FOCUS: Battleship Oregon (BB3) Exhibit, Oregon Historical Society

The Oregon Republican League encourages you to visit the Oregon Historical Society. The Oregon Historical Society Museum and Research Library are located at 1200 SW Park Avenue, in Portland, Oregon. The museum is open seven days a week, from 9 am to 9 pm, closed Christmas.

The following is reproduced from the Oregon Historical Society's introduction to the "Battleship Oregon Exhibit".

http://www.ohs.org/exhibits/battleship.cfm

Battleship Oregon: Bulldog of the Navy

The mighty battleship Oregon played a pivotal role in the Spanish-American War of 1898 and became a symbol for several decades of the United States’ naval strength.

The Oregon and two other battleships were constructed to help modernize the U.S. Navy after its post-Civil War decline. In 1891, the Union Iron Works of San Francisco began building the ship.

After it surpassed speed expectations, the well-built ship became known as the “Bulldog of the Navy” for its large foaming bow wake that resembled a bone in the teeth of a dog.

Prior to the war, the ship sailed from San Francisco through the Straits of Magellan to Florida in a record-breaking 60 days. The top-speed journey captured the hearts of the American public and later became a persuasive rationale for constructing the Panama Canal.

By the end of the Spanish-American War, the United States had established an overseas presence and become a world-class naval power.

In this exhibit, learn about

the Oregon's important role in the war
her distinguished captain
life on board
activities after the war
efforts to preserve the ship

Battleship Oregon: Bulldog of the Navy is curated by Ken Lomax and Rose Tucker Fellows Sara Lawrence-Paulson and Elizabeth Mendenhall.