New York Remembers

New York City: RMS Titanic’s destination for her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. New York was home to many first and second class passengers, including the most wealthy and famous. To others, New York would be the place to board a train for another part of the country. And to over 1000 immigrants on board the ship, New York symbolized freedom and a new start in the land of opportunity. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit New York City. Along with seeing a Broadway play, riding to the top of the Empire State Building, and taking in many famous sites, I was able to locate two places in the city where Titanic is still remembered.

After the Carpathia rescued the Titanic survivors, she sailed to New York, passed the Statue of Liberty, and docked here, at the former Cunard Dock, Pier 55. Thousands waited for hours in the cold April rain to meet the ship, including the press. Today, just to the left of the center of the photo, is a building with four light blue sections, representing Titanic's four funnels.

Margaret Brown (Unsinkable Molly Brown) was instrumental in erecting a memorial lighthouse to Titanic victims in 1913. Today, it stands at the entrance to the South Street Seaport Museum, not far from the September 11 Memorial. The photo of the plaque below gives its original location and how it was used until 1967.

I also found it interesting that the Titanic was mentioned during our bus tour, as we passed the home of Isidor and Ida Strauss, the elderly couple who chose to stay on board the ship as it was sinking. In addition, the guide on our tour of the harbor noted that many survivors of the World Trade Center disaster on September 11th were taken to St. Vincent Hospital, the same hospital where Titanic survivors were treated.