The SS United States is one of the three last physically remaining trans-Atlantic ocean liners. Through her achievement as the fastest passenger ship in the world, she was a projection of power for the United States in Post-War society, exemplifying the interplay of nationalism, design, and technology during an immensely significant era. Preserving the physical ship is essential for safeguarding this heritage and maintaining a connection to the past. This thesis looks at the history of the ship from the design stage up until today, the 1998-9 National Register of Historic Places nomination’s evaluation of the ship, maritime historians’ academic literature about her, and reviews current literature on guidelines for the preservation and interpretation of historic ships and other vessels. Furthermore, it discusses the SS United States Conservancy, the owners of the ship, and its interpretation of the ship, including the 2023 renovation plan of the ship prepared for the Conservancy, and its website. This thesis raises questions about the practical use of digitization for heritage materials, and if it undermines preservation plans of the vessel. There is also discussion of the 2023 lawsuit brought against the Conservancy that could result in the scrapping of the ship, raising further questions that if the ship is scrapped, what happens to the Conservancy and its continuation of the ship’s legacy. All this information thus argues for greater recognition of the historic value of ocean liners and the need for consistent guidelines and protocols that might assist advocates in safeguarding them.