Apollo woman to display Titanic memorabilia at library

An Apollo woman is sharing her passion for the most infamous maritime disaster ever recorded.

Sarah Adams, 33, will host a free public Titantic-themed exhibit and question-and-answer event from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 at the Apollo Memorial Library.

Adams, originally from Penn Hills, read about the Titanic when she was 10 and was fascinated.

“That’s when I fell in love with her,” Adams said of the British luxury passenger liner that sank after hitting an iceberg on April 14, 1912, during its maiden voyage for New York City from Southhampton, England.

More than 1,400 died in the sinking.

Donning a custom 1900s Edwardian women’s outfit Thursday, modeled after what a first-class Titanic passenger might have worn, Adams explained her goal for the inaugural event.

Clutching two vintage 1912 books on the Titanic tragedy, Adams plans to share more than 30 items in her private collection of Titanic items, including a certified small section of the ship, called a rusticle fragment, gifted to her by a British friend affiliated with White Star Memories.

The fragment is one of 200 rustic pieces of the Titanic certified in 2020 as being recovered by the Research and Recovery Dive Team of the RMS Titanic expedition from the wreck site.

“Ships are always called ‘her’ by sailors. I don’t think I have a connection to anyone from the Titanic, but I’m adopted, so who knows,” said Adams, who has Irish and Scottish ancestors. “I secretly hope I do.”

Joyce Hanz | TribLive

The Titanic collection of Apollo resident Sarah Adams includes these vintage 1912 books about the disaster.

Attendees can expect to peruse Adams’ collection and discuss any and all Titanic topics.

The library will provide handouts with Titanic links if attendees want to learn more.

“We’ll have resources where people can look up full passenger lists and learn more about the Titanic,” Adams said. “I’m very excited. I want the community to not forget her, even though it’s been 112 years. She’s not disappearing anytime soon.

“I have been collecting about five years, and I try and look for deals, but it can be pricey,” Adams said.

Adams noted two famous Pennsylvanians averted the tragedy even though they were booked to sail on the ill-fated luxury ship, dubbed unsinkable by man — Pittsburgh’s Henry Frick and his wife, and Milton Hershey and his wife.

“Frick’s wife hurt her ankle in Italy and that delayed their trip,” Adams said.

One of her goals is to find every Titanic survivor’s grave who was buried in Pennsylvania.

“I visited survivor Sophie Abraham’s grave in Greensburg. She survived the sinking, and I put flowers on her grave,” Adams said. “It took some searching. And when we couldn’t find it immediately, we spoke with two workers that we happened to bump into. They immediately knew who we spoke of and said, ‘Oh! The Titanic lady.’ ”

Apollo library director Beth Moore said offering unique, free events with enthusiastic presenters such as Adams is welcome.

“She is so interested in the history of the Titanic and its sinking. We talk about it every time she comes into the library,” Moore said. “She’s really proud of her collection, and we’re happy to be able to give her the opportunity to share it.”