U.S.S. Constitution!

What Is the U.S.S. Constitution?

Known as “Old Ironsides,” this turn-of-the-19th-Century frigate is America’s oldest warship still afloat and the official Ship of State!

What Makes It Historical?

Launched on October 21, 1797 at Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard in Boston, the U.S.S. Constitution was one of six heavy frigates authorized by the Naval Act of 1794 to defend American merchants from French pirates! 207 feet long, with a top speed of 13 knots, and a 21-inch thick hull of solid oak. This design by Joshua Humphreys came with the understanding that the fledgling American navy wouldn’t compete in numbers, but in sheer power!

After a sailing duel in a Quasi-War with France, and some skirmishes during the First Barbary War, the Constitution really got put to the test during the War of 1812! She was loaded with 44 guns and a crew of 450 officers, sailors, and Marines, under Captain Isaac Hull, who’d fittingly taken the time to polish her copper hull (installed by Paul Revere) for a speed boost. She evaded an entire British squadron for a 57-hour chase, earned her famous nickname “Old Ironsides” in battle with the the HMS Guerrierre, destroyed the HMS Java and assimilated her helm, and soundly defeated both the HMS Cyane and HMS Levant!

Most ships of the time were doomed for disassembly after 10 or 15 years, but the tales of “Old Ironsides” repeatedly saved this amazing frigate from the scrapyard after the war. She underwent major repairs instead, with her original planking sold for souvenirs, even an entire carriage presented to Andrew Jackson! 1812 was her last war, though. She did diplomatic voyages, sailing around the world from 1843 to 1844, then sat out during the Civil War. A training ship for the Navy, off and on, she carried the US exhibits to the Paris Exposition of 1878 before facing more threats of scrapping and more restorations. After a hundred years of being docked as a museum, she sailed for her 100th anniversary in 1997. Today, “Old Ironsides” is happily retired at the Charlestown Shipyards with a lifetime supply of white oak being cultivated for future repairs at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division in Bloomington, Indiana!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
Volunteer at Boston National Historical Park!
Become a member of the USS Constitution Museum!
Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!