100th Anniversary of Titanic's Sinking

I've mentioned it before (a few times in fact) that I am definitely obsessed with the Titanic.  Not the film, the actual ship.  I am a true history buff and love to learn about people from past times.  I even majored in History, only to change my major to English toward the end of my college career.  With my travels, I have found that I have a heartfelt connection to certain places and periods of time.  The Titanic is one of these places for me.

 
Now, of course we all know I haven't stepped foot on board the Titanic.  But, for some reason I can't explain, I have a connection to the history of the ship that won't go away.  It's been that way for me since high school.  I mentioned in a previous post that I did a paper on the ship and its sinking.  Ever since then, I can't seem to find out enough about the history of the ship, it's engineers, the people onboard, etc.

With the 100th anniversary of the sinking coming up on the 14th, there is a wealth of information out there right now.  I just purchased a Time special edition of the wreckage.  It's amazing.  You should get yourself a copy for sure.  There is a fabulous website that contains everything you ever wanted or needed to know about the ship.  It's called RMS Titanic, Inc.  There are traveling exhibits all over the world that display artifacts from the wreckage.  If you're in California, like I am, there is an exhibit going on at the San Diego Natural History Museum.  I plan to get there as soon as possible and blog about my experience.  In the meantime, here are some fun facts I found about the Titanic.  I hope you enjoy learning about the ship I have come to love.
 --On the evening of April 14, the first-class passengers on the Titanic enjoyed a ten-course meal that included oysters, poached salmon, sirloin of beef, lamb with mint sauce, chocolate éclairs and waldorf pudding. According to Armchair World, a different wine was served with each course, and coffee and cigars accompanied by port and distilled spirits were available with the last course.

--The Titanic had its own newspaper. According to theNatural Science Center of Greensboro,The Atlantic Daily Bulletinwas printed daily and included news articles, the latest stock prices, horse-racing results, society gossip and a daily menu.--The massive ship had some unheard of amenities. ADiscovery Channelarticle details perks such as an onboard Turkish bath, libraries, a squash court and a heated swimming pool. The luxury liner even had an infirmary with an operating room.--While the Titanic boasted some of the wealthiest people in the world on board, two famous men of that era didn't make the trip. According toDiscovery.com, financier J. P. Morgan and famed chocolatier Milton S. Hershey had planned to sail aboard the ship's maiden voyage but canceled at the last minute.

--Many artifacts from the Titanic were salvaged.The Titanic Museumin Massachusetts houses The Titanic Historical Society's collection, which includes a lifejacket, lifeboat flag, luncheon and dinner menus, a square of first-class stateroom carpet, letters and postcards written on board, first class china and a bridge bell.--The last remaining survivor of the Titanic died in 2009. Millvana Dean was only nine weeks old and the youngest passenger on the ship when she was put on a lifeboat and saved. According toThe Guardian, her death at age 97 came just a month after "Titanic" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet helped pay her nursing home expenses.