As I forge ahead with my proposal to build a fully navigable, virtual Navy warship museum, several people have asked me why I chose the USS Oregon. She is one of a number of ships of the “predreadnought” period that helped to bridge the gap between sailing vessels and more modern steel warships. She existed during a period when American shipbuilding and armaments manufacturing lagged behind that of other world powers. But she was certainly not the only choice. So why did I pick her?
1) GENERAL INTEREST: Her exploits in the Spanish-American War brought a degree of fame to the Oregon. A mad dash around South America to reinforce American forces in the Caribbean, in particular, was a celebrated event. Her relatively famous stature will hopefully mean a good number of primary source materials exist to be unearthed. I found a fascinating poem about her the other day in the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) photographic collection. Here is a portion of it:
In 1900, the Oregon ran aground off China, and was in real danger of sinking. For this dramatic event, I have found not only photographs, but also firsthand descriptions of the event from the diary of Frederick Wilson, a water-tender aboard the ship. The grounding of the ship, and the ensuing rescue operations, are an example of an event that could be modeled within the virtual museum to provide a dynamic experience.
2) THE CREW: I’ve come across some good sources for life aboard the Oregon. In particular, the diary of Frederick Wilson has been an invaluable resource. He writes in great detail – and with great style – about life aboard the battleship. He provides excruciating detail on technical matters, drills, competition and animosity between the crew, holiday celebrations, and difficulties with eating, sleeping, and life before air conditioning. Additionally, I’ve spoken to the author of a biography on Admiral Joseph Reeves, who served aboard the Oregon, and I will be checking this book out as well. I’ve also uncovered and scanned an amazing series of photos of her crew at NHHC that will help to build character models of the sailors in the virtual environment.
3) THE SHIP: I have come across some excellent photos, plans, and cross-sections of the Oregon and her sister ship the Indiana. There is a great cross section of the Indiana in American Steel Navy that will help to nail down the layout of her interior spaces. I’ve found some interior photos of her on Navsource, complete with Library of Congress Call Numbers for further in-person investigation. More plans, similar to this poor resolution scan, may possibly exist in the National Archives location in College Park, where these are housed. Several as-built engineering photographs of her machinery exist in the NHHC photographic collection, which I have scanned.
Given the excellent data I’ve collected with only a cursory investigation, I’m excited about what can be found on this ship. Where gaps exist in the Oregon’s historical record, it may be possible to interpolate based on photography, plans, and journals from other ships of the period. Lastly, the cruiser Olympia, the only existing Navy steel warship of the period, is a museum ship in Philadelphia, and may serve useful as a general reference for period interiors.
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