It’d be an utter shame of the Olympia was cut up, but in all fairness, much of what you see above the waterline today isn’t from the original ship anyway. She was modified heavily after the Spanish-American war at several different times. Much of what you see of the superstructure was put there after WW2. Still, there’s a lot that’s original as well.
Having been the ship that returned the Unknown Soldier from France after WW1 surely would place her into the collective American consciousness, even if most Americans today have never even heard of the then-famous phrase, “You may fire when ready, Gridley.”
I’m not shocked to hear of the fragile state of the hull, having been to see her on the 100th anniversary of the battle at Manila. I do wonder if the recent addition of the USS New Jersey just across the river from the Olympia might have boosted interest in another battle wagon of the earlier generations.
It’s not in a great place to be seen. I used to visit the ship when I was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, but found even then that parking was a nightmare. I returned there last July (with my wife) and was hoping to see the Olympia again, but there was some kind of festival on that side of the river and a country music concert at the stadium on the New Jersey side of the river, preventing me from seeing either battle wagon. I’m still fuming over that.