RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach
historic place
The RMS Queen Mary, a historic place in Long Beach, California, in Los Angeles County, was built in Scotland for the Cunard Line. It launched in 1934 and made its maiden voyage in May 1936. This ocean liner operated across the North Atlantic, known for luxury transatlantic travel. During World War II, the Queen Mary became a troopship. Nicknamed the 'Grey Ghost,' it transported Allied soldiers, carrying over 16,600 people on one voyage in 1943, a record for passengers on a single vessel. With the rise of air travel, the Queen Mary was retired in 1967. It departed Southampton for Long Beach on October 31, 1967, arriving on December 9, 1967, after sailing around Cape Horn. The City of Long Beach purchased the vessel. After modifications, the Queen Mary opened in 1971 as a hotel, museum, and convention space. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The RMS Queen Mary represents a significant era of maritime engineering and transatlantic travel.