Source: New York Public Library – Digital Collections. Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy Collection: North River Piers (1951–1957).
New York was an important gateway to the transatlantic liner shipping network. It is estimated that 20 to 25 million people crossed the Atlantic by liner shipping to New York in the 20th century. The bulk of the activity (10 to 12 million transits) took place before the First World War and mainly concerned migrants. After World War II, the majority of transits involved tourism and business travel, accompanied by the refinement of liner shipping services.
For New York, this led to the setting of what came to be known as “Luxury Liner Row”, a part of the Manhattan harbor consisting of four piers (88, 90, 92, and 94) on the Hudson River between 46th and 54th Street. The piers were particularly busy during the summer season as iconic luxury liners were frequently docked. In the above colorized photo, the following liners are present (bottom up):
- SS Independence, American Export Lines (launched in 1951). Luxury liner specializing in New York-Mediterranean services.
- SS America, United States Lines (launched in 1940), mostly focusing on transatlantic services between New York and Western Europe (Le Havre, Southampton).
- SS United States, United States Lines (launched in 1952), a popular liner known for its fast transatlantic services.
- SS Olympia, Greek Line (launched in 1953), serving New York-Mediterranean services.
- The aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (launched in 1943) was still an operational attack carrier in the 1950s until being decommissioned in 1974. It became a museum at the same pier in 1982 and has remained as such.
- RMS Mauritania, Cunard Line (launched in 1939), serving transatlantic routes during the summer and Caribbean cruises during the winter.
- RMS Queen Elizabeth, Cunard Line (launched in 1938), being pulled into harbor. The ship operated transatlantic services.
With the decline of the ocean liners in the 1960s, the piers fell into disuse and disrepair, and were reconverted to other purposes. Only piers 88 and 90 remain and are used as cruise terminals.