USS Oregon in the Spanish American War

[Griff Murphey]

We have our own problems here in Texas with the 1914 commissioned dreadnought BB USS TEXAS BB-35 which needs to be dry moored. It was dry-docked and the hull repaired at Todd Shipyard in Galveston in the 90's but.... surprise, almost 30 years later it needs it again. This time they don't think it could survive the voyage.

[Kragrifle]

I’m from Houston (live in Arkansas now) and remember running all over the Texas moored out by the San Jacinto battleground. I have not seen the USS Olympia since my daughter graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006. Time gets away from you! Always thought SOMEONE would maintain these historic ships, but maybe they’re tied up with their phones!

[Art]

I’m from Houston (live in Arkansas now) and remember running all over the Texas moored out by the San Jacinto battleground. I have not seen the USS Olympia since my daughter graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006. Time gets away from you! Always thought SOMEONE would maintain these historic ships, but maybe they’re tied up with their phones!

I remember when Ted Poe was a District Judge in Houston in the 1970s he was famous for creative sentencing. One of his favorites was sentencing people to community service chipping paint on the battleship Texas .

When states or cities get these old ships as museums they always seem to fail to comprehend the cost of maintenance. As was mentioned above the Texas went into the Todd shipyard for maintenance, their was some question as to whether she'd make it that time but it was dry dock her or break her up. On that occasion the Feds matched the state of Texas in raising the $20 million odd dollars for the job. 40% of the underwater hull was replaced at that time and if she goes in again the other 60% will almost surely be replaced.

The old girl looked great when she came out but as you said we have the same problem, sitting in salt water for almost 30 years now and it's fish or cut bait time again. The cost of repair and dry birthing the ship which is the only real long term solution is going to cost $60-$75 million and the fund is at least $40 million short as of today, so it's patch, patch, patch.


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M1 rifles on the battleship Texas 2015

[psteinmayer]

I visited the USS Olympia C-6/CA-15 when I was in Philadelphia on business. While touring the ship, I struck up a conversation with one of the volunteers and discovered that we both served in the same rating on sister ships (I on USS Ranger CV-61 and he on USS Forrestal CV-59) at the same time. He then took me on a private tour of the engineering spaces below decks! All in all, I spent about 6 hours with him below decks, and had an amazing time! The Olympia is an incredible ship with equally incredible history... and it's a travesty how she is being allowed disintegrate. The same can be said for the Battleship USS Texas BB-35... another museum ship that is in danger of disintegration!

[Dick Hosmer]

Thanks, Jon - I suspected as much. The little book from years ago, "McKinley's Bulldog", makes (IIRC) it sound as if the first they'd seen of her was roaring past in full chase of the Spanish escapees.

[Fred]

In our house, which was built in 1905, we've a window in what used to be the front door that has its original etched glass pane of the USS Olympia. There was a turn of the century company in Omaha that used to make these types of windows. There couldn't be many of these still around. Sorry the photo is on its side. This forum won't allow me to post Verticle oriented photos.

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[Ned Butts]

Very interesting

[Fred]

Now the window pane, still in its original door and entranceway, is at the entrance to our Library, which used to be the original front room.

IMG_2474.jpg

[Fred]

Another of these was found years ago around the Omaha area I think it was. The owner had been told that it could've been originally from the USS Olympia. Of course the owner learned it wasn't and so was quite disappointed.
Hell, they're rare today because after more than a century, almost all of them have been destroyed. Abandoned in old farm and ranch homes where they were destroyed by the elements or shattered by children throwing rocks, and only some very few were salvaged...maybe.

[leftyo]

ive seen one or two of them windows over the years, and imo are a very neat piece to have.