That difference in opinion has been present since the day the ship arrived in Philadelphia in July 1996. Here is how The Inquirer and Daily News covered the city’s reaction to the arrival of the SS United States:

A storied ocean liner that offered passengers regal elegance while setting trans-Atlantic speed records for decades began its final journey this week at a much more measured pace.

The SS United States is getting towed down the East Coast on its way to the Florida panhandle, where it will be sunk and turned into an artificial reef.

The SS United States, a retired ocean liner that became a Philadelphia waterfront staple, is on its way to a new home in Okaloosa County, Florida, to become part of an artificial reef.

The SS United States’ long tenure docked in South Philadelphia ended Wednesday when tugboats guide it down the Delaware River and toward its final destination off Florida's Gulf Coast.