Railroad History Display
Food, arts, and crafts
The MacArthur tomb
Models of the Monitor (in front) and VirginiaLast of Its Kind: USS Wisconsin
The Iowa-class battleship USS Wisconsin was commissioned in 1944, during World War II. This was the last true battleship ever built. Serving with distinction in the last campaigns of the Pacific War, the ship also saw action in the Korean War and the 1991 Persian Gulf War. By the end of its long career, the Wisconsin had been modified, with new Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. That was in addition to the massive 16-inch cannons. One of these can lob a shell weighing a ton and a half (about equal in weight to a VW Beetle) over 20 miles.
The ship was also heavily armored. And, with its narrow beam, it was very fast, with a top speed well over 30 knots. They can't build them like this any more.
Unfortunately, visitors can only tour the ship's top deck. Everything below that is still off-limits. But it's well worth it. Admission is free with a ticket to the Nauticus Center.
