Join the Steamship Historical Society of America for tales of ships that reshaped our history as the country transitioned from sail to steam and beyond. Using exclusive oral histories and primary resources straight from our extensive archives, we focus on the vessels, crew and passengers that revolutionized the way that we traveled, traded and immigrated. Steam ahead with us as we navigate the waters of America’s rich maritime heritage. Scroll down to listen to each episode. You can also view our show page on RSS or search for Ship History Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Our Newest Episode
Episode 18: The Larchmont Disaster with Daniel F. Harrington
Join Education Director Aimee Bachari for a horror-filled interview with Daniel F. Harrington, who recounts the gruesome tragedy of the Larchmont Disaster. On February 11, 1907, in one of New England’s worst maritime tragedies, the Larchmont sank in icy waters off Watch Hill after a collision with the three-masted schooner Harry Knowlton. A former East Providence City Council Member, Harrington began writing on the subject and found the stories of the victims and survivors so interesting that he created an hour-long presentation on the topic and has been touring local libraries and historical societies. Tune in to hear about the stories of murder, suicide, and 7 inches of ice coating the bodies that washed ashore on Block Island. Throughout the interview you’ll hear references to parts of the story being “a Rhode Island thing.” If you don’t know what that means, think of the classic phrase 6 degrees of separation, but if you’re from little Rhody, it’s really about 2 degrees of separation. A good example of this is that after the interview I shared another RI story I did on my own family’s immigration to America and he said, “D’Amico, I almost married a D’Amico!” We discovered that Daniel was a longtime friend of relatives on my mother’s side! That’s Rhode Island for you!!
Listen to Past Episodes
Episode 1: On Board the Student Ship Aurelia with Cecilia Cassidy
Learn about Cecilia’s time studying abroad and her decision to take a student ship back from England in June of 1969. In this interview she speaks about the environment of spending time with other students who also had “eye opening experiences” in Europe. She took the SS Aurelia, and it was the last voyage for the ship. She speaks about the protests at Cornell University and the feeling of returning to an America in turmoil – another adventure. See images at https://shiphistory.org/ships-transport/.
Episode 2: Leisure Activities at Sea with Jim Shaw
On this episode of Ship History Radio, we will hear from SHIPS (Ships, History, Influence, and Power Series) interviewee Jim Shaw about how passengers spend their time at sea during long voyages. Jim details the various deck games often played and provides historical context about how these games on ships have changed from the 1910s to the current offerings on cruise ships and everything in between. You can watch the film version of this interview on YouTube.
Episode 3: Genealogy Made Easy – Immigration by Passenger Ship
The Steamship Historical Society’s archives and education department teamed up with Christina D’Amico, a genealogist, to create this informative episode for Rhody Radio. Learn about tips and tricks and some free resources to start on your genealogy journey. You can visit https://shiphistory.org/themes/immigration/ to access our research guide.
Episode 4: Honoring the Merchant Marine with Eric Pearson
Join us for a chat with PowerShips contributor Eric Pearson about the challenges faced by the Merchant Marine in World War II. Not a PowerShips subscriber? Email info@sshsa.org to request a free sample copy today!
Episode 5: Leisure at Sea with Jane Lyons
Join us for a chat with Jane Lyons, who discusses what it was like traveling as a member of a diplomatic family and how they chose to keep busy on long voyages. Visit https://shiphistory.org/ships-transport/ to see images from Jane Lyons’ personal collection.
Episode 6: Assessing SSHSA’s collections
oin Archivist Astrid Drew and assistant archivists Heather Kisilywicz and Tessa Mediano for a discussion about some of the wonderful collections that make up SSHSA. Find out about the challenges they face in managing an archive that comprises hundreds of thousands of photographs, plans, brochures, books and artifacts.
Episode 7: Finding the Titanic with Captain Richard Bowen
Join Education Director Aimee Bachari for a chat with Captain Richard Bowen. Learn about his maritime career including being Captain of the Knorr that found the wreck of the Titanic in 1985 on a joint French–American expedition led by Jean-Louis Michel of IFREMER and Robert Ballard of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Episode 8: Coming to America On Board the SS United States with Brigitte Bentele
Join us for a conversation with Brigitte Bentele about her experience immigrating to America from Germany in the 1950s on board the SS United States. You can watch the film version of this interview and check out the accompanying lesson plan at https://shiphistory.org/ships-immigration/.
Episode 9: Ocean Shipping and the Rise of Containerization with Doug Tilden (Part I)
oin us for a chat with Doug Tilden, former VP of United States Lines, South America, and later CEO of Marine Terminals. Doug spent the last five decades in the shipping industry, working his way up from being a dock clerk to serving as the top executive within a Global Fortune 100 corporation. In Part I of this series, you will learn about the move from breakbulk cargo to the rise of containerization. Stay tuned for Part II, which will explain cost reduction in ocean shipping and the evolution of container ships. View the film version of this interview and check out the accompanying lesson plan at https://shiphistory.org/ships-trade/.
Episode 10: Ocean Shipping and the Rise of Containerization with Doug Tilden (Part II)
Join us for a chat with Doug Tilden, former VP of United States Lines, South America, and later CEO of Marine Terminals. Doug spent the last five decades in the shipping industry, working his way up from being a dock clerk to serving as the top executive within a Global Fortune 100 corporation. Part II discusses cost reduction in ocean shipping and the evolution of container ships. View the film version of this interview and check out the accompanying lesson plan at https://shiphistory.org/ships-trade/.
Episode 11: Viewing History Through Scrapbooks
Join Archivist Astrid Drew and Assistant Archivists Heather Kisilywicz and Tessa Mediano as they discuss the challenges of preserving and interpreting three unique scrapbooks in the SSHSA collections.
Episode 12: The Vincent M. Love Collection with Archivist Astrid Drew
On this episode, you’ll hear a presentation that Archivist Astrid Drew gave to the World Ship Society’s Port of New York Branch back in May, where she discussed the Vincent M. Love Collection currently on loan to SSHSA. Follow along with Astrid’s presentation or dive deeper into this remarkable collection by visiting www.shiphistory.org/love-collection.
Episode 13: On Board the Student Ship the SS Groote Beer with Paul Klee
Join us for a conversation with Paul Klee, who took the student ship the SS Groote Beer to Europe when he was just 17 years old. Hear about the last days of travel from point to point and what it was like being a teenager on a ship surrounded by peers. Watch the film version of this interview on our YouTube Channel.
Episode 14: “The Bravest Woman in America,” Ida Lewis Lighthouse Keeper
Join Education Director Aimee Bachari and learn about the role of lighthouses in maritime navigation and communication and how and why women held the federal position of lighthouse keepers in the nineteenth century. You will hear about Rhode Island’s Ida Lewis, who is the most famous lighthouse keeper in the United States and how nineteenth century gender norms affected the way in which she was represented in the media with her position in the national spotlight. Check out our Common Core Standards-aligned lesson plan on this topic.
Episode 15: Arklow Fisherman and the Rescue of the Lusitania with Jim Rees
On May 7, 1915, Cunard Line’s RMS Lusitania was struck by a torpedo from the German U-20 and sank in just 18 minutes off the south coast of Ireland. She was returning to Liverpool from New York with 1,959 passengers. Of those on board, only 761 survived. 1,198 people drowned including 128 U.S. citizens. Learn about the ship and why this event was pivotal to the course of World War I in this episode. Join us for a chat with historian Jim Rees as he and SSHSA Education Director Aimee Bachari discuss the role that Arklow fisherman played in the rescue of passengers from the Lusitania sinking. Jim is the chairman of the Arklow Maritime Museum in County Wicklow, Ireland and shares the history and maritime heritage of Arklow, how this community museum came to be, and what visitors can see on display. Learn more about the museum at arklowmaritimeheritage.ie.
Episode 16: Japanese Immigration by Steamship and Picture Brides with Kelli Nakamura, Part I
Join Education Director Aimee Bachari for Part I of a discussion on Japanese immigration to Hawai’i by steamship and the practice of picture brides with University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor of History and Ethnic Studies Dr. Kelli Nakamura. In this episode, you’ll learn about how the American Civil War and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 fueled a need for sugar plantation workers in Hawai’i. You will also hear about the practice of picture brides, or arranged marriages where partners were selected by photos and personal recommendations of friends and family. Check out our lesson plan on Chinese and Japanese Immigration to America that features this two-part interview here.
Episode 17: Japanese Immigration by Steamship and Picture Brides with Kelli Nakamura, Part II
Join Education Director Aimee Bachari for Part II of a discussion on Japanese immigration to Hawai’i by steamship and the practice of picture brides with University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor of History and Ethnic Studies Dr. Kelli Nakamura. In this episode, you’ll learn about women’s work on the plantation and the “double day.” Dr. Nakamura also talks about domestic violence and racism in the context of the plantation and the broader Hawaiian community. Topics like World War II and internment are also discussed. Check out our lesson plan on Chinese and Japanese Immigration to America that features this two-part interview here.