9. The RMS Titanic Was Bound for Chelsea Piers

The Carpathia bringing back survivors to Pier 54 in 1912. Image via Wikimedia Commons in Public Domain

The sinking of the Titanic on April 14, 1912 is still remembered today as one of history’s most infamous accidents. Although the ship never made it to the United States, upon leaving Southampton on April 10th on her maiden voyage, the “unsinkable” ship, bound for New York, was scheduled to dock on Pier 59 on April 16th.

After striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic, the Titanic sunk, bringing down with it 1,525 passengers, including prominent New Yorkers like Benjamin Guggenheim and John Jacob Astor IV. The remaining 675 passengers were rescued by the Carpathia, a Cunard liner. On April 20th, the Carpathia brought the Titanic’s lifeboats to Chelsea Pier’s Pier 59.

For more, check out Titanic: The Millionaire’s Ship and Its Connection to the South Street Seaport