Water bottle used for christening USS Arizona

Water bottle used for christening USS Arizona

Bottles; Military ceremonies & parades; USS Arizona (Battleship)

Water bottle used for christening the USS Arizona. Arizona passed prohibition in June of 1915, five years before it became Federal law. Many temperate Arizonans took a dim view to using champagne to christen a ship, despite tradition. However Navy men pointed out that christening a ship with water was an ill omen. A compromise was struck and both water and wine were used.
For the christening ceremony, it was filled with water from the Roosevelt Dam in Arizona.
An additional photo shows both bottles together.

Anderson, Aengus

USS Arizona Collection (AZ 517)

1916-06-19

Donated by Esther Ross Hoggan, who christened the USS Arizona.

Permission to use must be obtained from the University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections.

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Digital photo

AZ 517 Box 42 Item 27; Accession # 74-3-1abc