March 30, 2019
Carl Weber on board the Big U during one of several Preservation Inventory sessions.
Photograph courtesy of Allee Davis.
The Conservancy is deeply saddened to report the passing of our friend and colleague, Carl Weber—a longtime champion of the SS United States.

Carl proudly served as a member of the Conservancy's Advisory Council and, earlier in our organization's history, on our Board of Directors. No matter what formal role he held, he was always a tireless advocate for America's Flagship. In recent years, he played an invaluable role in the Conservancy’s efforts to methodically identify and catalogue extant artifacts aboard the ship.
Along with Carl's various leadership roles in the Conservancy, he also moderated the "SS United States Yahoo Group" — which required diplomacy, grace, and encyclopedic knowledge of the Big U's fascinating history. 

Carl recently generously donated a set of fabulous harlequin pattern curtains from the ship's Cabin Class Smoking Lounge to the Conservancy's permanent curatorial collection. We look forward to hanging them in their full glory aboard the restored SS United States , where he will be honored in a special memorial.
On either side of the bar: the harlequin curtain panels, as they appeared on the ship.
Upon learning of Carl's passing, the Conservancy's Executive Director Susan Gibbs said,

"I'm profoundly saddened that Carl has crossed the bar. His enduring commitment to the SS United States is a key reason the ship remains afloat. We were incredibly fortunate to know and work with Carl. He has, for many years, been vital to the SS United States ' preservation effort. He found every facet of the ship fascinating, from her aluminum rivets to the memoranda prepared by United States Lines officials about fireproofing to the ship's remarkable propulsion system. He never lost faith that we could — and would — save her. We will continue to draw strength from Carl's memory as we continue our work to bring his beloved ship safely home."
Do you have memories of Carl Weber that you'd like to share with the Conservancy? If so, please let us know .
Save the Date: Hampton Roads Happening
The SS United States in Newport News, VA, in 1992.
Photo courtesy of Stanton Daywalt.
If you're in the Newport News area, mark off the evening of April 12, 2019 on your calendar.

On that date, there will be a happy hour for the Conservancy Hampton Roads Chapter, as well as an SS United States update provided by Conservancy leaders. To top it off, a special viewing of items from the Conservancy's curatorial collection will also be on temporary display.

Further information will be provided on the Conservancy's Twitter and Facebook accounts, or email us at  [email protected]  for more details.
" You can’t set her on fire, you can’t sink her, and you can’t catch her ." — William Francis Gibbs, designer of the SS United States
Painting by renowned maritime artist Eugenio Errea.
Over the last few months, we've shared stories of creative people of all stripes who have been inspired by the SS United States — from authors and composers to model makers . Though their medium of choice may have been different, all of them were absolutely taken with this soaring symbol of American imagination, dedication, and perseverance.

Eugenio Errea, an Argentinian maritime artist, was especially moved by the SS United States, as well as the Conservancy's continuing effort to save her for future generations.

Errea offered his "humble work" (his words) to the Conservancy, with the "hopes that it serves, even minimally, to recover our beloved ship and give her back her splendor."

We are profoundly grateful to Eugenio for sharing his talents with all of us!
Eugenio Errea works his magic, inspired by a 1964 photograph of the Big U.
CLICK HERE to see more stunning portraits of America's Flagship, created by artists from around the globe.
Help Us Save America's Flagship!
A demonstration of Greg Shutters' "Gibbs" typeface
Courtesy of Greg Shutters/ Typetanicfonts.com
You might recognize the above typeface, known as "Gibbs," from the Conservancy's various logos, graphics, and publicity materials — and it probably looks familiar for other reasons, as well!

The typeface was created by Greg Shutters, who has, for many years, helped the Conservancy put our best foot forward with his graphic design talents.

Recently, Gibbs was added — along with other typefaces from Greg's foundry, Typetanic — to the Adobe Fonts service. This means anyone with a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud can now use Gibbs in their designs at no additional cost.

On its blog , Adobe has published an article about recent additions to Adobe Fonts, including Greg Shutters' Typetanic creations. The blog delves into Gibbs' origins:

"Typetanic fonts seem to take a lot of inspiration from nautical transit and shipping, and Gibbs is perhaps the best example of just how far Greg takes this theme. Named for shipbuilder William Francis Gibbs, this sans serif is inspired by the lettering on the ship that was perhaps the pinnacle of Gibbs’s career, the SS United States . For a fascinating history lesson (and deep dive into how type designers work with historical specimens), look no further than Greg’s specimen book for the typeface."

CLICK HERE to visit Greg Shutters' website, which also contains some stunning photos of America's Flagship.
For those who have been asking about the 2008 documentary, SS United States : Lady in Waiting , we have some great news! The film is currently available to stream for free, for all Amazon Prime members.

You can watch the documentary at any time by logging in to your Amazon account and CLICKING HERE ; or, you can search for the film from the Prime Video app on your favorite smart device.

Of course, much has transpired since the film's initial release. For one, the Conservancy purchased the Big U three years later — saving her from the scrap heap, thanks to the help of Gerry Lenfest . However, 11 years later, Lady in Waiting remains an inspiring celebration of our nation's flagship.
The film features appearances from a number of familiar faces, including the Conservancy's Executive Director Susan Gibbs, legendary journalist (and honorary chair of our Advisory Council) Walter Cronkite, and several founding members of our Board of Directors — Charles Anderson, Joe Rota, Dan McSweeney, and Mark B. Perry (who also served as the film's Executive Producer).

Help us ensure an inspiring second act for this national treasure.
CLICK HERE to make a donation today.
"[The SS United States ] was built at a time when 'made in America’ really meant something, and that is a legacy that cannot be lost.  — H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest (1930-2018)