Part 2 Visiting Charlestown Navy Yard

The Yard Today

The yard offers the visitor a captivating glimpse into the activities that for nearly two centuries supported the United States Navy. Here on the home front, thousands of civilian workers and navy personnel built, repaired, and supplied warships from the majestic sailing vessels of the early 19th century to the powerful steel navy of the 20th century. In 1974, the year of its closing, 30 acres of the historic yard were set aside for the National Park Service as a living museum of the Navy’s activities here. The remaining 100 acres continue to be developed as part of the revitalization of Boston’s waterfront.

Nineteenth-century buildings, docks, and piers reflect the yard’s 174-year history. The commandant’s 1805 hilltop mansion overlooked the activities below. Within view are Dry Dock 1, used by U.S.S. _Constitution_ as early as 1833 and as late as 1995, the 1842 Carpenter Shop, the 1852 Pitch House (Building 10) for caulking wooden vessels, the 1833 Officers’ Quarters, the 1813 Navy Stores (Building 5), and the 1811 Marine Barracks.

Two venerable warships, the 1797 frigate U.S.S. _Constitution_ and the powerful 1943 destroyer, U.S.S. _Cassin Young_, float alongside the working piers, illustrating the changing United States Navy. Both the _Constitution_, an active duty Navy warship, and _Cassin Young_, maintained by National Park Service rangers and volunteers, offer free tours daily.

A National Park Service exhibit, “Serving the Fleet,” and tours of the yard (_above_) provide visitors with opportunities to explore the history of the site. The USS Constitution Museum offers a rich collection of artifacts, paintings, and models relating to the history of “Old Ironsides.” The museum, located inside the Dry Dock 1 Pumphouse, is open daily to visitors.

Historic structure Historic building name Historic building letter or number Non-historic structure Freedom Trail (route subject to change) National Park Service boundary Public open space Parking

Charlestown Navy Yard’s buildings reflect the range of architectural styles employed over its long history. These structures served a variety of functions within the working yard, which was home to naval officers and their families as well as an industrial work place.

Beginning in 1853, the civilian shipyard workers living in surrounding communities, primarily Charlestown, assembled each morning to the ringing of the bell atop the octagonal Muster House. For most of the 19th century, the workers mustered there three times daily, in the morning at sunrise, at lunch, and once more in the evening before retiring to their homes at sunset.

Directing the activities was the shipyard commandant, who lived with his family and personal staff in the impressive mansion constructed in 1805. Built on the yard’s high ground, the Commandant’s House provided a bird’s-eye view of the construction and repair activities going on below.

Today the house is open to the public for special tours, and numerous activities, such as historical military encampments, take place on the expansive lawn through the summer months.

The Ships at Charlestown

The Navy’s oldest commissioned warship, United States Ship _Constitution_ and the Charlestown Navy Yard share a long history. Constructed in Boston between 1794 and 1797, “Old Ironsides” was repaired and supplied here many times during its active career. U.S.S. _Constitution_ was permanently berthed in Charlestown in 1897 and has since been open to the public for tours. Like all wooden vessels, _Constitution_ needs constant attention. In the 1920s, a major overhaul was capped with a nationwide tour. Between 1992 and 1995, _Constitution_ underwent the most significant restoration to date in the yard’s Dry Dock 1. Newly discovered drawings and descriptions were used to help skilled naval shipwrights restore the vessel to its original appearance.

The World War II destroyer U.S.S. _Cassin Young_ (DD-793) reflects a very different kind of sea power than does _Constitution_. Yet both warships, constructed 150 years apart, served much the same purpose. Like frigates, destroyers (known as the workhorses of the modern navy) are smaller and less powerful than the heaviest warships, but they are fast and remarkably versatile. Boasting five 5-inch guns and made of steel, _Cassin Young_ was built on the West Coast in 1943 and took part in major Pacific engagements, including the Saipan landing and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, where its crew rescued over 100 sailors from the attack on U.S.S. _Princeton_.

The Exhibits

Today, exhibits and educational activities help bring alive the navy yard and Boston’s maritime history. At the USS Constitution Museum, located in the historic Dry Dock 1 Pumphouse and adjacent buildings, hands-on activities help visitors to appreciate the skills of a 19th-century seaman and get a sense of his life aboard a sailing warship. Load and fire a replica cannon, try out a sailor’s sleeping quarters, take a turn at the great wheel of a square-rigger, or command U.S.S. _Constitution_ in battle on a computer screen.

The museum houses the frigate’s logs, weapons, documents, charts, journals, decorative arts, and other items illustrating the epic role of “Old Ironsides” in U.S. history. Skilled craftsmen demonstrate ship model building, while films and special programs provide greater insight into the ship’s story. A museum store offers other items relating to _Constitution’s_ history and to the nation’s maritime heritage.

Index

_Numbers in italics refer to photographs, illustrations, or maps._

A “ABCD ships” 50, 54 Aircraft carrier 51, 60, _66_, 72

B Bainbridge, William 11, _12_, 13, 15, 17 Barbary States 9, 14, 15-16 Battleship 11, 47, 49, 51, 57 Brig-of-war _14_ British Navy 11, 13, 15, 16 Burroughs, George W. _46_

C Chain 50, _60-61_, 70, _83_ Charlestown Navy Yard: annexes 64; and Boston Harbor _4-5_, 13, 15, 16, _64_; and NPS _78-79_, 80-86; Civil War _28-29_, 29-31, 34, 36-37; founding 16; improvements 17, 34, 46-47; map _64_, _81_; mission 16, 45, 47, 50, 63; post-Civil War 37, 39; post-WW I 57; post-WW II 71-72, _76-77_; Spanish-American War 46, 49, 51; South Boston Annex 57, 65, 70; view _back cover_; War of 1812 11-15, 16; WW I 46-49, 57; WW II 62, 63-71, 73, _74-75_ Coaling plant 47 C.S.S. (Confederate States Ship): _Virginia_ _28_, 29-31, 34, 36, _43_, 73 Conversion, ship 72, _76-77_ Cruiser 47, 50, 51, _66_

D Dahlgren, John 36 Daniels, Josephus 49 Decatur, Stephen 15 Destroyer escort 70, 72, 75 Destroyer 47, 51, 57, 63, 65, 67, 72, _73_, _74-75_ Dry dock: #1 4, 17, _23_, 34, 39, _40-41_, 45, 50, _56_, 63, 64; #2 47, 51, 57, 63, 64, 65, 67

E Ericsson, John 36

F Farragut, David G. 34 Five-Power Treaty 57 FRAM (Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization) 72 Frigate _14_, 16, 17, _26-27_. See also U.S.S. ship names Fuel 31, 37, 47, 51, 54, 57, 64

H Hartt, Edmund 13 Hartt, Edward 13 H.M.S. (His Majesty’s Ship): _Dreadnought_ 51, 54; _Java_ 11 Hull, Isaac 15, 18 Hull: iron 37, 39; steel 37, 49-54, _58-59_; wooden _24-25_, 34, 37, 39, 49

I Ironclad _28-29_, 30-31, 34, 36, _42-43_

L Launching 13, 15, 18, _32-33_, 63, 67, _73_ LCM (Landing Craft Mechanized) 70 LST (Landing Ship Tank) 64, 70, 71, 72, _75_; _Suffolk County_ 72

M Machinery 34, _52-53_, _54_ Machine shop _30_, 34, _52-53_ Mahan, Alfred Thayer 50 Manufacturing 39, 45, 50, 51, _60-61_ Marine railway 57, 64-65, 72 Monitor 36, _42-43_, 46 “Mosquito fleet” 51

O “ordinary [in ...]” 2, _4_, 17-18

P Propeller 31, 34, _35_, _37_

R Radar 72, 77 Railway, yard 47 Receiving ship 2, _4_, 14, 37 Repair, ship 16, _23_, 39, 50, 51, 57, 63, _66_, 70 Roosevelt, Franklin D. 55, 57, 64, 67 Roosevelt, Theodore 46, 50 Ropewalk 17, _20-21_, 45, 49, 50, 67, 69, 72, _83_

S Sail power 17, 18, _19_, _26-27_, 31, 34, 37, 50, 54 Shipbuilding _24-25_, 36, 54, _58-59_, 63 Shipbuilding ways _24-25_, 39, 46, _56_, 57, _58-59_, 64, 67 Shiphouse 13, 18, _32-33_, 39, 45, 46, _back cover_ Ship-of-the-line 11, _14_, 16-17, 18, 34. See also U.S.S. ship names Shipyards, naval _8-9_ Sidewheeler 17, 31, 34, _35_ Sloop-of-war _14_, 16, _23_, _28_, 29, 34. See also U.S.S. ship names Sonar 71-72, _76-77_ Steam propulsion 17, 31, 34, _35_, 37 Stoddert, Benjamin 16 Submarine 47, 51, 70, 71, 74

T Tar house 17, 20 Taylor, Frederick W. 55 Taylorism 55, 57 Technology, naval 31, 34, 37, 51, 54, 63, 72, _76-77_ Torpedo 51 Trade shops 17, _30_, 34, 47, 49, 50

U U.S. Marines 13, _38_ U.S. Navy 15-16, 18, 22, 31, 34, 36, 37, 39, 55; policy 16, 37, 49-50, 65, 72 U.S.S. (United States Ship): _Adams_ 39; _Atlanta_ 50; _Boston_ 50; _Brazos_ 47, 57; _Bridge_ 57; _Cassin Young_ 66, _85_; _Chesapeake_ 12, 13; _Chicago_ 50; _Congress_ 30-31, 34; _Constellation_ 16; _Constitution_ _6-7_, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, _26-27_, 72, _84_; _Cumberland_ 16, 18, _28_, 29-31, 34, 73; _Dolphin_ 50; _Forrest_ _73_; _Fulton II_ 17; _Guest_ _73_; _Gyatt_ 72, 77; _Hartford_ 31, 34, 39; _Independence_ _10_, 12, 13, _14_, 15, 17, 18, 37; _Intrepid_ 39; _MacDonough_ 63, 64; _Macon_ _66_; _Maine_ _44_, 46; _Merrimack_ 29-31, _32-33_, _35_, 59, 73 (See also C.S.S. _Virginia_); _Monadnock_ 36, _42-43_; _Monaghan_ 63; _Monitor_ 36, 42, _43_; _New Hampshire_ 18; _New Ironsides_ 36; _Pentucket_ 54; _Princeton_ 31, 34, 35; _Talapoosa_ 45; _United States_ 16; _Vandalia_ 39, 63; _Vermont_ 17, 18; _Virginia_ 17, 18, 45, 46; _Wasp_ _66_; _Whitney_ _54_, _56_, 57

V Von Meyer, George 65

W Workforce: African Americans 67; management 55, 57; size 18, 25, 46, 51, 57, 64, 65, 67; skills 18, 34, 36, 39, 47, 58; women 47, _48_, 67, _68-69_; work conditions 18, 22, 37, 65, 67, 71; workers _19-21_, _23_, _38_, _46_, _48_, _52-53_, _54_, _56_, _60-61_, _62-63_, _77_

National Park Service

The National Park Service is indebted to all those persons who made the production of this book possible. The text greatly benefited from suggestions by naval architect and historian John G. Arrison and historian Frederick R. Black. The primary source for the yard history was the National Park Service report, _The Charlestown Navy Yard 1800-1973_ (_1800-1842_ by Edwin C. Bearss; _1842-1890_ by Edwin C. Bearss and Frederick R. Black; _1890-1973_ by Frederick R. Black). Other important sources were Kenneth J. Hagan’s _This People’s Navy: The Making of American Sea Power_, 1991; Howard I. Chapelle’s _The History of the American Sailing Navy_, 1949; and Donald L. Canney’s _The Old Steam Navy_, 1990. The handbook was produced by the staff of the Division of Publications, National Park Service: Susan Barkus, designer; William Gordon, editor; Nancy Morbeck Haack, cartographer, assisted by the staff of Boston National Historical Park.

_All photos not credited are from the files of Boston National Historical Park._ Mary Altier 84 (bottom left) John Batchelor 24-25, 26-27, 40-41, 42-43, 58-59, 60, 74-75 _Battles and Leaders of the Civil War_ 43 (top) Boston Athenaeum 4-5, 30, 32-33 The Bostonian Society/Old State House 10-11, 46 George Eastman House 23 Louis Glanzman 19 Greg Harlin 21 (right) James Higgins 66 (top), 78-79, 82-83, 84 (bottom right), 85, 86 (top, bottom) _The Kedge-Anchor_, by William N. Brady 14 (bottom) Mariner’s Museum back cover James McFalls cover, 2-3 National Archives 14 (top; painting by Rear Admiral J.W. Schmidt), 35 (top), 69 (bottom) Jack Pare 84 (top) The Paul Revere Life Insurance Co. 6-7 (painting by A. Lassell Ripley) Robert Tope 8-9 U.S. Marine Corps Museum 28-29 U.S. Naval Academy 44-45 (painting by Frank Christian Muller) USS Constitution Museum 86 (center; photo by Jerry Margolycz)

U.S. Department of the Interior

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally-owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources to ensure that their development is in the best interest of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.

National Park Handbooks are published to promote understanding and enjoyment of more than 360 National Park System sites representing our natural and cultural heritage. The handbooks are sold at parks and can be purchased by mail from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

_Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data_ Charlestown Navy Yard: Boston National Historical Park, Massachusetts. p. cm.—(Official National Park handbook; 152) Includes index. Supt. of Docs. no.: I29.9/5:152 ISBN 0-912627-60-3 1. Boston Naval Shipyard (Boston, Mass.)—History. 2. Charlestown Navy Yard (Mass.)—History. I. United States. National Park Service. Division of Publications. II. Series: Handbook (United States. National Park Service. Division of Publications); 152. VA70.B68C48 1995 359.7’09744’61—dc20 95-12868 CIP

_For 174 years, the U.S. Naval Shipyard at Boston, now called Charlestown Navy Yard, played a significant role in the creation and growth of the U.S. Navy. By the time it closed in 1974, it had built more than 200 warships and repaired thousands. Historic black and white photographs, color photos and illustrations, and detailed diagrams tell the story of evolving technology and naval policy and how they affected the fortunes of the yard and its workers._

Transcriber’s Notes

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—Relocated all image captions to be immediately under the corresponding images, removing redundant references like ”preceding page”.

—Silently corrected a few palpable typos.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.

End of Project Gutenberg's Charlestown Navy Yard, by National Park Service