Boston's Naval History

Aerial view of the Charlestown Navy Yard with the Bunker Hill Monument in the background.

National Archives at Boston

Recognizing the strategic location and role of Boston as an active port, the United States Navy built a new navy yard on the shores of nearby Charlestown in 1800. One of the first six Navy Yards in the country, the Charlestown Navy Yard expanded into a large ship-building and repairing operation, employing first hundreds, then thousands of workers. For 174 years, Charlestown played an integral role in building and maintaining the United States Navy fleet.

Here, USS Constitution sailed into Dry Dock 1 in 1833 to undergo repairs, the first ship to use the newly created dry dock. During the U.S. Civil War, workers at the Yard launched 15 ships and outfitted or converted 63 vessels for the U.S. Navy. To meet demands of World War II in the 1940s, the Yard's production skyrocketed as thousands of workers built 166 ships. And during the last decades of the Navy Yard's operation, workers updated ships for the Cold War, including USS Cassin Young.

While it closed in 1974, the Charlestown Navy Yard still stands as a testament to this long Naval history. Today, visitors can learn more about this history at the Charlestown Navy Yard visitor center, as well as the USS Constitution, USS Constitution Museum, and the USS Cassin Young.

 

One of the first in the nation

Charlestown Navy Yard

 

"Old Ironsides"

USS CONSTITUTION

 

DD-793

USS CASSIN YOUNG