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National Register of Historic Places

Nuclear Ship Savannah

Nuclear Ship Savannah is a historic place in Newport News, York County, Virginia, listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1982, and designated a National Historic Landmark. Its National Register reference number is 82001518.

Newport News, York County, VirginiaListed November 14, 1982NRIS #82001518★ National Historic Landmark
Photograph of Nuclear Ship Savannah
Photo: Nuclear Ship Savannah via Wikimedia Commons — see the file page for author and license. Image source
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Location 01

Nuclear Ship Savannah

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About this place

What is Nuclear Ship Savannah?

NS Savannah was the first nuclear-powered merchant ship, launched on July 21, 1959, two years after the Soviet ice-breaker Lenin, the first nuclear-powered civilian vessel. A demonstration project for the potential peacetime uses of nuclear energy, she was built in the late 1950s at a cost of $46.9 million. Savannah was given the new designation "NS" for "Nuclear Ship", replacing the traditional commercial vessel prefix "SS" for "Screw Steamer", and was named after SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. She was funded by United States government agencies as part of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1955 "Atoms for Peace" program, and was in service between 1962 and 1972 as one of only four nuclear-powered cargo ships ever built.

Source: Wikipedia, text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Listing details

Name
Nuclear Ship Savannah
City
Newport News
County
York County
State
Virginia
Listed on the National Register
November 14, 1982
NRIS reference number
82001518
Resource type
structure
National Historic Landmark
Yes
Coordinates
39.25847, -76.55542
When was Nuclear Ship Savannah listed on the National Register?

Nuclear Ship Savannah was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1982.

Where is Nuclear Ship Savannah located?

Nuclear Ship Savannah is located in Newport News, York County, Virginia at approximately 39.25847, -76.55542. See the map above.

Is Nuclear Ship Savannah a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Nuclear Ship Savannah is designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest federal recognition for a historic place.

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