Monday, June 24, 2013



149 years ago today, on June 24th, 1864, Confederate artillery and cavalry forces captured USS Queen City, a converted "tinclad" river gunboat, while she was off Clarendon, Arkansas on the White River.

The gunboat had originally been built as a commercial ferry, but was acquired by the Navy soon after she was built.  The Navy converted her to a gunboat and commissioned her on April 1st, 1863.  Her armament varied during her career.  Originally armed with six guns, by October 1863, she carried nine - two 30-pound Parrott rifles (probably the two guns visible forward), two 32-pound smoothbore cannon, four 24-pound howitzers and a 12-pound gun.

She was intentionally destroyed by Confederate forces on the same day she was captured, when another Federal gunboat, USS Tyler, approached in an effort to recapture the ship.



Photographs courtesy of the Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, DC.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Delayed Opening

Due to a community event that will force several local road closures, AIMM will open at 2:30 PM on Sunday, June 23, 2013.  We will resume our normal summer hours on Wednesday, June 26.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Behind the Scenes - Building an Exhibit


There is A LOT of work that goes into a new exhibit.

This picture shows Assistant Curator and Education Director Allison Hiblong working on the "Captain's Cabin" exhibit.

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

USS Arkansas (BB-33) Participates in Presidential Review


On this day in 1927, the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-33) participated in a Presidential Naval Review off Cape Henry, Virginia.  President Calvin Coolidge, aboard the Presidential Yacht Mayflower, watched as 98 different vessels steamed past.

Arkansas had only just completed an extensive modernization at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and was preparing to return to active service.

Saturday, June 01, 2013

AIMM Closed Today Due to Weather

AIMM will be closed today, June 1st, due to the severe weather in the area.

We apologize for any inconvinience.