Topics in Chronicling America - The Building of the Titanic

On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic left Southampton, England on her maiden voyage to New York City. Even before this first voyage the Titanic had already made headlines, starting with the announcement of its planned construction in 1908 and later when construction began in 1909. Designed to be the largest, most luxurious passenger steamship in the world and thought to be 'unsinkable,' the Titanic is now most often remembered because of its tragic sinking. Read more about it!

Jump to: Sample Articles

Important Dates:

• 1908: Construction of Olympic and its sister ship Titanic announced. Olympic will be completed first.
• March 31, 1909: Construction on Titanic begins.
• May 31, 1911: Titanic is launched, engines and interior have not yet been installed.
• March 31, 1912: Titanic construction is completed.
• April 10, 1912: Titanic begins its maiden voyage.

Suggested Search Terms:

• [Try the following terms in combination, proximity, or as phrases using Search Pages in Chronicling America.] Titanic, Olympic, White Star line, Belfast, construction, ship, vessel.
• Only search April 14, 1912 and before, or else all the articles will be about the Titanic's disaster, not its construction.
• Before the Titanic disaster, the word “titanic” was a very common adjective, so be sure to use one of the additional words in proximity when searching.

Sample Articles from Chronicling America:

• "White Star Line to build Biggest Ships Yet Projected," Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA), April 23, 1908, Page 1, Image 1, col. 6.
• "Mammoth Liners Puzzle Officials," The Washington Times (Washington, DC), October 2, 1908, Page 9, Image 9, col. 4.
• "One Million for a Starter," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), January 3, 1909, Page 7, Image 59, col. 6.
• "Harbor, River and Marine News," The Pensacola Journal (Pensacola, FL), May 12, 1909, Page 7, Image 7, col. 2.
• "Two New Giants of Sea," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), May 30, 1909, Page 8, Image 59, col. 3.
• "New Liners as Two Masters," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), July 9, 1909, Page 7, Image 7, col. 2.
• "The World’s Largest Vessel, the Titanic, Now Being Built," The Daytona Daily News (Daytona, FL), January 8, 1910, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3-4.
• "Ships to be the Largest," The Washington Herald (Washington, DC), January 23, 1910, Second Part, Page 1, Image 14, col. 2.
• "Monster Liners," Deseret Evening News (Great Salt Lake City, UT), February 4, 1910, Page 3, Image 3, col. 2-3.
• "Tells of New Liners Soon to be Launched," New-York Tribune (New York, NY), July 11, 1910, Page 3, Image 3, col. 1-2.