USS Olympia (C-6) Off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, circa July 1895. Photo from the William H. Topley Collection, courtesy of Charles M. Loring, Napa, CA, 1972.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 76121.

USS Olympia (C-6) At Hong Kong, circa April 1898, probably just prior to the declaration of war. Olympia has been repainted from peacetime "white and buff" into wartime grey. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Dutreaux Collection.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 84575.

USS Olympia (C-6) Photographed in 1898-99, while serving as flagship of Admiral George Dewey, Commander in Chief of the Asiatic Squadron. Courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, KS, 1967.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 43346.

USS Olympia (C-6) Photographed by Hart, New York, upon her return to the United States in 1899. She is flying the four-star flag of Admiral George Dewey.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 2894.

USS Olympia (C-6) Photograph copyright 1899 by E. Chickering. Collection of Paymaster William R. Pattison.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 93400.

USS Olympia (C-6) In New York Harbor following her arrival from Manila, circa late September 1899. The original photograph was copyright by B.L. Singley and published on a stereograph card by the Keystone View Company. Note small steam launch in left foreground, with a rowed water "taxi" boat beyond. Courtesy of Louis Smaus, 1985.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 100316.

USS Olympia (C-6) Oil on canvas by Francis Muller, circa 1900, showing Olympia leading a column of cruisers. Courtesy of the Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC. Navy Art Accession #: 44-6-I.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 47388-KN.

Close up image of the USS Olympia stern plate, Boston Navy Yard, 1901.

Digital ID: ggbain 03312 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

Starboard quarter while at anchor in 1902.

Taken by E. Muller.

Starboard quarter while at anchor in 1902 (same as above but cropped differently).

Taken by E. Muller.

Port Bow, February 10 1902.

Image # (19-N-13918).

The four CLs that were scrapped in Drydock #4 at the Philadelphia NSY were: Omaha (CL-4), Cincinnati (CL-6), Raleigh (CL-7) and Marblehead (CL-12).
I have two documents from the 4th Naval District, and of course they give different completion dates for the scrapping of these ships. The first document (dated 1 Apr 46) indicates that scrapping was completed on 27 February of that year; the second document (also dated 1 April 46) gives the completion date as 10 March 1946.
(My notes also indicate that scrapping was completed at the yard on nine ex-destroyer types as of 29 March 46: Litchfield (DD-336), Pruitt (DD-347), Jouett (DD-396), Clark (DD-361), Balch (DD-363), Sampson(DD-394), Schley (DD-103), Stringham (DD-83) and Whipple (DD-217).

The remaining CLs; Detroit (CL-8), Trenton (CL-11), Richmond (CL-9), Concord (CL-10) and Memphis (CL-13) were all sold to the Patapsco Scrap Co. of Baltimore. The sales bid (B-76-47AV T) was opened on 6 Dec 46; the five ships were sold for $336,140 (or $67,228 each), and custody of the ships was transferred to Patapsco between 27 December 46 and 21 January 47.
Note also that the attached photo distinctly shows that both cruisers have all four funnels--I think it's an optical illusion that either of these had had any of them removed.

The "light colored objects" in front of the two cruisers might "possibly" be barbettes from the Illinois (BB-65). According to drawings in the 1945 "Gun Mount and Turret Catalog", these two items appear to be about the same diameter as the barbettes for the two BBs' Tennessee & California; 14"/50 triple gun turrets; inside diameter 31 feet, from the same source -- outside diameter would have been about 33 feet. The Illinois barbettes would have an inside diameter about 37 1/4 feet, outside diameter rather over 39 feet.

USS Olympia (IX-40), still in her haze grey paint, being pushed by tugs to her new home in Philadelphia, September 1957

Treasure Island Museum-SFCB

Robert Hurst

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