It was given the title of the "Unsinkable Ship", but on Titanic's maiden voyage one hundred years ago that title was quickly proven wrong. A century later, a local group has organized a tribute to the passengers of the Titanic. Our Bill Mich has more on the Titanic Festival in Watkins Glen.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Today, when we think of the Titanic, most of us go straight to James Cameron's movie and the love story between Jack and Rose. And while many of us have fallen in love with those characters, it is the story of the real life passengers that is the most compelling.
"She never talked about the Titanic with us at all. We were just children. But she never talked about the Titanic with my mother either," said Thomas Leary, the God son of a Titanic survivor.
Thomas Leary said he doesn't know why his great aunt, Elizabeth Rothschild never spoke about the Titanic. But he does know that Rothschild, who was a Watkins Glen native, made it onto life boat number six.
"The life boat is famous for the women who took over and said, ok, if you're not taking any initiative, we will. And so these women, and these are all kind of fashionable women of a certain age just took over and they rowed the boat over to the Carpathia and that's where they got picked up," Leary said.
This weekend in Watkins Glen is a celebration of the Titanic. The weekend includes a display at the Schuyler County Historical Society, a meet and greet with family members of Titanic passengers and Gala dinner modeled after the final First Class meal on the ship.
"I sit by the Elizabeth Barret window at the church on Sundays and I just think of the history and her life on the church and all these people coming together, it's pretty amazing. It has been a passion of mine for the last 12 to 14 years, and seeing this all tonight for the 100th anniversary is pretty special," said John Pulos, the Titanic Festival 2012 Organizer.
Titanic sank into the Atlantic at 2:20 a.m. on April 15th, 1912 and now 100 years later, we still remember those brave passengers who lived through one of the world's most tragic voyages.