The Ark of Hungerford Creek

The Ark of Hungerford Creek has its origin thousands of miles away in Stettin, Germany, with the construction in 1906 of passenger liner Kronprinzessin Cecilie for the North German Lloyd company. After a number of transatlantic voyages the ship was interned in the United States after the outbreak of World War I in 1914, eventually becoming the troop transport USS Mount Vernon. In 1927, the Mount Vernon was laid-up in the Patuxent River and, together with other ex-German passenger liners, formed the so-called "Ghost Fleet.", Around 1935, Episcopal minister Rev. Benjamin B. Lovett acquired this lifeboat from the Mount Vernon and had it hauled ashore at his weekend retreat on nearby Hungerford Creek. It was his idea to create a miniature biblical ark by building a house on the lifeboat with a chapel in the bow section. A guest room occupied the rest of the boat. It was known as "Faith Chapel–The Ark," and a number of baptisms and a wedding were performed onboard., Shortly before Rev. Lovett's death in 1943, the property was sold. Successive owners maintained the Ark for storage and as an office. It remained a feature and curiosity on the shores of Hungerford Creek until 2016, when it was moved to the museum. A more complete history can be found on the museum's website. Funding for this project was provided in part by Preservation Maryland and the Maryland Historical Trust.