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Photo #  NH 53536:  S.S. H.F. Alexander at San Francisco during the 1920s or 1930s


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

S.S. Great Northern (American Passenger Liner, 1915). Later renamed H.F. Alexander

S.S. Great Northern, an 8255 gross ton passenger liner, was built in 1915 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She maintained a fast (23 knot) passenger service along the Pacific Coast during the next two years and, in 1917-1922, was in U.S. Government service as the Navy transport Great Northern, Army transport Great Northern and Navy fleet flagship Columbia. Returned to merchant service following her March 1922 decommissioning, the ship was the Canadian Pacific Steamship Lines' H.F. Alexander over the following two decades. During World War II she was briefly under British ownership before rejoining the U.S. Army in July 1942. Renamed George S. Simonds later in that year, she was in Army service until March 1946. Regaining the name H.F. Alexander, she was laid up in the Maritime Commission's reserve fleet facility at Lee Hall, Virginia, from then until sold for scrapping in February 1948.

This page features all the views we have of the passenger liner Great Northern and H.F. Alexander.
It also provides links to pictures of her while in U.S. Navy and U.S. Army service.

For images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Great Northern (ID # 4569), 1917-1919;
  • USS Columbia (AG-9), 1921-1922. Ex-Great Northern; and
  • USAT Great Northern (1919-1921) and USAT George S. Simonds (1942-1946).


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

    Photo #: NH 63217

    S.S. Great Northern
    (American Passenger Liner, 1915)

    Running builder's trials, circa late 1914 or early 1915.
    This ship was constructed by the William Cramp & Sons shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was USS Great Northern in 1917-1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 535 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 69812

    S.S. Great Northern
    (American Passenger Liner, 1915)

    In port, circa 1915.
    Constructed by the William Cramp & Sons shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this ship served as USS Great Northern in 1917-1919 and as USS Columbia (AG-9) in 1921-1922.

    Courtesy of the San Francisco Maritime Museum, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105905

    S.S. Great Northern
    (American Passenger Liner, 1915)

    Photographed prior to 1917.
    This ship served as USS Great Northern (ID # 4569) in 1917-1919 and as USS Columbia (AG-9) in 1921-1922.
    The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105840-KN (color)

    S.S. Great Northern (American Passenger Liner, 1915)

    Color-tinted post card, with an artwork of the ship entering the Golden Gate at San Francisco, California. It was published by the Great Northern Pacific Steamship Company for sending messages written on board. See Photo # NH 105840-A-KN for a view of the reverse side of this card, which was mailed at San Francisco, California, on 14 August 1916, with a message describing experiences on board Great Northern.
    This ship served as USS Great Northern (ID # 4569) in 1917-1919 and USS Columbia (AG-9) in 1921-1922.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105840-A-KN (color)

    S.S. Great Northern (American Passenger Liner, 1915)

    Reverse of a post card published by the Great Northern Pacific Steamship Company for sending messages written on the ship. This card, mailed at San Francisco, California, on 14 August 1916 with a cancellation stamp for that year's Panama-California International Exposition, San Diego, California, has a message describing activities on board Great Northern.
    See Photo # NH 105840-KN for a view of the front side of this card, with an artwork depicting S.S. Great Northern entering the Golden Gate.
    This ship served as USS Great Northern (ID # 4569) in 1917-1919 and USS Columbia (AG-9) in 1921-1922.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 53536

    S.S. H.F. Alexander
    (Canadian-Pacific Steamship Lines Passenger Ship)

    At San Francisco, California, during the 1920s or 1930s.
    Completed in 1915 as S.S. Great Northern, this ship served as USS Great Northern in 1917-1919 and as USS Columbia (AG-9) in 1921-1922.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1967.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     


    The following image, captioned as "U.S.S. Great Northern" (originally S.S. Great Northern), actually shows S.S. Northern Pacific, which was of essentially identical appearance:

    Photo #: NH 106041

    S.S. Northern Pacific
    (American Passenger Liner, 1914)

    Halftone reproduction of an artwork, based on a photograph probably taken in 1914 (see Photo # NH 60664. This ship served as USS Northern Pacific in 1917-1919). Her sister, S.S. Great Northern, was USS Great Northern (ID # 4569) during the same time.
    This view was published in 1919 as one of ten images in a "Souvenir Folder" concerning USS Great Northern.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     


    For images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Great Northern (ID # 4569), 1917-1919;
  • USS Columbia (AG-9), 1921-1922. Ex-Great Northern; and
  • USAT Great Northern (1919-1921) and USAT George S. Simonds (1942-1946).


    If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 30 January 2006
    New images added 7 November 2008