UW to MOHAI via Argosy– Centennial Celebration Tours
Nov. 11th | 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
After the UW’s annual Armistice Day Ceremony, we have a special Centennial Exhibit presented by UW Recreation and UW Libraries inside the 100-year-old Navy-built seaplane hangar located just behind Husky Stadium, on the Montlake Cut, known as the ‘ASUW Shell House’ or Canoe House (after the war, it was home to Washington Rowing, and the legendary Boys of ’36). The UW Library’s exhibit entitled, ‘Washington on the Western Front’ captures the role Seattle, and the UW played in the Great War.
Enjoy a selection of food trucks, including Main St. Gyros, on site! FREE PARKING in Lot E19 next to the Waterfront Activity Center.
Afterwards, catch a FREE Argosy Cruises boat to travel from the shores of the ASUW Shell House through the Montlake cut to south Lake Union to visit MOHAI’s special exhibit, ‘WWI America” free to veterans and active duty military during Veterans Day Weekend. Argosy will then return visitors back to the shores of UW afterwards.
UW Campus - 1918
With America's entry into World War I, training facilities were built throughout the country to meet the needs of our military forces. One such training camps was built by the Navy on the shores of Seattle's Lake Washington, on the campus of the University of Washington. As the UW was one of the only three Naval aviation ground schools established inthe country, the building of this camp included a seaplane hangar and three Burgess floatplanes that could do everything but fly, as their wings were clipped to prevent inadvertent flight. "Penguins", as they were called. Aviation cadets at the camp would receive actual flight training elsewhere in the country.
University President, Henry Suzzallo, offered all school facilities in support of the war effort. In addition to the normal military training, which had been taking place on campus prior to the war, a Naval Training Station was established on the open grounds of the campus golf course. This hangar, along with all the buildings at the camp, were designed by Captain Luther E. Gregory, the chief civil engineer for the 13th Naval District. He would go on to eventually command the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks. The completed camp was placed under Commander Miller Freeman, the pre-war commander of Washington State's Naval Militia.
You can follow the event live on Facebook for updates on conditions and sailing schedules on the day of.