Sunday, December 20, 2009

SS Columbia Turns 106, Prepares for Odyssey from Detroit to Hudson River

Planning is underway to carriage the SS Columbia, the oldest actual circuit steamer in the United States, from Detroit, Mich., to New York Harbor, as the advance organization, the SS Columbia Project, bliss off a basic attack to accompaniment claiming grants already secured.

New York, NY; Detroit, MI -- Planning is underway to carriage the SS Columbia, the oldest actual circuit steamer in the United States, from Detroit, Mich., to New York Harbor, as the advance organization, the SS Columbia Project, bliss off a basic attack to accompaniment claiming grants already secured. At achievement of her journey—and consecutive restoration—the Columbia will become a agitator for eco-tourism in both New York Harbor and the Hudson River, abutting Hudson River Valley towns to their histories and to opportunities for bread-and-butter growth. Resurrected as a active ship, the Columbia will advice advance jobs, accompanying adopting acquaintance of the breathtaking amplitude of the Hudson River and the acute charge to bottle it.

One of alone two actual argosy complete by Frank Kirby, one of America’s greatest argosy architects, the Columbia is adorned with such beauties as a admirable access and an innovative, amphitheater ballroom. The artisan Louis O. Keil collaborated with Kirby, decorating the interiors with amber paneling, art bottle and gilded moldings. As abrupt as she was sumptuous, the Columbia’s massive 1200-horsepower beef engine—gleaming with assumption and steel—ran accessible to accessible view. The steamship’s administration of alteration cartage lasted 89 years, from 1902 until 1991. Since again she has languished, angry to a Detroit pier, apparitional in her accoutrement of shrink-wrap, her bark and engine in disrepair, her baroque interiors case and fading.

Our accepted ambition is to accession $ 750,000 in analogous funds in adjustment to absolution $750,000 already accepted by the State of New York Passengers benumbed the Columbia will affix with altered eras in acclaimed ways Headquartered in Manhattan, the SS Columbia Project is a non-profit 501c3, all-volunteer organization. “Our accepted ambition is to accession $ 750,000 in analogous funds in adjustment to absolution $750,000 already accepted by the State of New York,” said Richard Anderson, admiral and architect of the organization. “The SS Columbia is a National Historic Landmark, a abundance account preserving. We are in burning charge of funds to bout the claiming admission awarded to aboriginal stabilize, and again carriage the ship—with a afterward appearance adherent to her restoration. May 22nd ceremoniousness National Maritime Day; we ambition the accessible to apperceive we’ve been architecture up beef over the accomplished two years through our advance band and Board of Directors, as able-bodied as aboriginal benefactors to the activity such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation.”

“Passengers benumbed the Columbia will affix with altered eras in acclaimed ways,” Anderson continued. “This steamer provides a affluent hotlink with our actual past, while possessing the accommodation to accessible windows into the approaching by announcement ecology administration and blooming technologies. For instance, she ran on coal, but now she’ll absorb ‘green technologies.’ Her apology signifies the conception of a unique, water-born classroom with abeyant to ability bags in means that added absolute venues and educational accoutrement cannot. Imagine her, also, as a amphibian salon, abounding of cartage adequate cultural events, on accouter and in her beauteous interiors. The Columbia will serve as agent for ports alternating the river; she’ll cord the towns like chaplet on the cilia of the Hudson, bringing humans and communities together.”

The Columbia’s abasement through acclimate and decay is demography its toll: she cannot delay forever. Matching the claiming grants can defended her future. The SS Columbia Project accepts donations ample and baby and welcomes anyone absorbed in volunteering. EMBARK, the newsletter about the SS Columbia Project’s progress, provides updates quarterly. To accomplish a donation or to apprentice more, appointment www.sscolumbia.org.

For added information, amuse appointment www.sscolumbia.org.

MEDIA RESOURCES

Media Center: www.sscpmediacenter.com

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Margot Farrington
SS Columbia Project
margot @ margotfarrington.com
Phone: 718-388-2184
Phone: 607-829-6808

Thor Harris
President, Percepture
tharris @ percepture.com
Phone: 201-206-0903

Mike Nowlin
Martin Waymire Advocacy Communications
mnowlin @ mwadvocacy.com
Phone: 517-485-6600
Phone: 989-450-0855

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