A chilly morning wind greeted the photographers and residents who gathered at the East End to catch a glimpse of history as the SS United States, following its journey from Philadelphia, was towed into Mobile. It is expected to arrive this afternoon to the Modern American Recycling & Repair Services facility at 601 S. Royal St., south of downtown.

The luxury liner SS United States completed its journey Monday from South Philadelphia to Alabama, where it will undergo preparations before it is sunk in the waters off Florida's Gulf Coast to become an artificial reef.

Okaloosa County commissioners voted in October to buy the SS United States for $10 million and use it as an artificial reef. It’s estimated that the economic benefit will be $3 million a