The USS Charles F. Adams is coming to Jacksonville.
The Adams was the lead ship of her class of guided missile destroyers of the United States Navy. She was named for Charles Francis Adams III (Secretary of the Navy from 1929 to 1933)
The ship was laid down by the Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine, on 16 June 1958, launched on 8 September 1959 by Mrs. R. Homans, sister of Mr. Adams, commissioned on 10 September 1960, and stationed in its homeport of Charleston, South Carolina.
In July 1969, Charles F. Adams left her homeport of Charleston and relocated to Mayport, Florida. She was decommissioned in August 1990 and was being held for donation at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Pennsylvania.
Several groups around the country have tried to acquire The Adams.
Jacksonville started its efforts In October 2010, when the City Council supported efforts to bring the ship to Jacksonville as a museum. It would be preserved by the Adams Class Veteran’s Association and the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association (JHNSA)
JHNSA secured the funds necessary to show they would be financially able to preserve and display the ship. The city promised, via the Downtown Investment Authority, a long term lease to moor the ship. The state of Florida kicked in about one million dollars and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s proposal to develop the riverfront includes a location for the USS Adams.
Everything came together this past week and The Adams could dock in downtown Jacksonville by January 2018.