by Staff
The upcoming visit of a World War II Liberty ship will bring a bit of the area’s history back.
The John W. Brown arrives Tuesday and will dock at the Adam’s Mark Hotel. It will be open for tours and a river cruise has already sold out.
“We’re bringing it here for two reasons,” said Jerry Spinks, part of the host committee and a board member of the Jacksonville Historical Society, which is sponsoring the visit. “The Liberty ship history is significant for Jacksonville and also we want to show the benefits of what we call ‘heritage tourism.’
“History can produce revenue for a city and our maritime history is significant.”
Liberty ships carried cargo from the United States to foreign nations during World War II and almost 3,000 were built. The St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, which was on the site of what’s now The Shipyard development downtown, built 82. There are three Liberty ships remaining; the Brown was not built here, but it virtually identical to the ones which were.
The ship will be open for tours each day for a $5 donation to the Liberty Ship Foundation. There will be field trips by local scouting units and the Navy League’s Sea Cadets program, plus the six-hour “Voyage Into History” on June 8 will have 750 passengers, who paid $125 each.
The Adam’s Mark will sponsor a welcoming reception Thursday.