USS Olympia Needs Help!

Mike Werner

Private
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Location
California
Slightly off-topic, but I hope those interested in naval history of the Civil War also care about naval history in the post war and Spanish American War period enough to read the following and take whatever action they can:

USS Olympia was launched at the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California in 1892. She was built as part of a new generation of steel naval ships, moving beyond the wooden era of the War of 1812 and the ironclad era of the Civil War. She was one of the first naval ships to have electricity and powered steering gear. She was also built with a new type of lightweight vertical triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine.

Olympia’s initial service was as flagship on the Asiatic Station. In that role, she participated in Philippines-area Spanish-American War operations. It was from her deck that Commodore George Dewey led the US Navy to defeat the Spanish Pacific fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898.

Today, Olympia is the sole floating survivor of the US Navy's Spanish-American War fleet, and is one of only a handful* of surviving naval ships in the world from this era. Due to her engines, she is registered as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark in 1977. She is located at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The museum is no longer able to fund the preservation costs for Olympia. Historic steel-hulled ships should be drydocked for maintenance every twenty years, but Olympia has been in the water continuously since 1945. Essential repairs are estimated at $30 million. This is a staggering cost to any non profit entity. Plans to scuttle the Olympia making her into an artificial reef are under consideration.

The Olympia is an important ship in US naval history, US maritime history, and Mechanical Engineering history. Please contact your representatives in the Federal Government and/or contacts in the US Navy to provide needed funds to preserve the Olympia for future generations!


Thanks


*To the best of my knowledge, these are the warships from this era that are still afloat:
Warrior - 1860
Huascar - 1865
Buffel - 1868
Schorpioen - 1868
Gannet - 1878
Olympia - 1892
Aurora - 1897
Mikasa - 1898
 
I note an article in the news today that a bunch of Billionaires have stated they will pass much of their wealth on to Charity. It would be nice if they passed some on to restoration of historical sites, etc., including the Olympia, which also produce jobs.
 
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