USS Olympia Given Another Six Months to Live

USS Olympia Given Another Six Months to Live

115-year old Museum Ship given a last minute reprieve from the scrapyard or sunk as artificial reef.

The USS Olympia museum was set to close to the public on November 22, 2010; however, this date has been extended. According to the Philadelphia-based Independence Seaport Museum’s (ISM) press release of November 18th, tours will not fully cease as previously planned. She is set to remain open to the public daily until the end of 2010 and continue on a reduced weekend-only schedule until at least April 1, 2011.

According to Captain John J. Gazzola, the Museum’s President. "The Museum, its board and our partners are working together in exploring options for the Olympia." A summit between the National Park Service, the US Navy (who operated the ship for 62-years), ISM, the Friends of the Cruiser Olympia and the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission is to be held in early 2011 to address possible solutions for the ship.

Danger Ahead for the Proud Olympia
Even though the one of a kind ship is on the list of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania, the National Register of Historic Places, is the oldest steel-hulled American warship afloat, the very triple-expansion engines inside her hulls are the are Historic Engineering Landmarks, she is a National Historic Maritime Landmark and is in “Official Project” status of Save America’s Treasures program, she is far from out of danger.

It had been discussed that without continued significant repairs and overhaul the vessel would eventually sink at her moorings on the Delaware River within a matter of a few years. Barring the funds becoming available for such an overhaul the proud ship, formerly Admiral Dewey’s flagship in the Battle of Manila Bay, could be sunk as an artificial reef off of the New Jersey coast. To add insult to injury this sentinel of history could be cut up and scrapped with her more interesting pieces showing up on eBay. Such a recent fate beheld the former HMS Intrepid which was one of the key vessels of the Royal Navy in the Falkland Islands War.

How to Help
The organization Friends of the Cruiser Olympia (email Info@CruiserOlympia.org) is trying to raise money for preservation of the ship. The group got its nonprofit status this month and has begun receiving pledges and interest from individuals and corporations. The organization need is to raise $2.5 million by January 2011 simply to take custody of the ship and begin initial work. They have to, or the deep dark sea waits.

Sources
USS Olympia seeks a new caretaker | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/26/2010
Historic warship's future may be sunk | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/23/2010
Iconic warship faces uncertain future, Charlotte Gazette, May 27, 2010
Date set for closing of USS Olympia, | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/12/2010
USS Olympia, a naval veteran of two wars, battles for survival, AP Joann Loviglio 9/6/2010
Spanish-American warship spared, at least for now | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/18/2010
Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger; Kolesnik, Eugene M Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships: 1860–1905. London: Conway Maritime Press
Independence Seaport Museum, Update on the Status of the Cruiser OLYMPIA, Press Release 11/18/2010
Manteuffel Chris and Rachel The USS Olympia, rusting symbol of America's age of empire, Washington Post 11/28/2010