Six groups, 2 of them local, want to take over Dewey's ship Olympia

Will the last surviving warship of the Spanish-American War stay in Philadelphia or set sail for another port?

A half-dozen nonprofit organizations from the East Coast to the West are seeking to take over the Olympia, a fixture on the waterfront for more than 50 years.

Two Philadelphia groups and others from Vallejo, Calif; Washington; Baltimore; and Beaufort, S.C., have submitted applications to become caretaker of the world's oldest steel-hulled warship.

"It is very encouraging that there are so many organizations stepping up," said John Brady, interim chief executive officer of the Independence Seaport Museum, the Olympia's current steward. "We look forward to working with them on the ongoing preservation of this great ship."

Tens of thousands of people have visited the historic ship at Penn's Landing and been enthralled by colorful stories of its crucial role in the war with Spain in 1898. They've marvelled at big guns, massive steam engines, and wood-paneled officers' quarters.

Giving up the ship, though, has become necessary, because the museum can no longer afford its upkeep. Millions of dollars are needed to restore, interpret, and endow the deteriorating vessel.

A review panel made up of the museum, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Navy, the National Park Service, and the Council of American Maritime Museums will study the applicants' submissions and "start narrowing the field," museum spokeswoman Hope Corse added.

The nonprofits must provide business and environmental plans by April 1. A mooring, towing, maintenance, and curatorial plan must be submitted by Nov. 1, 2012. The secretary of the Navy must give approval for final transfer, which would likely take place in 2013.

"We're doing all we can on our end to keep the ship afloat," Corse said. "We're looking to see who emerges as the best candidate, and that will depend on the financial viability of their plan."

The six groups were among dozens of organizations, including preservationists and prospective stewards from across the country, who attended an event on the Olympia on March 30 and April 1. They issued letters of intent by the September 1 deadline.

The Olympia was authorized in 1888 and commissioned in 1895. The vessel led five other U.S. warships into Manila Bay on April 26, 1898, and fired shots to try to wrest control of the Philippines from the Spanish.