• Colonial Boston Map, Faneuil Hall and the Charlestown Navy Yard skyline

    Boston

    National Historical Park Massachusetts

  • New Visitor Center Opening

    The National Park Service visitor center at 15 State Street will close its doors on Monday, May 21, 2012 to be replaced by a new, state-of-the-art, visitor center opening in historic Faneuil Hall on Friday, May 25, 2012.

Development of ship building at the Charlestown Navy Yard-USS Brazos

USS Brazos

USS Brazos

As the U.S. Navy began to assume worldwide responsibilities, it developed the need for a massive "Fleet Train" of supporting ships. While most such ships were converted from merchant vessels, Congress in 1916 authorized the construction of a series of new ships that served as the nucleus of the auxiliary forces in the years between the two world wars. Boston was selected to construct five of these vessels, including three "fuel ships," better known as oilers. The first of these vessels, USS Brazos (AO-4), is seen during fitting out in 1919. She was the only one of the trio to survive World War II, her sisters Neches (AO-5) and Pecos (AO-6) both being lost to Japanese forces in early 1942.
 
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Did You Know?

Eldridge Gerry

Four of the five Massachusetts signers of The Declaration Of Independence are represented in the artwork in Faneuil Hall.  The missing member of the delegation is Elbridge Gerry.