Ship’s Berth Bed


          For more than a decade  the bed in this room traveled to the far corners of the world in passenger cabins of the President Polk, a ship of the American Presidents Line (APL)..


          The bed  was assembled from two passenger berths built by Knipp and Company of Baltimore, MD  about 1972 and provided to Ingalls Shipbuilding of Pascagoula, Mississippi  for installation in Hull number 1186,  the “President Polk”. 


          In the mid to late 1980’s the President Polk  was returned to Ingalls and the berths were removed. This may have been due to the discontinuation of passenger service on APL’s cargo ships. At that time, these two berths and six others, were obtained by the Amick family and moved to their house in Cabana Beach. This pair was moved to Oka Sita in 2024.


            The President Polk was built at Ingalls West Shipyard in Pascagoula.  She was launched in May of 1973 and delivered to APL in November of that year. She was the third of four Pacesetter class ships built for the Line at Ingalls. They were the first US cargo ships designed to carry only containerized cargo. She was also the third APL ship to bear the name.

    

         Founded in 1868, Knipp and Company was a major fabricator of cabinetry and architectural millwork.  In the mid twentieth century,  it provided wood furnishings to shipyards around the US: however,  the company is best known for its work on major renovations of the White House during the Truman administration. The berths are built of mahogany and mahogany veneer plywood. The fittings are solid brass. Most of what we have been able to learn about their history comes from shipping labels and builders notes that were found inside and underneath.


     The American Presidents Line began operations as The Pacific Mail Line in 1848 and continues today as APL. During its long history APL has operated both cargo vessels and luxury  passenger liners. Its last passenger ship, the SS President Wilson,  ceased operations in 1973. The company also carried passengers ,on a smaller scale, aboard its cargo ships,  modifying several Type C4 ships into “Luxury Cargo Liners” such as the SS President Adams.  Its first generation container vessels,  the President Polk and her sister ships, were designed  and equipped to carry up to twelve passengers. While most of the luxury amenities were gone, this form of travel was still attractive to those who genuinely wanted to “get away from it all”. Most notably, writer Alex Haley  who made numerous trips aboard these ships between 1973 and 1987 at which time  APL discontinued passenger travel.


    The President Polk was operated by APL from 1973 until 1992. She was chartered to  Lykes Lines and renamed the Jean Lykes. She was scrapped in 2005.


    We hope that you enjoy this bit of maritime history during your stay. As you sit here on this bed and enjoy your view of the Gulf,  perhaps you’ll take a moment to reflect on what others who sat here might  have seen, years ago and oceans away.