DECK LOG
Will you help to save the American icon USS Olympia?
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ust imagine rhe scene that would follow if we tossed rhe Apollo 11 Command Module in a landfill or placed the Li berty Bell on rhe tracks in from of an oncoming train. A ludicrous scenario, perhaps. But, somehow the suggestion rhar it is acceptable ro row Admiral Dewey's flagship USS Olympia, an icon of the Spanish-Am erican War and rhe only ship of its kind, out ro deep water and sink her is being considered as a reasonable solution to a big problem. 1he cruiser Olympia, which has been homeported in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, since 1957 as a museum ship, is in an advanced state of decay and in dire need of a haul-out to repair the hull. The Independence Seaport Museum (ISM) in Philadelphia, which has been steward of Olympia since 1996, announced last summer that the estimated price rag for drydocking and repairs is upwards of $10 million, and that witho ut outside funding ro cover the bill , they cannot afford ro maintain the ship any longer. In March, ISM posted Transfer Application (TAPP) forms on its website (www. phillyseaporr.org) and is working with organizations that have expressed interest in raking over ownership of the vessel. To date, no one organization has been identified rhar has mer the extensive criteria required by the navy ro assume ownership of a decommissioned US Navy vessel. The ominous "solution" Cruiser Olym ia at her berth hanging over the dis c ussion in Phi delphia, 2010 about how ro best handle the situation is rhar if, in rhe end, a suitable candidate does not take over in a reasonable time frame, rhe museum has permission from the navy ro scuttle rhe ship offshore and make ir an artificial reef. This is nor a new scenario facing rhe mari rime heri rage community. In the last few years, similar threats have come from the Honol ul u Maritime Center in Hawaii regarding rhe fourmasted ship Falls ofClyde and rhe Essex Shipbuilding M useum in Massachusetts about rhe fi shing vessel Evelina M. Goulart. The harsh reality is rhar, unlike Apollo 11 or rhe Liberty Bell, which can be stored indoors in a climateconrrolled environment and have federal monies ro pay for their upkeep, our historic ships, because many are large structures and costly ro maintain, are lefr on their own, many in the care of private non-profit organizations that depend on the financial goodwill of individuals. All of these examples are potentially tragic, bur the fact that an historic artifact as important to our history as Olympia is in this type of danger forces us ro examine this problem today, as you can't put off indefinitely keeping a ship afloat. Independence Seaport came ro this decision in recognition that the cost of repairing and maintaining Olympia is overwhelming their roral budget for the museum and that the naval cruiser does nor have strong ties to rhe Delaware River region; ISM is nor a national museum in focus. In an effort ro do the right th ing, they recently hosted a Summit ro Save USS Cruiser Olympia. During discuss ions at the Summit, museum professionals and preservationists stated that the two-year deadline ISM had proposed ro fin d a new Our seafarin g heritage comes a live lakes, and bays-if you appreciate steward was nor a realistic amount of time in the pages of Sea History, from the legacy of those who sail in deep ro ensure success, and ISM seemed rethe ancient mariners of G reece to water and their workaday craft, ceptive ro adopting a more realistic rime then you belong with us. Portu guese navigators opening frame of four ro five years if necessary. up the ocean world to the heroic Jo in Today ! Preservation groups and the maritime efforts of sailors in modern-day Mail in the fo rm below, phone community responded ro the Summ it in conflicts. Each issue brings I 800 221 -NMHS (6647), or visit force, gathering from all corners of the us at: www.seahistory.org new insights and discoveries. country and abroad to offer their expertise, If you love the sea, rivers, (e-mail: nmhs@seahistory.org) advice, and "ro ll -up-the-s hi rts leeves" help. While ISM and the US Navy vet the Yes, I want to join the Society and receive Sea History quarterly. My contribution is enclosed. which have expressed interest candidates ($ 17.5 0 is for Sea History; any amount above that is tax deductib le.) Sign me up as: in taking over the ship, Olympia needs 0 $35 Regular Member 0 $50 Family Member 0 $ 100 Friend 135 0 $25 0 Parron O $500 Don or immediate help and urgent repairs are Mr./ M s. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - necessary to keep the ship from sinking at the dock. ----------------------~ZIP ______ National organizations-the National Retu rn to: National Maritime Historical Sociery, PO Box 6 8, Peekskill N Y 10566 Trust for Historic Preservation, rhe Naval
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SEA HISTORY 135, SUMMER 20 I I