SS Stevens
Encyclopedia
SS Stevens, a 473 feet (144.2 m), 14,893-ton ship, served as a floating dormitory from 1968 to 1975 for about 150 students of Stevens Institute of Technology
, a technological university, in Hoboken
, NJ
. Permanently moored on the scenic Hudson River
at the foot of the campus across from New York City
, this first collegiate floating dormitory became one of the best known college landmarks in the country.
Twenty-four years prior to her duty as a floating dormitory, the ship served with distinction in World War II as , a Windsor-class attack transport
vessel. Originally launched in 1944, Dauphin was awarded one battle star and was present in Tokyo Bay
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945.
Following the war, the vessel underwent significant modifications, and emerged as cruise liner — a member of the post-war quartet of ships named "4 Aces", operated by American Export Lines. During her eleven years of cruise liner service, from 1948 to 1959, Exochorda — along with her nearly identical sister ships in the "4 Aces" — regularly sailed with passengers and cargo on a 12000 miles (19,312.1 km) route from New York Harbor
to various Mediterranean ports. Exochorda was retired to the Reserve ("mothball") Fleet in 1959 where she remained for eight years.
Exochorda' s conversion to a dormitory ship, following her purchase by Stevens Institute of Technology in 1967, required only minor modifications such as the connection of land-based water, sewer and electric utilities. Accommodations enjoyed by many student residents aboard Stevens included private baths and in-room control of heating and air-conditioning. Featuring portholes, roll-up berths and nautically-themed artwork, Stevens became quite popular among her residents.
Purchased by the institute to fill a shortfall in student housing, the ship's operating costs during the initial years of service were comparable to conventional land-based dormitory housing. In later years, however, the ship's burgeoning operating and repair costs, combined with a more favorable housing outlook, forced the institute to sell Stevens in 1975. In tribute, one of her 6-ton anchors was prominently placed on the campus grounds by the graduating Class of 1975. In August 1975, the ship was towed to a shipyard in Chester, PA, and she was later scrapped in 1979.
From the west bank of the Hudson River
, opposite mid-town Manhattan
, Stevens offered her residents a panoramic view of the New York
skyline extending from the George Washington Bridge
in the north, to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
in the south. Located at the foot of the Stevens Institute of Technology
campus in Hoboken
, her venue afforded viewing of the large variety of watercraft
that frequented the river. Silently gliding past portholes, river vessels imparted the sensation of motion to residents aboard their stationary home.
Notable among the ships witnessed by Stevens residents was the great transatlantic ocean liner
, , sailing from New York on her final voyage, October 30, 1968. For Stevens' residents, all vessels traveling the river were bestowed New York City
's picturesque backdrop.
side adjacent to the Eighth Street pier at River Road, she was secured at her bow and stern by a total of seven mooring lines. With concurrence by the Coast Guard
, four sets of pilings were driven into the river bed, wedging the ship in place and preventing her from drifting downriver in the event the lines were cut. Although she carried four anchors, two on chains at her bow, and two more fastened in place on deck, none were used to anchor the ship.
The robustness of her mooring system was often demonstrated during major storms that swept through the New York area. Despite high winds and accompanying storm surge
, the pilings and mooring lines held the ship in place, usually without incident, except for minor damage in some rooms caused by toppling of unsecured personal items.
In a separate incident unrelated to storm activity, a departing cruise ship — while maneuvering to avoid a collision with two other departing cruise ships — passed unusually close to Stevens. The resulting wake from the passing ship tossed Stevens and caused the mooring bollard
securing the bow lines to break away from its footing on the pier. The pilings and remaining lines held the ship in place without further incident.
Access to Stevens from the campus-owned Eighth Street Pier was facilitated by two gangplanks. A double-ramped covered gangplank provided access from the main "A" deck foyer to a fixed, elevated platform on the pier. Two stairways connected the elevated platform to the pier surface. A second gangplank, an uncovered single ramp, provided access to the lower "B" deck directly from the pier surface. Rollers attached to the end of each gangplank accommodated the ship's motion on the water.
Normal walking distance between "the Ship", as she was known by students, and upper campus facilities such as the Student Center was approximately 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) and included a lengthy flight of stairs south of the Gatehouse. An alternative route was improvised by students seeking to substantially reduce walking time and distance. This route, dubbed "Ho Chi Minh trail
", or simply, "the trail", required scaling the treacherous 105 feet (32 m) bluff directly below the Student Center building on the upper campus and was frequented by the ship's more intrepid residents.
Stevens comprised a lower "B" deck, main "A" deck, Promenade, Boat and Sun decks. Students' quarters and public spaces were distributed throughout all decks except for Sun deck which was closed.
The main "A" deck, the highest deck to extend the entire length of the ship, included a center section with students' rooms and the ship's main foyer with gangway.
The lower "B" deck contained the largest number of students' rooms, recreational areas and the ship's laundry room, equipped with automatic washers and dryers.
Promenade deck, immediately above the main deck, contained students' rooms and the ship's more frequently used lounges. The aft lounge, the largest on the ship featured expansive casement windows, oak furniture and rift-cut American oak paneling. French doors provided access to the promenade for open-air strolling and sightseeing. Promenade's forward lounge, paneled in Kelobra wood, was often used for smaller social gatherings.
Boat deck carried the ship's six lifeboats, three on each side, including one motorized boat, the center boat on the port side. The ship was fitted with gravity roller track davits for the larger aft and center boats. The curved davit arms extended over the open portion of Promenade deck. Radial single pivot davits were implemented for the smaller forward boats.
Sun deck contained the ship's wheelhouse flanked by docking bridges. Outside viewing by wheel house personnel was facilitated by three large forward-looking portholes, flanked by smaller portholes.
Areas below "B" deck, not authorized for passenger access and closed for students, comprised "C" deck, engine room, shaft alley, fuel tanks and water ballast areas.
The cabin plan shows the following number of students' rooms on the ship:
The ship contained six cargo holds numbered 1 through 6, starting at the bow. Hatch location for cargo holds are:
Contrary to her sedentary life as a floating dormitory, the ship's past was filled with travels to numerous ports in Europe
and the Far East
including Okinawa, Tokyo
and Pearl Harbor
in the Pacific. As Windsor-class attack transport
Dauphin
for the US Navy, from 1944 to 1948, she was awarded one battle star in the assault on and occupation of Okinawa and earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal for landing cargo and troops in Japan. She was present in Tokyo Bay
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945.
Following the war, and after significant refurbishment, the vessel became cruise liner Exochorda, a member of the quartet of ships known collectively as "4 Aces" — the replacement for the pre-war quartet of ships with the same names — operated by American Export Lines. From 1948 to 1959, Exochorda regularly sailed a 12000 miles (19,312.1 km), 45-day circuit from New York to Mediterranean ports such as Casablanca
, Marseille
, Beirut
, Alexandria
, Barcelona
and Livorno
. Among her passengers were potentates of the East, routinely accompanied by cooks and bodyguards. An Arab
ruler once brought his entire entourage on board, complete with swords and machine guns. Notable among her passengers was actress Rita Hayworth
, a popular film star and dancer. In 1956, Exochorda was called upon to assist in the rapid evacuation of 350 Americans from Alexandria, Egypt during a military conflict that became known as the Suez Crisis
.
At the end of her active service in 1959, Exochorda was placed in reserve until plans to sell her were announced in June 1967.
announced plans to sell the former cruise liner, Exochorda, for either non-transportation use or scrap. Assisted by shipbuilding experts, the institute prepared and submitted a bid for the ship. The bid was announced September 28, 1967. Within one week of the institute's bid, the U.S. Maritime Administration awarded Exochorda to Stevens Institute of Technology for $130,301 — the highest bid and $6,700 more than offered by a scrap metal dealer. The cost of purchasing and refurbishing the ship brought its total cost to approximately $500,000. The total expenditure was not considered excessive when compared to an estimated several million dollars the institute would have had to spend on conventional dormitory housing. "We didn't think a permanent building was a wise investment", said Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations. The institute planned to continue the vessel's operation as a dormitory for several years but intended taking her offline if the student population were to decrease.
On October 4, 1967, within a week of being purchased by the institute, Exochorda was towed by tugboats from the Hudson River Reserve Fleet in Jones Point, NY to the Hoboken Yard of Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Hoboken, New Jersey, where refurbishing work prepared the ship to become a floating dormitory. The ship's engines were deactivated and the engine room and cargo hatches were sealed. External utility service ports were installed to permit connecting the ship's electrical, heating, water and sewage systems to land-based utility services. Deck equipment, including the many kingposts and booms used to load and unload the cargo holds, were removed, except for two masts. The hull was painted pristine white. Final preparation for students included adding rugs, mattresses and draperies. Additionally, the air-conditioning system was overhauled.
Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations and boating enthusiast long before the school acquired the vessel, oversaw the ship's purchase and conversion. According to Crisman, the ship was 99 percent in condition for use by the institute, which kept refurbishment costs down.
Comparison with Exochorda
Formerly occupied by passengers aboard Exochorda, the staterooms located on Promenade deck, "A" deck, and the section of "B" deck forward of the lounge, remained unchanged except for the limited removal of furniture as required to accommodate desks for students. Most staterooms had been designed for three passengers and included upper and lower berths plus a convertible sofa berth. For these rooms, the sofa berth was removed to accommodate a desk. Other changes included replacement of carpeting, draperies and mattresses. Where possible, rooms not occupied by the traveling public, such as the crew and officers' quarters, were made available as rooms for students. Other rooms on Exochorda not suitable for use as either living quarters or public spaces were permanently closed.
Exochorda' s dining hall — on "B" deck, paneled with light, figured walnut and displaying artwork by artist Loren MacIver — became the main lounge on Stevens. The room remained unchanged except for the removal of the artwork and free-standing tables and chairs. Once the location of a table-for-eight on the port side became the site for Stevens' ping-pong table . Despite sloping floors, at times accentuated by weather-induced listing of the ship, the ping-pong table was usually active.
Exochorda contained two suites, both on Promenade deck, that became room numbers 301 and 307 on Stevens.
A popular group of rooms, prominently featured in print ads for Exochorda and known as the Veranda rooms, were groups of four rooms adjoining a common public area that contained four large exterior windows. Two groups of Veranda rooms were on the ship, one on each side of "A" deck. Veranda rooms, unchanged for Stevens, became room numbers: 214, 216, 218 and 220 on the port side, and 217, 219, 221 and 223 on the starboard.
Promenade's forward lounge, the former setting for captain's cocktail parties, and the aft lounge, known on Exochorda as the "bar and smoking lounge" which included Saul Steinberg
's Life at Sea murals, remained unchanged except for the removal of free-standing tables and chairs. The center section of carpeting in the forward lounge was also removed, exposing a dance floor.
Exochorda' s outdoor swimming pool was located on a small open area of Promenade deck immediately aft of Promenade's smoking bar and lounge. The tiled pool, which measured approximately 12 ft (3.7 m) by 6 ft (1.8 m), was illuminated from above as well as underwater. For Stevens, the pool was deemed too small to be of practical use and was sealed.
Not occupied by passengers on Exochorda, crew quarters were used by students on Stevens. Located aft of the main dining lounge on "B" deck, these rooms were smaller and some lacked amenities such as portholes which were included in the passenger staterooms. The crew cabins, originally designed to sleep six crewmen, were converted into dormitory rooms for two students. Former crew's quarters, also on the aft portion of "B" deck, were used to create recreational rooms.
Sun deck which included the wheelhouse, chart room (immediately behind wheelhouse), tiled kennel and dog run (port side) were all closed on Stevens.
Passenger cabin numbers on Exochorda used a letter prefix to signify the deck location. Cabin number sequencing began on Promenade deck and increased to the next 100's block for each succeeding lower deck, such as, "P1", "A122" and "B201" for cabins on Promenade, "A" and "B" decks, respectively. Room numbers on Stevens omitted the letter prefix and were re-designated to begin in the 100's on the lowest ("B") deck and increased to the next 100's block for each succeeding higher deck, such as "112", "201" and "314" for rooms on "B", "A" and Promenade decks, respectively. Aside from the difference in level designator, plus a few exceptions for new rooms, correlation of room numbers on Stevens and Exochorda was maintained. For example, Exochorda' s room "A122" became "222" on Stevens.
Captain's and officers' quarters (Boat deck)
"A" deck
"B" deck
On November 10, 1967, with ceremonies similar to those afforded ships on their maiden voyage, the former Exochorda and newly refurbished floating dormitory was moved by McAllister Brothers' tugboats from the shipyard to her new berth at the college-owned 8th Street Pier. Two of the shipyard's workmen suffered a minor mishap when the gangplank slipped a few feet while being positioned on the pier.
The ship was rechristened Stevens by Mrs. Jess H. Davis, wife of the institute's president, Dr. Jess H. Davis. The ship was originally named Castle Queen via a contest run by the student body in 1967. The name submitted by Joe Giacone, class of '69, was changed to SS Stevens, which was preferred by Mrs. Davis The Stute, Fall 1967. Dr. Davis and William L. Bingham, dean of student affairs, formally took possession of the ship as the institute's flag was hoisted from the bridge.
Reflecting the technological nature of her namesake, Stevens Institute of Technology
, the ship's single cigar-shaped funnel had been painted with an elongated red letter "S", the integral
symbol — well known by her student residents through their study and application of the calculus. The ship's name, "Stevens", had also been painted in black letters on her bow.
Connection of water, sewer and electric services with the Hoboken land utilities was facilitated by flexible piping (hoses) and cabling of sufficient length to accommodate the motion of the ship resulting from changing tides or severe weather.
Although she was a complete ship, containing an engine room, wheelhouse, bridge and decks, she was licensed by the State of New Jersey as a residence hall. Designed to the highest Coast Guard standards (1948), fire safety doors and smoke ventilation systems were functional and met local regulations.
The first student residents of Stevens, a total of 150, moved aboard her in January 1968.
On Wednesday, May 22, 1968, an open house was held aboard Stevens in honor of National Maritime Day
, commemorating the beginning of trans-Atlantic steam navigation.
When the first ocean-going training vessel for the Texas State Maritime Program, USTS Texas Clipper
was in need of spare parts, Stevens, with the blessing of the U.S. Maritime Administration, answered her call. As a benefit of their common heritage — Stevens, the former Exochorda, and Texas Clipper, the former Excambion, sisters ships in the post-war "4 Aces" — many parts were interchangeable between the two vessels. The parts were made available to Texas Clipper during her visit to New York in June, 1968, the first such visit since her conversion from Excambion.
Rooms were equipped with desks and lamps, many of which were fixed in place, a common feature among seafaring vessels. Heating and air-conditioning were controlled by a thermostat in each room, a significant feature also enjoyed by ocean-going passengers aboard Exochorda, one of the first fully air conditioned ships.
Most rooms were fitted with "ingeniously arranged oversize downy berths" — 79" by 34" roll-up beds operated by "an ingenious new device which by the simple turn of a wheel recesses the berths flush into the wall". Prominent in Exochorda' s advertising literature, the roll-up berths facilitated the conversion of rooms from sleeping quarters at night to spacious sitting rooms by day. The two large suites on the Promenade deck, featured twin beds.
The teak and dark blue leather chairs, depicted in many print ads and brochures for the "4 Aces", remained in the rooms.
While a typical room harbored the usual complement of personal items such as TV, stereo and refrigerator, students aboard the ship were afforded more latitude regarding individual décor as compared to their land-based counterparts. Among the decorative touches found in rooms were oil paintings, hanging plants and a Persian print bedspread billowing from a sitting room ceiling.
For convenience, public telephones were available at multiple locations on the ship and were also available in rooms for an additional fee.
Art Deco
trim and accents, evoking visions of a bygone era, graced her stairways and passageways. On cabin doors, life jacket and lifeboat
informational placards, having lost their vital significance to time and circumstance, remained dutifully posted.
Reminiscent of her former glory days on the high seas, a mural reflecting the ship's Mediterranean sailing route, by Miné Okubo
, decorated the main foyer. White-on-black depictions of life at sea — whimsical "doodles" by artist Saul Steinberg
— added subtle context to Promenade's bar and smoking lounge. Other artwork, however, such as Loren MacIver's mural portrayal of trade and commerce activities along the sailing route, originally in the ship's dining room ("B" deck lounge), had been removed prior to the ship's use as a dormitory. Sculptress Mitzi Solomon
's marble carvings, pictured in promenade's forward lounge in many "4 Aces" print advertisements, were also not seen by students.
' popularity may have been due, in part, to the ship's appeal to "loners", a supposition consistent with students' statements. "It's quiet down here, more secluded and peaceful", said ship resident Kenneth Levy. Expressing a similar sentiment, resident Frank Condi said, "It's away from everything." Other students, however, recognized the social advantages offered by their unique dwelling. Ship resident Martin Mercorelli remarked that the ship was "definitely a social asset. It seems to go over better with the girls." Other students indicated their preference for the ship by their unflattering characterization of other dormitory rooms as "cells".
In 1975, when announcing that the ship was to be sold, Kenneth C. Rogers, president of the institute, commented that the ship was "so popular with the students." Linda Soldati, one of the nine women students living on the ship said, "If I had $100,000 I'd buy her. I just don't want to go back to living in a house. The view is fantastic. I love the ship."
During the initial five years of operation, maintenance and repair costs for Stevens were comparable to those of a land based dormitory. In early 1973, the institute had anticipated operating Stevens for another five years.
Within the next two years, however, declining enrollments, rising costs of heating the vessel and needed repairs prompted the institute to reassess the economics of maintaining Stevens. In 1975, heating for the steel-hulled ship, which was delivered from land via steam pipe, cost the institute $40,000 per year. As explained by institute president Kenneth C. Rogers, "Heating that ship is like trying to heat the whole Hudson River." Adding to the financial burden, the need for extensive water system repair work became evident when the interior of a six-inch (152 mm) section of the ship's water pipe was found to be nearly completely encrusted by rust. After allowing for necessary painting and electrical wiring upgrades, the cost estimate for repairs totaled $100,000, forcing the institute's decision in April 1975 to sell the ship.
In May 1975, shortly before Stevens was to be closed and sold, she "hosted" a large and memorable farewell party held in her honor. A "For Sale" sign on her bow — for students, a melancholic reminder of her impending fate — had been posted by a prankster. On the day following graduation, May 23, 1975, the last student to leave the country's only floating dormitory, William Walendzinski, a graduating senior and Stevens resident for the prior 3 years, descended her main gangplank for the final time.
On August 26, 1975, at 3:00 PM, the last of her mooring cables was burned away. Without fanfare, tugboat Helen McAllister
and two other Tony McAllister's '21 tugboats, part of the same fleet that brought Stevens to her berth in Hoboken in 1967, towed her to a Chester, Pennsylvania
shipyard.
Students of the Class of 1975 presented funds to the institute for the preparation of a site on Wittpenn Walk, overlooking the ship's berthing area, where one of Stevens six-ton anchors was placed in tribute to "the Ship", their "floating dormitory".
Recounting the events and sentiments on the day Stevens was towed away, the institute's alumni association expressed in its journal, "She disappeared into the fog and into our hearts."
After being partially dismantled in Chester, Pennsylvania
, Stevens was resold to scrappers in Kearny, NJ, in March, 1979. Later, the remaining hulk was towed to the Raritan Bay
port for final demolition, bringing an end to one of the most unusual careers of a ship.
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, a technological university, in Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, NJ
Nj
Nj or NJ may stand for:*New Jersey*Nanojoule , an International System of Units unit of energy equal to 10−9 joules*Nj *Narva-Jõesuu, Estonia*Nordjyske Jernbaner, a Danish railway...
. Permanently moored on the scenic Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
at the foot of the campus across from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, this first collegiate floating dormitory became one of the best known college landmarks in the country.
Twenty-four years prior to her duty as a floating dormitory, the ship served with distinction in World War II as , a Windsor-class attack transport
Windsor class attack transport
The Windsor-class attack transport was a class of US Navy attack transport. Ships of the class saw service in World War II.Like all attack transports, the purpose of the Windsors was to transport troops and their equipment to foreign shores in order to execute amphibious invasions using an array of...
vessel. Originally launched in 1944, Dauphin was awarded one battle star and was present in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945.
Following the war, the vessel underwent significant modifications, and emerged as cruise liner — a member of the post-war quartet of ships named "4 Aces", operated by American Export Lines. During her eleven years of cruise liner service, from 1948 to 1959, Exochorda — along with her nearly identical sister ships in the "4 Aces" — regularly sailed with passengers and cargo on a 12000 miles (19,312.1 km) route from New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
to various Mediterranean ports. Exochorda was retired to the Reserve ("mothball") Fleet in 1959 where she remained for eight years.
Exochorda
Purchased by the institute to fill a shortfall in student housing, the ship's operating costs during the initial years of service were comparable to conventional land-based dormitory housing. In later years, however, the ship's burgeoning operating and repair costs, combined with a more favorable housing outlook, forced the institute to sell Stevens in 1975. In tribute, one of her 6-ton anchors was prominently placed on the campus grounds by the graduating Class of 1975. In August 1975, the ship was towed to a shipyard in Chester, PA, and she was later scrapped in 1979.
Scenic setting
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, opposite mid-town Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, Stevens offered her residents a panoramic view of the New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
skyline extending from the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
in the north, to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay....
in the south. Located at the foot of the Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
campus in Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, her venue afforded viewing of the large variety of watercraft
Watercraft
A watercraft is a vessel or craft designed to move across or through water. The name is derived from the term "craft" which was used to describe all types of water going vessels...
that frequented the river. Silently gliding past portholes, river vessels imparted the sensation of motion to residents aboard their stationary home.
Notable among the ships witnessed by Stevens residents was the great transatlantic ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
, , sailing from New York on her final voyage, October 30, 1968. For Stevens
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's picturesque backdrop.
Moored in place
Stevens was moored at the foot of a bluff, above which much of the campus is situated. With her starboardPort and starboard
Port and starboard are nautical terms which refer to the left and right sides, respectively, of a ship or aircraft as perceived by a person on board facing the bow . At night, the port side of a vessel is indicated with a red navigation light and the starboard side with a green one.The starboard...
side adjacent to the Eighth Street pier at River Road, she was secured at her bow and stern by a total of seven mooring lines. With concurrence by the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
, four sets of pilings were driven into the river bed, wedging the ship in place and preventing her from drifting downriver in the event the lines were cut. Although she carried four anchors, two on chains at her bow, and two more fastened in place on deck, none were used to anchor the ship.
The robustness of her mooring system was often demonstrated during major storms that swept through the New York area. Despite high winds and accompanying storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
, the pilings and mooring lines held the ship in place, usually without incident, except for minor damage in some rooms caused by toppling of unsecured personal items.
In a separate incident unrelated to storm activity, a departing cruise ship — while maneuvering to avoid a collision with two other departing cruise ships — passed unusually close to Stevens. The resulting wake from the passing ship tossed Stevens and caused the mooring bollard
Bollard
A bollard is a short vertical post. Originally it meant a post used on a ship or a quay, principally for mooring. The word now also describes a variety of structures to control or direct road traffic, such as posts arranged in a line to obstruct the passage of motor vehicles...
securing the bow lines to break away from its footing on the pier. The pilings and remaining lines held the ship in place without further incident.
Access to pier and campus
Normal walking distance between "the Ship", as she was known by students, and upper campus facilities such as the Student Center was approximately 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) and included a lengthy flight of stairs south of the Gatehouse. An alternative route was improvised by students seeking to substantially reduce walking time and distance. This route, dubbed "Ho Chi Minh trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
", or simply, "the trail", required scaling the treacherous 105 feet (32 m) bluff directly below the Student Center building on the upper campus and was frequented by the ship's more intrepid residents.
Cabin plan, decks and cargo
The main "A" deck, the highest deck to extend the entire length of the ship, included a center section with students' rooms and the ship's main foyer with gangway.
The lower "B" deck contained the largest number of students' rooms, recreational areas and the ship's laundry room, equipped with automatic washers and dryers.
Promenade deck, immediately above the main deck, contained students' rooms and the ship's more frequently used lounges. The aft lounge, the largest on the ship featured expansive casement windows, oak furniture and rift-cut American oak paneling. French doors provided access to the promenade for open-air strolling and sightseeing. Promenade's forward lounge, paneled in Kelobra wood, was often used for smaller social gatherings.
Boat deck carried the ship's six lifeboats, three on each side, including one motorized boat, the center boat on the port side. The ship was fitted with gravity roller track davits for the larger aft and center boats. The curved davit arms extended over the open portion of Promenade deck. Radial single pivot davits were implemented for the smaller forward boats.
Sun deck contained the ship's wheelhouse flanked by docking bridges. Outside viewing by wheel house personnel was facilitated by three large forward-looking portholes, flanked by smaller portholes.
Areas below "B" deck, not authorized for passenger access and closed for students, comprised "C" deck, engine room, shaft alley, fuel tanks and water ballast areas.
The cabin plan shows the following number of students' rooms on the ship:
| Boat deck | Promenade | "A" deck | "B" deck | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 rooms | 6 rooms | 35 rooms | 46 rooms | 97 rooms |
The ship contained six cargo holds numbered 1 through 6, starting at the bow. Hatch location for cargo holds are:
| Cargo hatch | Location |
|---|---|
| #1 and #2 | Forward portion of "A" deck, on the bow |
| #3 | Forward portion of Promenade deck |
| #4 | Aft portion of Boat deck |
| #5 and #6 | Aft portion of "A" deck |
Adventuresome past
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
including Okinawa, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
in the Pacific. As Windsor-class attack transport
Windsor class attack transport
The Windsor-class attack transport was a class of US Navy attack transport. Ships of the class saw service in World War II.Like all attack transports, the purpose of the Windsors was to transport troops and their equipment to foreign shores in order to execute amphibious invasions using an array of...
Dauphin
USS Dauphin (APA-97)
USS Dauphin was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Dauphin was named after Dauphin County, Pennsylvania...
for the US Navy, from 1944 to 1948, she was awarded one battle star in the assault on and occupation of Okinawa and earned the Navy Occupation Service Medal for landing cargo and troops in Japan. She was present in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
for the Surrender Ceremony of World War II, September 2, 1945.
Following the war, and after significant refurbishment, the vessel became cruise liner Exochorda, a member of the quartet of ships known collectively as "4 Aces" — the replacement for the pre-war quartet of ships with the same names — operated by American Export Lines. From 1948 to 1959, Exochorda regularly sailed a 12000 miles (19,312.1 km), 45-day circuit from New York to Mediterranean ports such as Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
. Among her passengers were potentates of the East, routinely accompanied by cooks and bodyguards. An Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
ruler once brought his entire entourage on board, complete with swords and machine guns. Notable among her passengers was actress Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth was an American film actress and dancer who attained fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars...
, a popular film star and dancer. In 1956, Exochorda was called upon to assist in the rapid evacuation of 350 Americans from Alexandria, Egypt during a military conflict that became known as the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
.
At the end of her active service in 1959, Exochorda was placed in reserve until plans to sell her were announced in June 1967.
Need for student housing
As early as 1965, the idea for buying a ship arose as an interim solution to the potential housing gap following the institute's forecast of an increase in student enrollment. By the next year, 1966, the need for additional student housing on the 55 acres (222,577.3 m²), Hoboken campus had become more evident. With the freshman class having grown to 1350 students, an increase of about 150 students over the prior year, a strain was created on the institute's existing land-based dormitory housing. Owning suitable waterfront property on the Hudson River, the institute assessed the feasibility of purchasing a ship for temporary use as a dormitory until additional land-based dormitories became available. The institute expected to recoup its original investment in the ship through its continued operation and eventual sale for scrap.Purchase of Exochorda
In June 1967, the U.S. Maritime AdministrationU.S. Maritime Administration
The United States Maritime Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Transportation that maintains the National Defense Reserve Fleet as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies, and assists the NDRF in fulfilling its role as the nation's fourth arm of...
announced plans to sell the former cruise liner, Exochorda, for either non-transportation use or scrap. Assisted by shipbuilding experts, the institute prepared and submitted a bid for the ship. The bid was announced September 28, 1967. Within one week of the institute's bid, the U.S. Maritime Administration awarded Exochorda to Stevens Institute of Technology for $130,301 — the highest bid and $6,700 more than offered by a scrap metal dealer. The cost of purchasing and refurbishing the ship brought its total cost to approximately $500,000. The total expenditure was not considered excessive when compared to an estimated several million dollars the institute would have had to spend on conventional dormitory housing. "We didn't think a permanent building was a wise investment", said Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations. The institute planned to continue the vessel's operation as a dormitory for several years but intended taking her offline if the student population were to decrease.
Refurbishment as floating dormitory
Wilson T. Crisman, the institute's director of auxiliary operations and boating enthusiast long before the school acquired the vessel, oversaw the ship's purchase and conversion. According to Crisman, the ship was 99 percent in condition for use by the institute, which kept refurbishment costs down.
Comparison with Exochorda' s cabin plan
Formerly occupied by passengers aboard Exochorda, the staterooms located on Promenade deck, "A" deck, and the section of "B" deck forward of the lounge, remained unchanged except for the limited removal of furniture as required to accommodate desks for students. Most staterooms had been designed for three passengers and included upper and lower berths plus a convertible sofa berth. For these rooms, the sofa berth was removed to accommodate a desk. Other changes included replacement of carpeting, draperies and mattresses. Where possible, rooms not occupied by the traveling public, such as the crew and officers' quarters, were made available as rooms for students. Other rooms on Exochorda not suitable for use as either living quarters or public spaces were permanently closed.
Exochorda contained two suites, both on Promenade deck, that became room numbers 301 and 307 on Stevens.
A popular group of rooms, prominently featured in print ads for Exochorda and known as the Veranda rooms, were groups of four rooms adjoining a common public area that contained four large exterior windows. Two groups of Veranda rooms were on the ship, one on each side of "A" deck. Veranda rooms, unchanged for Stevens, became room numbers: 214, 216, 218 and 220 on the port side, and 217, 219, 221 and 223 on the starboard.
Promenade's forward lounge, the former setting for captain's cocktail parties, and the aft lounge, known on Exochorda as the "bar and smoking lounge" which included Saul Steinberg
Saul Steinberg
Saul Steinberg was a Romanian-born American cartoonist and illustrator, best known for his work for The New Yorker.-Biography:...
's Life at Sea murals, remained unchanged except for the removal of free-standing tables and chairs. The center section of carpeting in the forward lounge was also removed, exposing a dance floor.
Exochorda
Not occupied by passengers on Exochorda, crew quarters were used by students on Stevens. Located aft of the main dining lounge on "B" deck, these rooms were smaller and some lacked amenities such as portholes which were included in the passenger staterooms. The crew cabins, originally designed to sleep six crewmen, were converted into dormitory rooms for two students. Former crew's quarters, also on the aft portion of "B" deck, were used to create recreational rooms.
Sun deck which included the wheelhouse, chart room (immediately behind wheelhouse), tiled kennel and dog run (port side) were all closed on Stevens.
Passenger cabin numbers on Exochorda used a letter prefix to signify the deck location. Cabin number sequencing began on Promenade deck and increased to the next 100's block for each succeeding lower deck, such as, "P1", "A122" and "B201" for cabins on Promenade, "A" and "B" decks, respectively. Room numbers on Stevens omitted the letter prefix and were re-designated to begin in the 100's on the lowest ("B") deck and increased to the next 100's block for each succeeding higher deck, such as "112", "201" and "314" for rooms on "B", "A" and Promenade decks, respectively. Aside from the difference in level designator, plus a few exceptions for new rooms, correlation of room numbers on Stevens and Exochorda was maintained. For example, Exochorda
Captain's and officers' quarters (Boat deck)
| Exochorda | Stevens |
|---|---|
| Chief officer's cabin | Rm 401 |
| Captain's stateroom & office | Presumptively Rm 402, not shown on cabin plan |
| Jr 3 Officer's cabin | Rm 403 |
| Officers' cabin | Rm 404 |
| Deck Cadet & Engrg Cadet | Rm 405 |
| Officers' lounge | Student lounge - no change |
| Other officer's cabins | Rm 406 through 410 |
| Radio room | Rm 411 |
"A" deck
| Exochorda | Stevens |
|---|---|
| Main Foyer | Unchanged, including Miné Okubo's Mediterranean mural |
| Reception, bell boy room, chief steward, purser, barber shop, gift shop | All adjacent main foyer, were closed |
"B" deck
| Exochorda | Stevens |
|---|---|
| Ship's physician's cabin | Rm 231 |
| Medical office | closed |
| Operating room | closed |
| Men's ward | Rm 241 |
| Women's ward | Rm 239 |
| Chief Engr's cabin and office | Rm 232 |
| 1st Asst Engr's cabin and office | Rm 234 |
| Galley | Partially converted to laundry room |
Maiden voyage and early life
The ship was rechristened Stevens by Mrs. Jess H. Davis, wife of the institute's president, Dr. Jess H. Davis. The ship was originally named Castle Queen via a contest run by the student body in 1967. The name submitted by Joe Giacone, class of '69, was changed to SS Stevens, which was preferred by Mrs. Davis The Stute, Fall 1967. Dr. Davis and William L. Bingham, dean of student affairs, formally took possession of the ship as the institute's flag was hoisted from the bridge.
Reflecting the technological nature of her namesake, Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, the ship's single cigar-shaped funnel had been painted with an elongated red letter "S", the integral
Integral
Integration is an important concept in mathematics and, together with its inverse, differentiation, is one of the two main operations in calculus...
symbol — well known by her student residents through their study and application of the calculus. The ship's name, "Stevens", had also been painted in black letters on her bow.
Connection of water, sewer and electric services with the Hoboken land utilities was facilitated by flexible piping (hoses) and cabling of sufficient length to accommodate the motion of the ship resulting from changing tides or severe weather.
Although she was a complete ship, containing an engine room, wheelhouse, bridge and decks, she was licensed by the State of New Jersey as a residence hall. Designed to the highest Coast Guard standards (1948), fire safety doors and smoke ventilation systems were functional and met local regulations.
The first student residents of Stevens, a total of 150, moved aboard her in January 1968.
On Wednesday, May 22, 1968, an open house was held aboard Stevens in honor of National Maritime Day
National Maritime Day
National Maritime Day is a United States holiday created to recognize the maritime industry. It is observed on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States...
, commemorating the beginning of trans-Atlantic steam navigation.
When the first ocean-going training vessel for the Texas State Maritime Program, USTS Texas Clipper
Texas Clipper
USTS Texas Clipper, 473 foot ship, served as a merchant marine training vessel with the Texas Maritime Academy at Texas A&M University at Galveston for 30 years beginning in 1965...
was in need of spare parts, Stevens, with the blessing of the U.S. Maritime Administration, answered her call. As a benefit of their common heritage — Stevens, the former Exochorda, and Texas Clipper, the former Excambion, sisters ships in the post-war "4 Aces" — many parts were interchangeable between the two vessels. The parts were made available to Texas Clipper during her visit to New York in June, 1968, the first such visit since her conversion from Excambion.
Accommodations
In 1968, the per-student cost of a room for one semester ranged from $200 to $265, depending on available amenities such as portholes and private shower. By 1975, the cost for a room with two students had risen to approximately $650 per student, per semester.Rooms were equipped with desks and lamps, many of which were fixed in place, a common feature among seafaring vessels. Heating and air-conditioning were controlled by a thermostat in each room, a significant feature also enjoyed by ocean-going passengers aboard Exochorda, one of the first fully air conditioned ships.
Most rooms were fitted with "ingeniously arranged oversize downy berths" — 79" by 34" roll-up beds operated by "an ingenious new device which by the simple turn of a wheel recesses the berths flush into the wall". Prominent in Exochorda
The teak and dark blue leather chairs, depicted in many print ads and brochures for the "4 Aces", remained in the rooms.
While a typical room harbored the usual complement of personal items such as TV, stereo and refrigerator, students aboard the ship were afforded more latitude regarding individual décor as compared to their land-based counterparts. Among the decorative touches found in rooms were oil paintings, hanging plants and a Persian print bedspread billowing from a sitting room ceiling.
For convenience, public telephones were available at multiple locations on the ship and were also available in rooms for an additional fee.
Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
trim and accents, evoking visions of a bygone era, graced her stairways and passageways. On cabin doors, life jacket and lifeboat
Lifeboat (shipboard)
A lifeboat is a small, rigid or inflatable watercraft carried for emergency evacuation in the event of a disaster aboard ship. In the military, a lifeboat may be referred to as a whaleboat, dinghy, or gig. The ship's tenders of cruise ships often double as lifeboats. Recreational sailors sometimes...
informational placards, having lost their vital significance to time and circumstance, remained dutifully posted.
Miné Okubo
Miné Okubo , a pioneering Nisei woman, artist and writer, created approximately 2000 drawings and sketches of her experiences while confined along with approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans in US internment camps following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor...
, decorated the main foyer. White-on-black depictions of life at sea — whimsical "doodles" by artist Saul Steinberg
Saul Steinberg
Saul Steinberg was a Romanian-born American cartoonist and illustrator, best known for his work for The New Yorker.-Biography:...
— added subtle context to Promenade's bar and smoking lounge. Other artwork, however, such as Loren MacIver's mural portrayal of trade and commerce activities along the sailing route, originally in the ship's dining room ("B" deck lounge), had been removed prior to the ship's use as a dormitory. Sculptress Mitzi Solomon
Mitzi Cunliffe
Mitzi Solomon Cunliffe was an American sculptor. She was most famous for designing the golden trophy in the shape of a theatrical mask that would go on to represent the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and be presented as the BAFTA award...
's marble carvings, pictured in promenade's forward lounge in many "4 Aces" print advertisements, were also not seen by students.
Rules and regulations
Rules and regulations were loose except for prohibitions against excessive noise or vandalism, including breaking into refrigerators. For safety reasons, those on board were warned: "Students will not be allowed to climb, hang or swing from any of the riggings, lifeboats or railings." Resident dormitory representatives could often remedy such infractions with measures that included requiring the offending student to leave the ship. Other rules stated that visitors were not permitted to be on the ship between 4 and 7 am. Although women students were first admitted to the institute in 1971, they were prohibited from living on the ship until 1974. Commenting on the effect of women living aboard the ship, student resident Tom Poncho said, "Not much." By 1975, nine women shared the ship with 91 men.Popular with students
Despite the quiet and remote location of Stevens relative to the center of campus, rooms on the ship remained very much in demand. Many of Stevens residents were delighted with their living arrangements and preferred the ship over conventional dormitory housing. Institute officials postulated that StevensIn 1975, when announcing that the ship was to be sold, Kenneth C. Rogers, president of the institute, commented that the ship was "so popular with the students." Linda Soldati, one of the nine women students living on the ship said, "If I had $100,000 I'd buy her. I just don't want to go back to living in a house. The view is fantastic. I love the ship."
Escalating costs
Within the next two years, however, declining enrollments, rising costs of heating the vessel and needed repairs prompted the institute to reassess the economics of maintaining Stevens. In 1975, heating for the steel-hulled ship, which was delivered from land via steam pipe, cost the institute $40,000 per year. As explained by institute president Kenneth C. Rogers, "Heating that ship is like trying to heat the whole Hudson River." Adding to the financial burden, the need for extensive water system repair work became evident when the interior of a six-inch (152 mm) section of the ship's water pipe was found to be nearly completely encrusted by rust. After allowing for necessary painting and electrical wiring upgrades, the cost estimate for repairs totaled $100,000, forcing the institute's decision in April 1975 to sell the ship.
Farewell
On August 26, 1975, at 3:00 PM, the last of her mooring cables was burned away. Without fanfare, tugboat Helen McAllister
Admiral Dewey (tugboat)
The Admiral Dewey, also known as the Georgetown and today as the Helen McAllister, is a tugboat built in 1900 at the Burlee Drydock in Port Richmond, New York. She is currently part of the South Street Seaport Museum in Manhattan, New York and docked at Pier 16 in the East River...
and two other Tony McAllister's '21 tugboats, part of the same fleet that brought Stevens to her berth in Hoboken in 1967, towed her to a Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
shipyard.
Students of the Class of 1975 presented funds to the institute for the preparation of a site on Wittpenn Walk, overlooking the ship's berthing area, where one of Stevens six-ton anchors was placed in tribute to "the Ship", their "floating dormitory".
Recounting the events and sentiments on the day Stevens was towed away, the institute's alumni association expressed in its journal, "She disappeared into the fog and into our hearts."
After being partially dismantled in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, Stevens was resold to scrappers in Kearny, NJ, in March, 1979. Later, the remaining hulk was towed to the Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay
Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on the south by the Raritan...
port for final demolition, bringing an end to one of the most unusual careers of a ship.
Timeline of vessel
- USS Dauphin (APA-97)USS Dauphin (APA-97)USS Dauphin was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Dauphin was named after Dauphin County, Pennsylvania...
- December 22, 1943 — Laid down (as cargo ship)
- June 10, 1944 — Completed as Windsor-classWindsor class attack transportThe Windsor-class attack transport was a class of US Navy attack transport. Ships of the class saw service in World War II.Like all attack transports, the purpose of the Windsors was to transport troops and their equipment to foreign shores in order to execute amphibious invasions using an array of...
military attack transport and launched by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Sparrows Point, Maryland - September 23, 1944 — Transferred to NavyNavyA navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
and commissioned as DauphinUSS Dauphin (APA-97)USS Dauphin was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Dauphin was named after Dauphin County, Pennsylvania... - September 2, 1945 — Present at the Surrender Ceremony of World War II in Tokyo BayTokyo Bayis a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
- April 30, 1946 — DauphinUSS Dauphin (APA-97)USS Dauphin was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Dauphin was named after Dauphin County, Pennsylvania...
decommissioned - 1948 — DauphinUSS Dauphin (APA-97)USS Dauphin was a Windsor-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Dauphin was named after Dauphin County, Pennsylvania...
sold for commercial service
- SS ExochordaSS ExochordaSS Exochorda, a 473-foot, 14,500-ton cargo liner in service with American Export Lines from 1948 to 1959. A member of the line's post-war quartet of ships, "4 Aces", Exochorda sailed regularly from New York on a Mediterranean route...
- 1948 — Refurbished as passenger-cargo ship, SS Exochorda, for American Export Lines
- November 2, 1948 — Maiden voyage of Exochorda
- 1948–1959 — Exochorda served as passenger-cargo ship sailing from New York to the Mediterranean
- March 15, 1959 — Exochorda towed to Bethlehem Steel Corp. for preparation to be placed in reserve fleet
- 1959–1967 — Returned to the US Maritime Administration and mothballed in Hudson River Reserve Fleet at Stony Point, NY
- June 1967 — The U.S. Maritime Administration announced plans to sell the former cruise liner, Exochorda, for either non-transportation use or scrap
- September 28, 1967 — Announcement of the institute's bid of $130,301 for Exochorda
- October 1967 — US Maritime Administration awards Exochorda to Stevens Institute of Technology for $130,301 to be used as a floating dormitory
- October 4, 1967 — Exochorda was towed from the Hudson River Reserve Fleet in Jones Point, N.Y. to the Hoboken Yard of Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Hoboken, New JerseyHoboken, New JerseyHoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
to be refurbished as a dormitory - November 10, 1967 — Vessel towed from the Bethlehem Steel Corporation to the school-owned Eight Street Pier, Stevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of TechnologyStevens Institute of Technology is a technological university located on a campus in Hoboken, New Jersey, USA – founded in 1870 with an 1868 bequest from Edwin A. Stevens. It is known for its engineering, science, and technological management curricula.The institute has produced leading...
, Hoboken, NJ
- SS Stevens
- November 10, 1967 — Maiden voyage (unpowered)
- November 1967 — Christened SS Stevens
- January 1968 — First student residents of Stevens moved aboard
- May 22, 1968 — Stevens hosted an open house in honor of National Maritime DayNational Maritime DayNational Maritime Day is a United States holiday created to recognize the maritime industry. It is observed on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States...
- June, 1968 — Stevens donated parts to her sister ship, USTS Texas Clipper, the former Excambion
- September 1974 — First women students permitted to reside on Stevens
- April 1975 — Rising heating and repair costs forced the institute to sell Stevens
- May 1975 — Farewell party held aboard Stevens
- May 23, 1975 — Last student leaves Stevens
- August 26, 1975 — Last Voyage: towed from Hoboken NJ to a shipyard in Chester, PA
- 1975–1979 — Partially dismantled in Chester, PA
- March 1979 — Resold to scrappers at Kearny, NJ
- 1979 — Demolished at Raritan Bay port NJ