1898 USS Olympia trying to come home

[OldHoodoo]

The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation is attempting to save what is probably the one surviving US Warship that is equal to the USS Constitution of Ware of 1812 fame, the 1898 USS Olympia. I won't bother you with the history, it's easy to find and you ought to know it. Now, I am from Texas, I don't have a single thing to gain from telling you this, however, I absolutely am dedicated to saving unique parts of our Nation's history and the USS Olympia is one of the Keystones of our historic preservation. The old ship, it's not very large, is still beautiful from the topside but the lower hull has had it....the ship is in Philladelphia but Philly is giving it up and either an entity like Mare Island takes it or the Olympia will be lost very soon. The Olympia was launched from Mare Island in 1893 and it's main history was in protecting the west coast but it did far more than that. Despite what some people are saying the Olympia's lower hull under the waterline is in terrible shape and it must be more than patched but the ship is literally pricesless and it would be a great attraction for the San Fransisco area. Owning the Olympia would be a national trust. Philly made the mistake of treating it like a local landmark and let the maintenance of the vessels hull get away from it. It needs a permanent drydock and Mare Island has one! Whether you want it for San Francisco or not the Olympia needs emergency repairs now or no one is going to get it and we will be depriving our future generations of their historical heritage. The National Trust for Historic Preservation USS Olympia site is directly putting donations into emergency repairs for the his ship. This action is endorsed by the Mare Island Foundation as they know that to have a chance to get the ship the ship has to survive. The crisis is now for the
Olympia. The Olympia in many ways is San Francisco's baby, will it help now?
Contact your friends, celebrities, anyone that might help save this ship on a national level. Get out the word. Tomorrow may be to late! Not only San Francisco, but California and the Nation has a stake in this! Saving the Olympia is not only retaining the past but it is an investment in so many ways. I promise to visit San Francisco if the Olympia is moved there, but it is only going to happen with your effort!

[RiponredTJ]

Are you guys having any luck with this worthwhile project?

[OldHoodoo]

I don't know how the Mare Island project is doing, I have to remain neutral in that regard. I am very discouraged at trying to get national media attention to the Olympia, there is a huge wall of apathy and ignorance to overcome and I am afraid that the old fashioned kind of patriotism is fading...maybe it's just getting drowned out. I'm talking about the quiet patriotism that gets things done, not the patriotism that looks for whats in it for me, not these people who wear their patriotism on their sleeves and try to find ways to be outraged at the other guy and put people down. I'm pretty tired. In the beginning I picked up some very good people who are still involved but for some reason the group is not expanding. Are we the only ones out there that recognize the value of the Olympia to our nations heritage? I don't care where the Olympia is displayed, just that it survives for more appreciative generations that we seem to only want to saddle with burdens without preserving and protecting our great history.