Constitution
Gallery
Click thumbnails for larger views |
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USS
Constitution
was built in Boston in 1797
(USS Constitution Website) |
Constitution
is the oldest
ship in the U.S. Navy
(Navy recruiting poster) |
In
her most famous battle
she destroyed the HMS
Guerrier in the War of 1812 |
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For
years, Constitution
was used as a Navy barracks
(Library of Congress) |
In
the 1930s she was
completely restored as a
museum ship |
Each
summer Constitution
does a tug-assisted turn-
around in Boston Harbor |
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Constitution
is docked at
the Charlestown Navy Yard
near downtown Boston |
You
can get there by car
tour bus, or a 15-minute walk
from North Station |
Security
is tight on the ship -
much like airport security |
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Here's
Constitution
at her
dock in Boston |
Click
the plan above for a
virtual ship tour on the
USS Constitution Website |
Deadeyes
are used to adjust
the standing rigging |
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| Stern
view of the ship |
Note
the line of people
on the gangplank |
The
Captain's gig |
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The
Spar Deck - looking
toward the bow |
Cannons
line the Spar Deck
and Gun Deck |
The
capstan is used
to haul in lines |
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Here's
the helm -
the two wheels allow
for more manpower |
The
lines are kept
well organized |
Catheads
are used in handling the anchors |
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The
worm and rammer are
used to clean and load
the cannons |
Some
Navy guides
wear period uniforms |
Various
types of shot
for the cannons |
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A
manually-operated
bilge pump |
The
grog tub held the grog -
a daily ration for each man |
Here'
the scuttle butt - the
ship's water fountain |
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Polite
Navy
seamen are the
tour guides |
Constitution's
bow against
the Boston skyline |
USS
Constitution - as seen
from the water |
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is definitely not a shipwreck. But it is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy. The Constitution is a famous New England-built ship, and a rare surviving example of early warship construction. On permanent exhibit in Boston Harbor, the Constitution is available for touring year-round and free of charge. When you visit Boston, be sure to tour the USS Constitution.
