The USS Adams was the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers. It was commissioned in 1960 and provided national security, serving for 30 years. The USS Adams is going to spend its retirement in Jacksonville as a maritime museum and entertainment venue and will open to the public in early 2015.
Recently, the Jacksonville City Council agreed to the Jacksonville Historic Ship Association’s lease agreement and handed helm to the Downtown Investment Authority.
USS Adams will be an extension of The Elbow music and entertainment district, just down East Bay Street from Terrell • Hogan’s Blackstone Building; it will be moored at the Northbank shipyards across from the Maxwell House plant.
“This process has been six years in the making and City Council approval is a huge milestone that takes us ever closer to the goal of having the Adams here” said Joe Snowberger, Commodore and CEO of the USS Adams Museum. Snowberger said the project is initially being funded without taxpayer money and is relying solely on private donations. The USS Adams will be Florida’s first Naval Warship Museum.
On November 9^th at the 3rd Annual Salute to Veterans’ Race, more than 500 supporters ran through downtown to honor US veterans as well as raise awareness and funds for the USS Adams Museum.
When Terrell • Hogan president, Wayne Hogan, heard about the project he was on board from the start, donated $10,000.00 and said, “To put it in nautical and military terms, the Adams will be a beacon for Downtown, recom­mis­sioning the waterfront and saluting Jacksonville’s naval heritage. As our Terrell • Hogan law firm launches our fifth decade downtown, we’re sure many others will come aboard and support the mission.”
There are several ways you can do your part to help BRING HOME THE ADAMS! Oppor­tu­nities include assisting with fundraising efforts, volunteering at the Visitor’s Center at the Jacksonville Landing or donating neces­sities for the USS ADAMS Museum. For more details, visit, USSAdams.com.
Museum ship advocates could get the USS Adams ‘any day now’