Explore America’s greatest maritime treasures with our comprehensive guides to historic battleships, such as USS Missouri and USS Iowa, iconic lighthouses that shaped American history, and the stories of historic ships that served Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Lighthouse, warship, and museum travel guides
Battleship Missouri and our naval heritage
Nothing stirs pride in the hearts of navy veterans and American history enthusiasts than the enormous battleships of World War II. The legendary USS Missouri, USS Iowa, USS Wisconsin, and USS New Jersey represent the pinnacle of naval engineering. They’re among the most important preserved artifacts of American history. You can visit these historic vessels in their host cities and experience firsthand the maritime heritage that shaped our nation. The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Veteran Warships contains all the information you need to plan your trip to these historical treasures, as well as nearly 250 other vessels from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century. Read the foreword by brilliant maritime historian Nathanial Howe.
Historic lighthouses illuminate America’s coastal heritage
Lighthouses have been essential guardians of American history, guiding ships along America’s shores since the 18th century. These iconic beacons represent centuries of maritime tradition and coastal heritage. You can visit nearly all 750 of these amazing lighthouses, from the oldest in St. Augustine, Florida to the newest near Charleston, South Carolina. The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Lighthouses is a comprehensive travel guide to these preserved treasures of American history, complete with hours of operation, contact information, and detailed maps showing lighthouse locations in the Northeast, Great Lakes, West Coast, and the Gulf Coast.
Maritime museums preserve American history for family outings
Looking for a unique way to explore American history with the family? Take the kids or grandkids to a maritime museum! These often little-known but amazing institutions educate visitors about our rich maritime heritage and preserve the nautical stories that helped build America. You’ll find a complete listing in the Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime Museums. Many museums feature famous tall ships or veteran warships such as battleship Missouri and battleship Iowa, offering engaging lectures, interactive exhibits, and educational programs suitable for all ages that bring American history to life. Discover that hidden maritime museum near you today.
Schooner Wawona: Seattle’s lost tall ship
Pacific Northwest ship history shapes regional American heritage
From 1897 to 1947, the three-masted schooner Wawona sailed the west coast of North America from Los Angeles / San Pedro to the Bering Sea, carrying lumber to build California cities and fishing for cod to feed Seattle’s families. Her story is an integral part of Pacific Northwest American history. Read her amazing story in Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona, written from thousands of pages of records, letters, and photos collected by her owners and crew. Civic-minded leaders preserved Wawona as a museum ship until 2009, when her deteriorating condition forced her to be demolished, though parts were preserved in local museums as important pieces of American history. However, her memory lives on.
Blowing Out the Stink: Life on a Lumber and Cod Schooner, 1897-1947
Blowing Out the Stink—a fisherman’s phrase for doing laundry at sea—tells the story of the lumber and cod schooner Wawona and the quirky adventures of her captains and crews in the North Pacific. Learn about the innovations of Wawona’s builder, H.D. Bendixsen. Capt. Ralph E. “Matt” Peasley, “the big overgrown kid,” became the most famous ship captain in America. Capt. Charles Foss called on the heavens for a breeze by wearing his wife’s hats. And the crew caught hundreds of tons of cod in the stormy Bering Sea while secretly fermenting shipboard wine with canned fruit and sourdough starter. Blowing Out the Stink recreates a world that ended with the last sailing ships.
Remembering Dave Wright, one of Wawona’s last crew members.
An inspiring American history story for young adults
Author J.G. Follansbee, who wrote Wawona’s history, makes the maritime heritage of that era accessible to young people with the young adult adventure novel, The Stowaway’s Secret. Set in the 1930s during a fascinating chapter of American history, when a fleet of vessels like Wawona fished for cod, the novel tells the story of 13-year-old Lisbet “Bet” Lindstrom and her quest to clear her father of an accusation of embezzlement. She sails with the cod fishing crew to the Bering Sea, where she learns to fish from a dory and faces the man she believes framed her father.
Frequently asked questions
Which battleships can I visit and where are they located? You can visit several battleships, such as USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Veteran Warships provides detailed information about ship locations for more than 250 historic vessels.
How many lighthouses are featured in your guides? The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Lighthouses includes information on 750 historic lighthouses from coast to coast, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Do any of the maritime museums have children’s programs? Yes! Many maritime museums listed in the Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime Museums have specific programs and exhibits for children, including hands-on experience. They’re perfect places to take kids and grandkids for a life-enhancing experience.
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