Battleship Maine Memorial in Nay Aug Park

I have walked past the Battleship Maine Memorial in Nay Aug Park many times, always finding it a bit odd to see it there because it does not fit with any particular theme on the grounds of the park or the Everhart Museum.   It is visually striking and quite interesting with the ten inch shell on top flanked by fish, and the porthole cover on one side.  Why is it here?  A Google search took me to the Centennial Website of the Spanish American War, and it turns out that recovered artifacts from the sunken battleship have been disseminated to towns, cities and organizations all across the country.  Thinking about it, this does seem to be a remarkably effective way to share and keep alive the memory of the lost battleship and her crew.