The yacht is launched on May 14, 1929 at the New York Yacht, Launch and Engine Company yard in Morris Heights, New York. At the time of her launching, her original name is "Junaluska" in honor of the beautiful lake in North Carolina contained within the vast land holdings where her first owner spent his childhood summers.

George Callendine Heck, who commissioned the yacht to be the largest ever built by the yard, is a partner in a Wall Street investment firm. During the glamorous 1920's, Mr. Heck intends to use the yacht to commute from his two estates on Long Island to Wall Street, asking for her low profile design in order to avoid having the bridges opened during his commute to work.

Mr. Heck is a member of the prestigious New York Yacht Club when the ship is built and launched. He finds himself in good company as the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club at this time is Vincent Astor and the officer in charge of the Newport, Rhode Island outstation is J.P. Morgan.

Mr. Heck is also a member of the historic Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club in Oyster Bay, Long Island.

Watch our narrated DVD presentation of the colorful history of the MV Olympus. The DVD runs for 22 minutes. Alternatively, the pages referenced below can provide an exciting pictorial glimpse into the yacht's impressive pedigree.