MARIPOSA, MONTEREY, and MATSONIA (1956, 1957)

 

Matson invested heavily in its passenger fleet in the mid-1950s. It bought the prewar Monterey, which it had sold to the Maritime Administration after deciding it was too expensive to renovate after World War II, renamed her Matsonia, and placed her on the Hawaii run with the Lurline. To re-establish the South Seas run, two C4 freighters, the Pine Tree Mariner and Free State Mariner, were transformed into the Mariposa and Monterey. Yes, these would be an exception as they weren't newbuilds.

 

Their inclusion is due to the complete overhaul guided by Harry Neafie. The artworks commissioned for the Mariposa and Monterey were nothing less than stunning. The Matsonia, though utilizing many of the same artists, seemed to be more austere. 

 

ARTIST ROSTER - MARIPOSA & MONTEREY

Bumpei Akaji, Edna Andrade, Dorr Bothwell, Esther Bruton, Helen Bruton, Louis Bunce, Don Clever, Robert Cole, Francesco Di Cocco, Cecelia Graham, Merlin Hardy, Anna Hoffman, Sargent Johnson, James Jones, William Justema, Marian Lefcourte, Carlton Lehman, Douglas Lynch, Robert McChesney, Herbert Merris, Arvid Orbeck, Peter Ostuni, Emmy Lou Packard, Raymond Rice, Louis Ross, Martin Snipper, Jack Stewart, Margo Stewart

 

ARTIST ROSTER - MATSONIA

Edna Andrade, Dorr Bothwell, Robert Cole, Francesco Di Cocco, Cecelia Graham, Merlin Hardy, Anna Hoffman, Merle James, James Jones, Marian Norton Lefcourte, Robert McChesney, Herbert Merris, Peter Ostuni, Emmy Lou Packard, Raymond Rice, Louis Ross, Martin Snipper, Jack Stewart, Margo Stewart

 

BASIC STATS - MARIPOSA & MONTEREY

Length: 561'  |  Beam: 76'  |  Passengers: 365  |  14,800 gross tons  |  Speed: 20 knots

 

BASIC STATS - MATSONIA

Length: 641'  |  Beam: 79'  |  Passengers: 761  |  18,670 gross tons  |  Speed: 20.5 knots