Hudson Yards in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Speed, Splendor, and Safety: the S.S. United States

Hudson River Park

S.S. United States Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 29, 2022

1. S.S. United States Marker

Inscription.

Speed, Splendor, and Safety: the S.S. United States. Hudson River Park. , While United States Lines focused their freight business at Pier 76, the company's transatlantic passenger service was based at Pier 86. Designed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs of Gibbs and Cox and completed in 1952, the S.S. United States became the most famous of the company's primary passenger vessels. Rated at 241,785 horsepower, the United States could achieve a top speed of 38.32 knots and remains the record holder for fastest passenger ship to cross the Atlantic. , The S.S. United States is the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States. Its welded steel hull supports an aluminum superstructure, greatly reducing weight and allowing for record-setting speeds. , Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart worked for three years with a dozen assistants to design the interior decoration of the ship's public spaces and hundreds of passenger staterooms. With experience on maritime projects beginning in 1930, the pair also designed the interiors of the ship's older running mate, S.S. America. , The propeller before you is one of four that propelled the S.S. United States at record-setting speeds. Pioneering female engineer Elain Kaplan was responsible for designing the ship's unique propeller configurations. This propeller weighs 30 tons, or 60,000 pounds. ,

"You can't set her on fire, you can't sink her, and you can't catch her…the S.S. United States is the one great ship that didn't sink. In all of her years of service, she never had a mishap, almost never arrived late to port. Not even when she had to plow through 90-foot waves on one stormy crossing. She kept moving - fast enough to blast the paint right off her sides…the S.S. United States made it right on time." , - William Francis Gibbs, designer of the S.S. United States.

, At 990 feet long and weighing 53,300 tons, the United States accommodated a crew of 1,044 and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,972. After completing 400 transatlantic voyages, the United States was retired from active service in 1969 due to the advent of affordable jet passenger service to cities across Europe. , photo caption: , 1950s Passenger Liner the SS United States heads out to sea from New York Harbor NYC USA, 1958

While United States Lines focused their freight business at Pier 76, the company's transatlantic passenger service was based at Pier 86. Designed by naval architect William Francis Gibbs of Gibbs & Cox and completed in 1952, the S.S. United States became the most famous of the company's primary passenger vessels. Rated at 241,785 horsepower, the United States could achieve a top speed of 38.32 knots and remains the record holder for fastest passenger ship to cross the Atlantic.

The S.S. United States is the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States. Its welded steel hull supports an aluminum superstructure, greatly reducing weight and allowing for record-setting speeds.

Dorothy Marckwald and Anne Urquhart worked for three years with a dozen assistants to design the interior decoration of the ship's public spaces and hundreds of passenger staterooms. With experience on maritime projects beginning in 1930, the pair also designed the interiors of the ship's older running mate, S.S. America.

The propeller before you is one of four that propelled the S.S. United States at record-setting speeds.

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Pioneering female engineer Elain Kaplan was responsible for designing the ship's unique propeller configurations. This propeller weighs 30 tons, or 60,000 pounds.

"You can't set her on fire, you can't sink her, and you can't catch her…the S.S. United States is the one great ship that didn't sink. In all of her years of service, she never had a mishap, almost never arrived late to port. Not even when she had to plow through 90-foot waves on one stormy crossing. She kept moving - fast enough to blast the paint right off her sides…the S.S. United States made it right on time."
- William Francis Gibbs, designer of the S.S. United States.

At 990 feet long and weighing 53,300 tons, the United States accommodated a crew of 1,044 and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,972. After completing 400 transatlantic voyages, the United States was retired from active service in 1969 due to the advent of affordable jet passenger service to cities across Europe.

photo caption:
1950s Passenger Liner the SS United States heads out to sea from New York Harbor NYC USA, 1958

Erected 2021 by New York State Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation.

S.S. United States marker and propeller image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 29, 2022

2. S.S. United States marker and propeller

Pier 76 Hudson River Park in background.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1952.

Location. 40° 45.521′ N, 74° 0.269′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Hudson Yards. It is on 12th Avenue 0.2 miles south of 40th Street, on the right when traveling south. Located at the new Pier 76 Hudson River Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 408 12th Ave West, New York NY 10018, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New York City.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Becoming A Park (within shouting distance of this marker); NYPD Tow Pound (within shouting distance of this marker); Pier 76 Construction

S.S. United States propeller image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 29, 2022

3. S.S. United States propeller

Skyline of Midtown Manhattan in background.

(within shouting distance of this marker); Container Shipping Connecting the World (within shouting distance of this marker); Once Water, Now Land (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); History of the United States Lines (about 400 feet away); Hell's Kitchen (about 400 feet away); Canals and Railroads (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.

Regarding Speed, Splendor, and Safety: the S.S. United States. The ship used four manganese bronze propellers, two four-bladed screws outboard, and two five-bladed screws inboard.

Okaloosa County, Florida, bought her and plans to sink her by 2026 near Destin to become the world's largest artificial reef.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. — A five-blade propeller from SS United States on display in Bronx NY.

View from the Pier image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 29, 2022

4. View from the Pier

S.S. United States in New York Harbor, 1954. image. Click for full size.

via Irish Times, 1954

5. S.S. United States in New York Harbor, 1954.

Photograph: Robert F Sisson/National Geographic/Getty

S.S. United States image. Click for full size.

courtesy Military Museum TV

6. S.S. United States

It was docked on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Preservation efforts failed. It has been scrapped.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 30, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 811 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 30, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 6. submitted on August 9, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.