From the Oct. 1st Wilmington (NC) Star-News "Fifty years ago, entire state rallied to bring battleship home" by Ben Steelman.
"It was the largest man made object ever to fit into the Cape Fear River--and, it almost didn't make it."
On October 2, 1961, prodded on by a flotilla of tug boats, the mighty warship, still in her postwar mothballs, was guided into its permanent berth opposite downtown Wilmington. It did not complete the journey that day, however.
Over 125,000 watched from the shore on a day featuring cold and miserable weather, including a large number of school children, despite it being a school day with no organized field trips (though there should have been for an event like this).
Since then, the ship has been a floating museum and World War II memorial. Admission back then was 50 cents for adults and 25 cents children.
The Showboat at Home Again. --DaCoot
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