Commissioned in December 1896, the USS Brooklyn was the Navy’s third armored cruiser, after the New York and the famously ill-fated Maine.

Weighing in at more than 9,000 tons, Brooklyn boasted eight 8-inch guns, 12 5-inch guns, and four 6-pounder guns.

She was crewed by a complement of 561 enlisted men and officers, commanded by Captain Francis Augustus Cook.

After her first assignment carrying American dignitaries to Britain for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, Brooklyn cruised through the West Indies.

During the Spanish-American War, Brooklyn fought in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, helping to destroy the Spanish Caribbean Squadron and suffering the only American casualties of the engagement.

The vessel saw further service in the Philippines, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Mediterranean before finally being placed out of commission in 1921.

These 1896 photos by the Detroit Photographic Company offer an impressive look at the ship's armaments and features, as well as an intimate record of the pastimes and diversions of the sailors on board.