The ferry Yankee, built in 1907 and weathering the storms of time, has sailed through more than a century of history.
With a charm of its own, the Yankee has four decks and spans 150 feet long. Its initial mission was to transport affluent passengers along the coast of Massachusetts, and it played a crucial role in both World Wars. During the wars, it shuttled waves of immigrants from New York Harbor to the reception center on Ellis Island, and two decades later, it continued to serve vacationers in Rhode Island.
In 2001, artists Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs acquired this last surviving ferry from Ellis Island and affectionately named it Yankee. Today, the ship has been transformed into a residence for the enigmatic family.
After extensive renovation, the ship now boasts over 5,000 square feet of ingeniously designed living space, including 11 unique bedrooms. There is even a bed in the engine room.
Today, it docks at Staten Island in New York City.
“I am honored to be the steward of this ship,” MacKenzie-Childs told The Epoch Times, “it is a historic landmark and milestone in the Western world’s development.”
For a period, this couple lived in the Upper East Side of New York and owned a thriving design company specializing in decorative arts. However, when the business faced challenges, they found themselves with nothing.
“We had nowhere to go,” MacKenzie-Childs said in a 2022 interview with Floating Orb Productions, “One day, I thought, perhaps, if we could find some kind of vessel, we could continue our work in Manhattan.”
They discussed their idea with a friend who told them about someone selling a “large, old ferry.” Without much hesitation, they committed to buying it almost immediately. The couple aimed to turn it into their art studio.
Having been used as a party boat, the Yankee was in disrepair. However, as sculptors accustomed to working with various materials, the ship was a perfect canvas for this imaginative couple.
Over the years, the Yankee had done various jobs and sailed through “the most turbulent seas.” In the First World War, the ferry transported troops to larger ships bound for Europe, and it performed the same task during the Second World War.
“It began doing all sorts of services up and down the East Coast. It couldn’t just be a ferry because during those war years, leisure travel and America’s maritime pleasure came to a standstill,” MacKenzie-Childs shared in a video.
Soon, Mrs. MacKenzie-Childs and her husband embarked on the daunting task of revitalizing this old ship.
She described how the Yankee was slowly brought back to life, with every original element carefully preserved and restored, reflecting the couple’s playful artistry and clever creativity.
The main deck is cluttered with practical tools and equipment used on the ship, piles of old trunks adding to the antique ambiance.
A lavish dining table hangs suspended from ropes on the long passenger deck, alongside an original wood stove for warmth. The deck has been transformed into an exquisite lounge area, with the piano being one of the highlights.
In the original crew quarters below deck, a true bunk bed still hangs from chains on the ceiling. The cabin also features hammocks, traditional bunk beds, and a cozy double bed. There are more small and comfortable guest cabin bedrooms below deck.
Mrs. MacKenzie-Childs has a colorful wardrobe with her own walk-in closet on board, hanging clothes and jewelry on exposed steel pipes. Adjacent is a small sewing room originally set up for repairing flags and other tasks, complete with traditional garment care facilities.
The bedrooms feature wood paneling, white linens, and porthole windows. The standalone cast iron bathtub adds a touch of luxury to the bathrooms. The grand “state” bedroom is adorned with a luxurious canopy bed and captivating paintings.
As a luxurious ferry of the early 20th century, the Yankee once transported the wealthy from Portland, Maine, to the Calendar Islands and later from Boston to Pine Island.
Initially powered by coal, the ship later switched to diesel. The couple even rekindled the engines, finding joy in hearing the whistle and the roar of the engines.
In the control room, all original machinery remains intact. Guests can catch a glimpse of the ship’s inner workings through a bell and gong communication system and hollow steel pipes used to relay emergency messages to the captain.
The walls of the cargo hold are lined with black and white photos showcasing the ship’s proud history.
The cozy salon serves as a social center, a spacious and comfortable space filled with unique antique furniture, candelabras, and a globe. Cooking takes place in the adjacent main kitchen, where the stove from 1944 still stands just as it did when the couple bought the ship.
The MacKenzie-Childs spent a lifetime transforming this giant wheel, believing that “artist” is an unhelpful term. Mrs. MacKenzie-Childs believes everyone has imagination, saying that art can be exclusive, and it’s regrettable that artists are put on a pedestal in today’s society.
“Do you know what I am? I’m unartistic,” she told The Epoch Times with her characteristic light-hearted spirit, “This word may have some negative connotations, but it does mean no guile, freedom, childlike, and open.”
She said the work on the Yankee never stops, as the ship is “always changing and evolving.”
The original article titled “This 117-Year-Old Ferry Served in Both World Wars—See How a Couple Has Transformed Its Interiors” was published on the English Epoch Times website.