USS Constitution, Historic naval frigate museum in Charlestown, Boston, US
USS Constitution is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston. Her black hull carries a broad white stripe above a red lower section, with round gunports and a black-and-gold bow decoration with a figurehead; three masts cross many horizontal yards, most sails furled or hanging in pale tan folds, and an American flag flies from the stern. Laid down in 1794 and launched in 1797, she is the oldest naval vessel still afloat.
Laid down on 1 November 1794 at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston and launched in 1797, she was one of six frigates authorized by the Naval Act of 1794. Her 21-inch oak hull resisted British shot in the War of 1812, earning the name Old Ironsides. Retired in 1881, she became a museum ship in 1907.
The ship is still a commissioned US Navy vessel, and her 75 active-duty officers and sailors run ceremonies, educational programs and free tours year-round. The nickname "Old Ironsides" comes from the War of 1812 fight with HMS Guerriere, when British shot was said to bounce off her thick oak sides.
Access to the ship requires climbing steep wooden stairs, and the below-deck passageways are not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. The adjacent museum offers accessible exhibits and provides a good alternative if navigating the tight quarters aboard proves difficult.
The ship sails into Boston Harbor once a year to fire its cannons and turn around, ensuring both sides of the hull weather evenly over time. This tradition draws thousands of spectators to the waterfront and has continued for decades without interruption.
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