SS UNITED STATES

SS United States is a retired ocean liner built in 1950-51 for the United States Line at a cost of $79.4 million. SS United States is the largest ocean liner constructed entirely in the United States and the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic in either direction. On her maiden voyage, July 3-7, 1952, United States broke the eastbound transatlantic speed record (held by the RMS Queen Mary for the previous 14 years) by more than 10 hours, making the maiden crossing from the Ambrose lightship at New York Harbor to Bishop rock off Cornwall, UK in 3 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes at an average speed of 35.69 knots (40.96 mph). On her return voyage United States also broke the westbound transatlantic speed record, also held by RMS Queen Mary, by returning the America in 3 days 12 hours and 12 minutes at an average speed of 34.51 knots (39.71 mph). SS United States is currently moored at Pier 82 on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. Preservation groups have been raising funds to save the ship, but its fate remains uncertain.

SS UNITED STATES, PIER 82, COLUMBUS BOULEVARD, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
By Brian W. Schaller - Own work, FAL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61238420

BULLWINKLE OIL PLATFORM

Bullwinkle is a 1,736-foot tall, pile supported fixed steel oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Of the total height, 1,352 feet are below the waterline. It is located in Green Canyon Block 65, approximately 160 miles southwest of New Orleans. Bullwinkle is the world’s tallest supported fixed steel structure. The tower is designed to resist hurricane force winds, 70’ waves, and a lifetime of stress-reversals induced by small waves. Bullwinkle used 10 times the amount of steel as the Eiffel Tower and weighed over 50,000 tons. In order to tow it out to sea, an 853-foot long barge, the world’s largest at the time, had to be constructed.

Bullwinkle Oil Platform being towed out to sea
By Jay Phagan - Bullwinkle Oil Platform, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102530784

POPULATION OF ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES: 1790 CENSUS AND 2020 CENSUS

 

DUQUESNE BREWERY CLOCK – PITTSBURGH, PA

 

Located on Duquesne Brewing Company building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Duquesne Brewery Clock has the largest clock face in the United States. When it was installed in 1933, it was the largest single-face clock in the world. The 60-by-60-foot clock face, with a 35-foot minute hand and a 25-foot hour hand, both of laminated aluminum, is nearly twice the size of London’s Big Ben. Originally located on a Mount Washington hillside, the clock’s face has been used as advertising for a succession of businesses. Most recently, AT&T took over the rights to advertise on the clock and redesigned the face to display the traditional blue and white AT&T logo.

The Duquesne Brewery Clock in 2019, with no advertising

AIZHAI BRIDGE (CHINA)

The Aizhai Bridge is a suspension bridge on the G65 Baotou-Maoming Expressway near Jishou, Hunan, China.  The bridge is famous for the spectacular view it offers those crossing it.  With a main span of 3,760 feet and a deck height of 1,102 feet it is the 14th highest bridge in the world and the world’s 24th longest suspension bridge. Of the world’s highest bridges, none has a main span as long as Aizhai. It is also the world’s highest and longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge.  The bridge contains 1888 lights to increase visibility at night.

THE RHEINTURM (RHINE TOWER) - GERMANY

The Rheinturm (Rhine Tower) is a 789-foot concrete telecommunications tower in Dusseldorf, Germany. It houses a revolving restaurant and observation deck at a height of 558 feet.    The Rheinturm was inaugurated on December 1, 1981. It contains 7,500 cubic meters of concrete and weighs 22,500 tons.    As a special attraction, a light sculpture on its shaft works as a clock. The sculpture was designed by Horst H. Baumann and is called Lichzeitpegel (light time level). The light sculpture on the Rheinturm is the largest digital clock in the world.

Digital Clock Explanation of Display

VIRGINIA TO NEBRASKA

 

It is possible to drive from Virginia to Nebraska and only travel through 2 states; Tennessee and Missouri. Travel distance from Bristol, Virginia to Brownville, Nebraska is 1,054 miles.