence RI 02906 (401-274-0805).
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the maiden voyages of the SS Independence and SS Constitution the Steamship Historical Society of America is publishing, in partnership with Purple Mountain Press, a new book on these important ships. Authored by noted writer and member William H. Miller, SS Independence/ SS Constitution: Great American Liners is expected to be released in time for our society cruise onboard the Independence of American Hawaii Cruises in late June 2001.
The book, which will be a soft cover, will be about one hundred pages and will include many rare photographs of both ships as well as photographs of other American Export ships including the " Four Aces", La Guardia and many of the cargo ships operated by the company.
From the inception of the ships, through the careers of Independence and Constitution in Hawaii, the book will be a must for anyone interested in the history of these great ships. Few ships enjoy a career that lasts half a century, thus SSHSA feels that this book will be a tribute to these liners that were the first big American luxury ships built after the Second World War.
Cover art for the book will be provided by noted maritime artists William Muller and Don Stoltenberg who have painted special works featuring the ships for this book.
Bill Miller, the author, will be the featured lecturer on the SSHSA cruise on the Independence sailing from Maui on a seven-day Hawaii cruise on June 30, 2001.
More information on ordering this book will be included in the spring 2001 issue of Steamboat Bill and on our website in the late spring. The book will be available through the society as well as through Purple Mountain Press.
She triumphantly sailed from New York on her maiden voyage in February 1951. The S/S Independence brought "Modern American Living at Sea" to post-war travelers. Her decor highlighted America's great maritime history. Henry Dreyfuss, noted industrial designer, oversaw the design of the passenger facilities. She sailed proudly for the American Export Line until 1968. Since 1980 she has been sailing around the Hawaiian Islands for American Hawaii Cruises.
On June 30, 2001 the Steamship Historical Society of America and the American Merchant Marine Museum will sail on a special 50th Anniversary cruise, celebrating the great S/S Independence's 50 years of service.
Joining us for this celebration will be two of America's foremost maritime historians and authors, Frank Braynard and Bill Miller. Bill will lecture on the history of the Independence and Constitution and the tradition of the American flag at sea, while Frank will host the cruise.
Besides the ship and company of fellow maritime enthusiasts, our cruise will visit the beautiful islands of Maui, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii with the highlight of spending July 4th in Honolulu with optional tours to Pearl Harbor on this appropriate day. We look forward to welcoming you aboard.
Rates begin at $1480 plus air for an inside stateroom and go to $1902 plus air for a large outside stateroom.
Reservations must be made by October 31, 2000 and final payment is due on March 31, 2001.
Contact John Ferguson, Pauline Power or Denise Bonnici at Pisa Brothers Travel Service (800-786-4164) for more information or to book passage on the cruise.
The fall meeting of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. will take place October 6-8, 2000 aboard the historic liner Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.
It all begins on Friday, October 6th with an evening reception aboard the historic ship. Well-known ocean liner expert Peter Knego will present a slide lecture the same evening. Saturday, October 7th will be a full day that includes a visit to the Lane Victory, one of the few World War II-era Victory Ships still in existence. SSHSA members will also have an opportunity to visit the Lane Victory museum. Following the tour, participants will board the ss Spirit for a two-hour harbor cruise narrated by Gordon Ghareeb.
That evening, a reception will be held in the King’s View Room aboard the Queen Mary at which time collectible vendors will be offering maritime items for sale. Dinner follows in the Royal Salon, after which Queen Mary Exhibits and Archives Manager Ron Smith will give a presentation entitled "Queen Mary Restoration and Preservation".
Sunday, October 8th features a brunch in the ornate Grand Salon of the Queen Mary. Marine architect Stephen Payne will then give a presentation on Cunard Line’s plans for its newest liner, the Queen Mary 2, which is being billed as the largest ocean liner of all time. Marine artist Ken Marschall will then lead a panel discussion on the efforts to save the "Great White Steamer", the ss Catalina. Tours of the Queen Mary will be conducted in the latter part of the afternoon.
The Queen Mary made her North Atlantic debut in 1936 for the Cunard Steam-Ship Company, Ltd. and went on to take the Atlantic speed record. She distinguished herself as a troopship in World War II and then, in consort with the first Queen Elizabeth, operated between New York and Southampton, England until she was retired in 1967. Since then, she has been operated as a museum ship in Long Beach.
The meeting aboard the Queen Mary is open to both members of the SSHSA and non-members. For more information on the meeting, contact Bruce Vancil, 21001 Lacebark Lane, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, (949) 454-8849 or the SSHSA Business Office, 300 Ray Drive, Suite 4, Providence RI 02906, (401) 274-0805.
The annual meeting of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. will be held in Weehawken, New Jersey and New York City from June 2-4, 2000. It will be an event-filled weekend that includes a cruise liner visit and a presentation by an eminent maritime historian.
Headquartered at the Sheraton Suites in Weehawken, the meeting begins Friday evening, June 2nd with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception aboard the historic M/V Yankee at New York’s Pier 25. Saturday will feature a boat tour of the waters around New York and will include a visit to the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx. At that time, the society will present its C. Bradford Mitchell Award to the museum. The award recognizes the museum for its work in preserving American maritime history. Noted maritime writer Ted Scull will provide commentary throughout the cruise.
The society’s Annual Corporation meeting will be held Saturday afternoon in Weehawken, followed by a banquet and the presentation of several more awards. After dinner, there will be an illustrated presentation entitled Steamboat Days On The Hudson by William H. Ewen, Jr., long-time society member and well-known Hudson River historian.
On Sunday, June 4th, the Board of Directors holds its annual meeting while members visit the cruise liner Pacific Princess for a tour and luncheon. Members will also have the opportunity to see other cruise liners at the same time and take in other maritime attractions of the area.
This is one of several meetings the Steamship Historical Society of America holds at different locations around the country each year.
For more information, contact the SSHSA Business Office at 401-274-0805.
The Long Island Chapter is hosting a Trans-Atlantic crossing on the Millennium, the newest ship of Celebrity Cruise Lines. The crossing sails from Genoa, Italy on November 3, 2000 and makes port calls at Livorno, Villefranche, Barcelona, and Gibraltar before arriving in New York on November 15, 2000.
The Millennium is one of the most anticipated ships of the new century and is now under construction at the famed Chantier's de L' Atlantique shipyard in France. She will be the first cruise ship to use the power of gas turbine propulsion. Her interior will be magnificent with beauty found in every detail, from the finely finished woods and marble to etched glass and polished granite. Her interiors take inspiration from the great liners of the past culminating in the Edwardian splendor of the Olympic Restaurant which features the original paneling from the a la carte restaurant onboard the famous White Star liner Olympic of 1911.
Joining the SSHSA group on this historic maiden crossing will be noted maritime artist Ken Marschall. Ken will lecture on the legendary Olympic and Titanic, his magnificent maritime artwork, and on the mega film Titanic on which Ken was the visual historian. Besides these lectures, other special events are planned which include cocktail parties, ship interior and bridge tours and special commemoratives for the SSHSA group only.
Fares begin at $ 1,214.00 p/p for an inside stateroom, $ 1,560.00 p/p for an outside stateroom and $ 1,914.00 p/p for a deluxe oceanview stateroom with verandah. All fares are plus a port tax of $ 185.00 p/p. Air add-ons from New York are only $ 499.00 plus PFC of $ 34.20.
For reservations or more information, contact Pisa Brothers Travel Service at 1-800-786-4164. All reservations must be made by May 5, 2000. Final payment is due on September 1, 2000.
History of the Merchants And Miners Line is Published by the Steamship Historical Society
The Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. is proud to announce the publication of Queen of the Sea Routes: A History of the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company by Edward A. Mueller.
Founded in 1852 and liquidated just twenty-four days short of a century of opeations, the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company was one of the most important steamship lines to have operated along the east coast of the United States. It was founded in Baltimore by a group of merchants associated with the leather-tanning trade to carry hides from Maryland to New England which was the center of boot, saddle and shoe manufacturing. The steamers also carried coal from the mines of Western Maryland and the part of Virginia which later became West Virginia, hence the name of the corporation. Passengers were also an important segment of the business.
The Merchants and Miners Transportation Company ultimately evolved to the point where it touched virtually every major east coast city except, somewhat oddly, New York. What began as a fleet of wooden sidewheelers developed into one of the most modern fleets of steel steamships anywhere in the United States.
Edward A. Mueller is a respected maritime historian living in Jacksonville, Florida. He was Florida’s first Secretary of Transportation and is now executive director of the Jacksonville Maritime Museum Society. He has served as editor of Steamboat Bill, the quarterly magazine of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc.
This book tells, for the first time, in complete detail, the history of this fascinating steamship company, both in war and peace. Included is the story of the sinking of its passenger ship-turned-troopship Dorchester during World War II and the famous four chaplains that went down with her.
Queen of the Sea Routes: A History of the Merchants and Miners Line is a hardback volume of 192 pages with 177 photographs, plans and advertisements, many of which have not been published before. It sells for $37.50, postpaid from the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc., 300 Ray Drive, Suite 4, Providence RI 02906.
Steamship Historical Society Sponsors Cruise on Holland America Line's Veendam
In conjunction with its Autumn National Meeting in Long Beach, California, the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. is sponsoring a five-night cruise aboard Holland America Line’s Veendam.
The cruise departs Vancouver on September 30, 2000 bound for San Diego with a stop in Portland, Oregon and two full days of cruising the Pacific Ocean. There will be several special events on board sponsored by the Steamship Historical Society of America, Inc. including a private cocktail party.
Veendam is among the newest vessels in Holland America’s rapidly growing fleet of modern cruise ships. She carries the same name as several other famous vessels in the company’s history. Built in 1996 in Italy, the 55,000-ton Veendam is the fourth ship in the Statendam class of cruise ships. She is known for her classic interiors, reminiscent of the era of great transatlantic liners.
Special rates are available for participants in this cruise. A flyer detailing the itinerary, rates and other information is available from Pisa Brothers, Inc., 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 2207, New York NY 10111 or by calling 212-265-8420.
SSHSA announces winners of 1999 awards
The 1999 awards of the Steamship Historical Society of America have been selected. All will be honored at the annual meeting that is scheduled to be held in New York the weekend of June 2-4, 2000.
The H. Graham Wood Award for Distinguished Service to the Society is awarded to past editor-in-chief and current associate editor of Steamboat Bill, Peter T. Eisele. Mr. Eisele has been instrumental is helping to raise the quality of Steamboat Bill to the position where it is today, the leading journal of the history of engine-powered vessels. His continued service to the society is appreciated by all members.
The Samuel Ward Stanton Award for Lifetime Achievement is awarded to Ted Arison, the founder of Carnival Cruise Lines. Mr. Arison is the "father of the modern cruise industry" who built Carnival Cruise Lines into the largest cruise company in the world from a one ship operation in only twenty years. His insight and leadership were important in the development of the cruise industry as it exists today. The many shipboard innovations that he pioneered will forever be a part of the cruise industry and his willingness to "take a chance" on a new idea will be missed by all who worked with and competed with him. Mr. Arison died suddenly in October 1999 and this award honors his lifetime of contributions to the shipping industry.
The C. Bradford Mitchell Award which recognizes an achievement that contributes to the aims of the society is awarded to The Maritime Industry Museum at Ft. Schulyer in New York. The museum, now beginning its' second decade, is one of the leading maritime museums committed to the history of the engine-powered vessel.
The Ship of the Year award is awarded to the M/V Yankee. This former ferry and excursion boat is almost one hundred years old and is being restored in New York City. She has sailed in Maine, New York and for many years served Block Island. She is in excellent condition due to the perseverance of her owner, Jim Gallagher, who is committed to preserving the Yankee as a true piece of American maritime history. Many of our members have enjoyed her when she was in service and since her restoration has begun and we hope to enjoy many more years of this wonderful vessel.
An article detailing all award winners will be included in the summer 2000 issue of Steamboat Bill.
SOHO Offers Prints To Save S/S Catalina
The Save Our Heritage Organization, the group working to save and preserve the S/S Catalina is offering prints of this great vessel to SSHSA members.
The original painting of the Catalina, sailing from Avalon in 1924, was painted by internationally renown artist Ken Marschall in 1999. The painting will be featured on the rear cover of the fall 1999 issue of Steamboat Bill, which will also include an article about this historic vessel. All proceeds from the sale of the prints will be used to help raise the Catalina and return her to California.
The prints, which measure 18'' X 25'' are offered at the following prices:
Limited edition art print on archival paper, numbered and signed by the artist Ken Marschall and the Catalina's chief engineer, Charles Beal, accompanied by a brief biography of each signer- $150.00
Limited edition art print on archival paper, numbered and signed by the artist- $95.00
Unlimited edition art print on archival paper, unnumbered and unsigned- $30.00
Orders can be mailed, with a check enclosed, to:
SOHO
P.O. Box 3429
San Diego, CA, 92163-9327
Shipping and handling are included with each price. SSHSA member, and Southern California Chapter Chairman, Shawn Dake has been designated to be the official representative of SSHSA to the board of SOHO. The board of directors urges all members to support this worthwhile project, as time is running short to save the S/S Catalina.
SSHSA Long Island Chapter to cruise on the S/S Rembrandt in August 2000
The Long Island Chapter of SSHSA will be cruising on the S/S Rembrandt, which sailed as the Rotterdam for thirty-eight years, in August 1999. The chapter will accept national members of SSHSA as cruise members onboard this special cruise, chairman Tom Cassidy has announced.
The northbound cruise onboard this great vessel of Premier Cruises sails from New York on August 13, 2000 and will call at Bar Harbor, Halifax, Saguenay Fjord and Quebec before ending in Montreal on August 20, 2000. The southbound cruise sails from Montreal on August 20, 2000 and calls at Quebec, Sydney, Portland and Newport before ending in New Yorl on August 27, 2000.
The northbound historian/lecturer will be Bill Ewen, Jr. who will lecture on New England and its maritime history. the southbound historian/lecturer will be author Gordon Turner who will speak about Canadian Pacific's history and the evolution of cruise ships. Noted ocean liner memorabilia collector Richard C. Faber, Jr. will be onboard for the entire 14-days with exhibits for all to enjoy.
Cocktail parties, bridge tours and other special events are planned for members of the group.
The 7-day cruise is priced from $759.00 for a deluxe inside stateroom to $839.00 for a deluxe oceanview stateroom. All prices are plus port tax which is $139.50 for a 7-day cruise. The 14-day cruise can be taken by doubling the 7-day rate and subtracting a $100.00 credit.
Reservations must be made through Pisa Brothers Travel in New York City. They can be reached at 212-265-8420 or 1-800-786-4164.
Reservations are on a first come/ first served basis and must be made by November 15, 1999. Final payment is due by June 9, 2000. Space is expected to sell-out quickly, so interested members are urged to make their reservations as soon as possible.
SSHSA TO VISIT CINCINNATI FOR FALL "TALL STACKS" FESTIVAL
The fall 1999 meeting of SSHSA will be held over the weekend of October 15-17, 1999 in Cincinnati, Ohio. "We will be visiting Cincinnati during the exciting "Tall Stacks Festival' which happens only once every four years" said president Timothy Dacey. "Meeting coordinator Thomas Cassidy really developed an extra special program that our members will remember as a highlight of 1999" he added.
The meeting will begin with a 4 p.m. parade of Tall Stacks on Friday, October 15 followed by a wine and cheese reception at the Covington, KY Hampton Inn, headquarters for the meeting, at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 16 will have members on the Creole Queen of New Orleans for a harbor cruise with tours of the other steamboats scheduled for the afternoon. Evening dinner and a lecture on the Port of Cincinnati and Ohio River shipping will be held onboard the Mike Fink, a 200 foot steam sternwheeler built in 1934 and now a floating restaurant in Covington, KY.
On Sunday, the group has a private charter of the sternwheeler Mark Twain that will take members along the Ohio River. Local SSHSA member David Massie will provide commentary and history while sailing onboard the vessel and a full breakfast will be served to participants.
From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the society will be onboard the Majestic, a riverboat from Pittsburgh, which will race the Creole Queen. This race is a re-match of the North vs. South from the 1995 festival and will be very exciting. Live entertainment, complimentary appetizers and a cash bar will make for a real party atmosphere onboard the boat during the race.
Deadline for reservation for this meeting is October 5, 1999. Questions about the meeting may be directed to Tom Cassidy at 516-261-8995 or to our business office at 401-274-0805.
Plans for the spring 2000 meeting, which will be held in New York City, are being worked on and will be released later this year.
SSHSA TO OFFER BOOK, "RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 OF 1969"
"RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 of 1969", the latest of the Liner Books by authors William H. Miller and Luis Miguel Correia will be offered for sale by SSHSA through our Providence business office. "Our society offered special publishing assistance for this wonderful book as a service to our members and to liner fans worldwide" said president Timothy Dacey. "We are pleased to be able to offer this latest book by Bill Miller and Luis Miguel Correia to our members and friends" he added.
The book, which has ninety-six colorful pages of history and photos of this great liner, is the latest in a series which have also included books on the Rotterdam of 1959 and Canberra of 1961. Bill and Luis have another planned covering the history of France/Norway which will be published in 2000.
The latest book on QE2 has countless exterior and interior photos of the ship, many taken by Luis Miguel Correia, a noted ship photographer and historian who lines in Lisbon, Portugal. It also includes photos of many famous Cunard ships, including Caronia, Maurentania of 1939, Carmania with a green hull, Franconia with her cruising hull,, Cunard Adventurer with her short-lived red and black stack and others.
The book is very nicely done and should be in the collection of all QE2 fans.
It will cost $20.00 ($18.00 for SSHSA Members) including shipping and will be available after October 1, 1999 from :
Steamship Historical Society of America
300 Ray Drive, #4
Providence, RI, 02906
or from The SSHSA's Ship's Store
SSHSA MEETING IN PORTLAND A GREAT SUCCESS
Over one hundred members gathered in Portland, ME this past weekend for the spring 1999 annual meeting. Beautiful weather and interesting speakers and tours made the meeting one of the most memorable in recent years. Thirty-two members stayed on for the three-day trip to Nova Scotia on the M/S Scotia Prince which was offered as an add-on to the meeting.
At the annual meeting, the following members were elected to the board of directors for three-year terms:
Thomas E. Cassidy of Northport, NY
Robert C. Cleasby of Cranston, RI
George H. Foster of Tucson, AZ
John H. Shaum Jr. of Baltimore, MD
Arthur H. Sulzer of Springfield, PA
Additionally, Bruce Vancil of Lake Forest, CA was elected to fill a vacant two-year term on the board.
At the director's meeting on June 13, 1999 the following officers were elected to a one-year term:
Timothy J. Dacey of Perth Amboy, NJ as President
Donald W. Eberle of Voorheesville, NY as Vice President
W. Bradford Hatry of Brooklyn, NY as Treasurer
Barry W. Eager of Berlin, MA as Secretary
It was noted that the Winter issue of Steamboat Bill is in the mail to members and that the Spring and Summer issues are well on their way to completion. The board is looking forward to seeing over 300 members on the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise of July 3, 1999.
PLANNING UNDERWAY FOR FALL 1999 MEETING
The fall 1999 meeting of the Steamship Historical Society of America is scheduled for the weekend of October 15 through 17 in Cincinnati, OH. It will run in conjunction with the "Tall Stacks Festival" which is held every four years in Cincinnati. As the festival draws thousands of steamboat fans to the area, early planning for air travel is recommended. The actual festival begins on October 13, but the SSHSA meeting will not begin until October 15. Hotel space has been secured as have tickets for the major weekend events.
A detailed mailing will be sent to members in July, but our hotel rates are $ 130.00 per night with a three night minimum stay, so if you want less expensive accomodations, now is the to reserve them.
SSHSA has a fun weekend planned starting Friday evening and continuing through Sunday's late afternoon, so plan your arrival/departure accordingly.
The spring 2000 meeting will be held in New York City and will be coordinated by the Long Island Chapter and the fall 2000 meeting is scheduled in Southern California and will be coordinated by the Southern California Chapter of the society.
1998 SSHSA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The Steamship Historical Society of America's Awards Committee has announced
the winners of the 1998 awards.
Many excellent nominees were sent in for consideration, making the
task of the committee that much more difficult.
The winners are as follows:
The C. Bradford Mitchell Award recognizes a single achievement, such
as an important book, that contributes to the society's aims. The winner
of 1998 is Brian J. Cudahy for his book Twilight on the Bay:
The Excursion Boat Empire of B.B.Wills.
This book was published in 1998 by Cornell Maritime Press, Inc.
The Ship of the Year Award honors a vessel that has or is making a major
contribution to the purpose of the society.
The 1998 winner is the Delta Queen, a paddlewheel vessel operated
by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company headquartered in New Orleans. The
Delta Queen is still in active service , now in her 72nd year of
almost continuous service. The vessel is an active, living reminder of
America's great steamboat heritage and is also listed as a National Historic
Landmark. She continues to carry passengers on 3 to 7 day cruises on the
Mississippi River and other inland rivers.
The Samuel Ward Stanton Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to honor an individual for the accumulated value of ongoing work in the society's areas of concern. The 1998 award winner is maritime artist William G. Muller. A master painter of the sea for almost fifty years, William G. Muller has painted wonderful scenes of vessels on the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson River and many of the great ports of America. Mr. Muller has also contributed many paintings that have been used on the covers of Steamboat Bill, the quarterly journal of the society.
Award presentations to the winners will be made at the 1999 spring meeting of the society which is scheduled to be held in Portland, Maine over the weekend of June 11-13, 1999.
The Radisson Eastland Hotel, a restored landmark hotel that opened in 1927, has been selected as the headquarters hotel for the meeting. A special room rate of $99.00 has been negociated for members attending the meeting.
The meeting will include the society's annual meeting, a lecture by Captain William J. Frappier about the steamboats on Casco Bay, a bus tour to a museum and Portland Head Light and a harbor tour of the historic bay. A cocktail reception for the evening of June 10, including a speaker, is also planned.
Members attending the meeting will also be able to extend their trip by taking a overnight cruise to Nova Scotia on the M/S Scotia Prince sailing from Portland the night of June 13. Very special rates have been negociated that include a round-trip on the ship, including a R/T cabin and meals, along with an overnight stay at the Grand Hotel in Yarmouth. The vessel arrives back at Portland on the evening of June 15, 1999.
Details of the meeting and a sign-up sheet will be mailed in the Spring, but members are advised to plan early as the hotel rooms and cabins on the M/S Scotia Prince are expected to sell-out quickly. This meeting will give members a great opportunity to enjoy the restored waterfront area of Portland, and if desired, spend a full day and night in the interesting town of Yarmouth, N.S.
Several days will be devoted to Stockholm, where there are numerous operating steam excursion steamers and, of course, the sights of a great capital city -- this one spread over islands within a magnificent archipelago.
The dates have not been set, but will be mid-summer to take advantage if traditionally lower Swedish summer hotel rates. Every effort will be made to provide reasonably priced hotels and other arrangements in order to offset somewhat the high cost of travel in Sweden.
There may be substantial savings in booking some portions of the trip early, so if interested, please email bworden@worldnet.att.net or write William M. Worden, P.O. Box 43232, Detroit, MI 48243 giving your name and address; you will then receive mailings as the trip takes shape.
Special lectures,events and cocktail parties with these noted personalities will be scheduled for guests who book this special voyage through Pisa Brothers Cruise Service, the official SSHSA agent for this voyage.
This unique one week, special holiday cruise is expected to sell out well in advance. Members are urged to book early to avoid disappointment.
To book, contact Pauline Power or John Ferguson at Pisa Brothers in New York. The phone number is 212-265-8420 or they can be called toll free at 1-800-786-4164. Early booking rates are available if the cruise is deposited by September 1, 1998.
A flyer will go out to the membership in July that will give full details of the meeting. Special rates have been negotiated at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott which will be the headquarters hotel for the meeting. Details will be included in the July mailing. The hotel is located in the heart of downtown, adjoining the Waterside Convention Center. It is within two blocks of Waterside Market, Nauticus and harbor tours.
The meeting will offer members the opportunity to visit many of the maritime related sites in the historic Norfolk/Newport News area.
Planning is already underway for the Spring 1999 meeting which will be held from June 11 to June 13, 1999 in Portland, ME.
The annual meeting will include an update to members on the national organization and an election of directors. Timothy J. Dacey of Perth Amboy, NJ; Barry W. Eager of Berlin, MA; James J. McNamara of Chatham, NJ; Oliver H. Porter of Noank, CT and William duBarry Thomas of Convent Station, NJ have been nominated to three year terms on the Board of Directors.
The evening program includes a dinner and a presentation on the m/v Yankee, ex. Machigonne by Jim Gallagher of New York City who is the owner of the vessel. Jim is currently involved with a restoration project onboard this historic 1907-built vessel.
Information about the meeting can be obtained from the society's business office at 401-274-0805.
This sailing will celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth 2 and will be one of the greatest gatherings of ship and cruise enthusiasts ever.
A full program of films, lectures, exhibits and personalities from the maritime community will enhance the incredible variety of activities aboard QE2. Many special events will be scheduled for the SSHSA group.
This unique week long cruise on this special ship is expected to sell out well in advance, so members are urged to book early.
Special pricing has been negociated with Cunard Line and will be available to members only through Pisa Brothers Cruise Service in New York. Reservation forms are included in the Winter 1997 issue of Steamboat Bill which is being mailed to members at the end of May. Reservations must be made by August 1, 1998. Final payment will be due on March 31, 1999. Reservations can be made by sending in the reservation form or by calling Pauline Power or John Ferguson at Pisa Brothers Cruise Service. The phone number is (212) 265-8420 or 1-800-786-4164. Special rates are available in Queen's Grill, Princess/Britannia Grill, Caronia and Mauretania Restaurant grades.
The meeting begins on Saturday, May 23, when members board the BADGER in Manitowoc for the 2:00 pm. departure to Ludington, Michigan. The vessel arrives in Ludington at 7:00 pm.
BADGER is the last of the Lake Michigan carferries, still powered by her original Uniflow steeple compound reciprocating steam engines and is still coal fired. She offers a full range of amenities, including food and beverage service at very reasonable prices, a museum space operated by the Manitowoc Maritime Museum, a giftshop and video theater.
Meeting rates include overnight in cabins onboard BADGER which are double staterooms with sink and toilet. The package includes round-trip on the ship, use of the stateroom for the entire trip, buffet breakfast, pilot house and engine room tours.
On Sunday, May 24, the BADGER sails at 8:30 am and arrives at Manitowoc at 11:30 am. Lunch and a visit to the maritime museum will be on your own. That evening, the group will hold the meeting dinner at the Harbor Shores Resort on Lake Geneva, WI, which is a two hour drive from the BADGER. The evening speaker is Thomas A. Hawley, Director of Public Relations for the Lake Michigan Carferry.
Special rates have been negociated for members at the Harbor Shores Resort.
On Monday, May 25, the group will take a two hour tour of Lake Geneva aboard the turn-of-the-century passenger launch LOUISE, built as a steamer and converted to a motor vessel early in her life. She was returned to steam some years ago by owner and SSHSA member Bill Gage and has a British Admiralty engine and new boiler. The fare includes coffee, tea and rolls, but space is limited to the first fifty people who sign-up.
Members will recieve notice of this meeting in early April. The deadline for reservations is May 4, 1998. Non-members who are interested in joining the society and attending this meeting may call our business office at 401-274-0805.
This book recounts the exciting story of Eastern Steamship, one of the most successful shipping lines operating along the Atlantic Coast before the war. Eastern Steamship was founded at the beginning of the century by Charles Wyman Morse, a man from Maine who, starting with a few wooden-hulled sidewheelers along the coast of Maine, made and lost a fortune creating Eastern Steamship, at one time a vast shipping empire operating small ocean liners all along the Atlantic coast.
Morse's elaborate financial manipulations in creating his shipping empire were to eventually land him in a federal penitentiary. But Eastern Steamship carried on under the leadership of the more sober New England businessmen who succeeded him. The company operated through the depression years, surviving by running short cruises to Bermuda, Nassau and even the coast of Maine in addition to it's regular routes.
During the Second World War, the U.S. government requistioned all of the company's vessels for military duty. Although some of the vessels operated in the sub-infested Atlantic during the war, most saw service in the Pacific. When the war ended, only two ships were in a condition to be restored to peacetime service. Given the rapidly rising maintenance costs in the post-war world and the preference of travelers for using their ouw automobiles for short trips, Eastern could not revive the services that it offered before the war. With only one aging vessel remaining, the company went out of business in 1955.
This book contains many rare photos of the vessels, deck plans of the major vessels and a fleet list of vessels operated from 1901 to 1955.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
David Crockett was born in Bath, Maine in 1927. He loved ships from an early age and became the leading authority on Maine coast steamers. He graduated from the University of Maine and had a sucessful career as an engineer. An active member of the Steamship Historical Society of America, he was serving as president at the time of his death in 1989.
Edwin L. Dunbaugh, a Professor of History at Hofstra University, developed his love of coastal steamboats also at an early age. Spending many happy childhood at the pier where his father worked, Ed became an expert on the steamers that he so loves. His other books include Era of the Joy Line and Night Boat to New England, both which chronical the histories of the night boats that sailed along the coast and in Long Island Sound. Ed seemed the logical person to complete the extensive study started by David Crockett.
This book will be available in bookstores or from the publisher, The Steamship Historical Society of America, P.O. Box 2394, Providence, RI, 02906.
The film will detail the history of this historical steamship company along with additional information about other eastern steamboat lines.
SSHSA member Edwin Dunbaugh is the historical consultant on this important project. He is working to ensure the historical accuracy of the film.
As part of the agreement, SSHSA members will be able to purchase a copy of the film, on video, in an offer that will be included in a future copy of Steamboat Bill. All members are urged to check their local PBS station schedule for a showing of The Fall River Line.
Tom Cassidy, chapter president, said that the demand for this sailing was much greater than planned and that he expects the trip to be very memorable due to the lectures and tours planned." It is always a pleasure to spend a few days at sea on a wonderful ship with the members and friends of the Steamship Historical Society " said Cassidy. Plans are underway for another chapter cruise in the future.
Dunbaugh, who is also the author of The Era of the Joy Line and other books, was the co-editor of Night Boat on the Potomac, which detailed the history of the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Line. This book was published by the society in 1996.
The Eastern Steamship Line was a company that operated along the east coast in the early to mid twentith century. It's ships operated from Maine to Florida and carried both passengers and cargo.
A special pre-publication price for this book, which will include many rare photos, will be offered to members in an issue of Steamboat Bill, the official quarterly publication of the society.
The fall meeting is scheduled to be held in the Norfolk/Newport News,VA area from September 25-27. The meeting is being planned around the S.S. United States and will include speakers and tours related to this wonderful ship.
The spring 1999 meeting is also in the planning stages. It will be held in Portland, ME and will have an optional trip to Nova Scotia on the ferry M.S.Scotia Prince which sails from that port city to Yarmouth, N.S.
Other highlights include group discounts, a special cocktail party, New England fall foliage, special souvenirs and maritime lectures by noted historians.
The Veendam is one of the newest ships of Holland America Line. She entered service 1996 and is 55,451 tons. Classical in decor and furnished with every modern amenity, she is considered to be one of the finast contemporary cruise ships. Holland America's reputation for cuisine, service, refinement and overall value is celebrated.
This cruise celebrates the 125TH. anniversary of Holland America as well as the 60TH. anniversary of the introduction of the beloved S/S Nieuw Amsterdam, "the darling of the Dutch".
Information is available from Pauline Power or John Ferguson at Pisa Brothers Travel in New York. They can be reached at (212)265-8420 or 1-800-786-4164. Only members of SSHSA are qualified for the special rates that are being offered. All reservations must be made by April 30,1998 and final payment is due July 15, 1998.