Bring the Olympia home to the San Francisco Bay Area
The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation (MIHPF) board voted
unanimously on April 27, 2011 to support an expression of intent to
acquire the USS OLYMPIA for display in Dry Dock #1 at Mare Island.
The Olympia is the oldest surviving steel hulled warship in the
world most famous for her role as Admiral Dewey’s flagship in
decimating the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay at the outbreak of the
Spanish American War. MIHPF was Founded in1995, and currently
operates a 50,000 sq. ft Museum, and cares for 2 Mansions on
Officer's Row, as well as St. Peter's Chapel with the most Tiffany
windows in the West.
The Navy Yard Association of Mare Island which has been supporting bringing the OLYMPIA back to the San Francisco Bay Area petitioned the MIHPF to take the lead in the acquisition of the OLYMPIA and will now align their efforts with the MIHPF to raise the necessary funds to bring this historic ship to Mare Island. Donors may deduct donations to the MIHPF for Olympia to the full extent of the law.
Acquiring the OLYMPIA is consistent with the MIHPF Articles of Incorporation to promote awareness and to educate the public about the history, crafts, arts, and industries, as well as the Historic Shipyard at Mare Island. The OLYMPIA represents a period in Navy history related to history, crafts and industries of Mare Island, because she operated from Mare Island Navy Yard from 1892 to1895.
The MIHPF plans to submit an expression of interest to the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia for obtaining the OLYMPIA no later than September 1, 2011. The display of a historic ship as a museum in Mare Island’s Dry-Dock #1 has long been a goal of the MIHPF and has been embraced by the City of Vallejo’s Reuse Plan for Mare Island and has been incorporated into City planning documents for the future use of the former shipyard. Acquisition of the OLYMPIA would fulfill this goal.
Donations to support this historic venture are being sought to bring OLYMPIA home to Mare Island. For more information regarding donations see Donor List on this web site or see http://www.mareislandhpf.org/.
She's Survived:
1- Combat duty in the Spanish American War
2- Anti-submarine duty during WW1
3- The Russian Revolution while on duty in Murmansk
4- Years of neglect during the great depression
5- Efforts to scrap her for iron during WW2
Now she needs our help to address years of corrosion damage and to bring her to a home where she can continue to tell her story.
USS Olympia is launched at Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California on November 5, 1892
Take a virtual tour of the Olympia
http://nonplused.org/panos/uss_olympia/
The Navy Yard Association of Mare Island which has been supporting bringing the OLYMPIA back to the San Francisco Bay Area petitioned the MIHPF to take the lead in the acquisition of the OLYMPIA and will now align their efforts with the MIHPF to raise the necessary funds to bring this historic ship to Mare Island. Donors may deduct donations to the MIHPF for Olympia to the full extent of the law.
Acquiring the OLYMPIA is consistent with the MIHPF Articles of Incorporation to promote awareness and to educate the public about the history, crafts, arts, and industries, as well as the Historic Shipyard at Mare Island. The OLYMPIA represents a period in Navy history related to history, crafts and industries of Mare Island, because she operated from Mare Island Navy Yard from 1892 to1895.
The MIHPF plans to submit an expression of interest to the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia for obtaining the OLYMPIA no later than September 1, 2011. The display of a historic ship as a museum in Mare Island’s Dry-Dock #1 has long been a goal of the MIHPF and has been embraced by the City of Vallejo’s Reuse Plan for Mare Island and has been incorporated into City planning documents for the future use of the former shipyard. Acquisition of the OLYMPIA would fulfill this goal.
Donations to support this historic venture are being sought to bring OLYMPIA home to Mare Island. For more information regarding donations see Donor List on this web site or see http://www.mareislandhpf.org/.
She's Survived:
1- Combat duty in the Spanish American War
2- Anti-submarine duty during WW1
3- The Russian Revolution while on duty in Murmansk
4- Years of neglect during the great depression
5- Efforts to scrap her for iron during WW2
Now she needs our help to address years of corrosion damage and to bring her to a home where she can continue to tell her story.
USS Olympia is launched at Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California on November 5, 1892
Take a virtual tour of the Olympia
http://nonplused.org/panos/uss_olympia/