U.S.S. Constitution
1797 heavy frigate of the U.S. Navy in Boston, Massachusetts. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the second oldest naval vessel still in commission, and the oldest still afloat. She was launched in 1797, one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794 and the third constructed. The name "Constitution" was among ten names submitted to President George Washington by Secretary of War Timothy Pickering in March or May for the frigates that were to be constructed. Joshua Humphreys designed the frigates to be the young Navy's capital ships, and so Constitution and her sister ships were larger and more heavily armed and built than standard frigates of the period. She was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts. Her first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Structure |
| Address | Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, MA |
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1966 |
| Listed for | Military, Politics and government |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Old Ironsides |
| Reference number | 66000789 |
| Type of place | preserved watercraft, frigate |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 structure |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, MA |
| Website | navy.mil/local/constitution ↗ |
| Coordinates | 42.3725° N, 71.0566° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Boston | 316 listed places in Boston → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Boston National Historical Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | West Hill Park 33 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Suffolk County
Local history books for Boston
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Massachusetts
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was U.S.S. Constitution listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit U.S.S. Constitution?
Probably. Places of this type are usually open to the public, but the record lists no hours; the official website will have them.
Source: Official website
Where is U.S.S. Constitution?
Boston Naval Shipyard, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The nearest national park unit is Boston National Historical Park, under a mile away.
Source: Boston National Historical Park
Where is the nomination form for U.S.S. Constitution?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near U.S.S. Constitution?
One federal campground is within reach, West Hill Park, 33 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at U.S.S. Constitution?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000789. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.