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The USS Constitution

USS Constitution

A three-masted heavy frigate had a wooden hull The USS Constitution belongs to the United States Navy. American President George Washington named her after the Constitution of the United States. She still holds the title of the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world.

The Naval Act of 1794 authorized six frigates to be built and in 1797 the Constitution was one of them. The frigates were to be the Navy’s capital ships, Designed by Joshua Humphreys. The USS Constitution and her sister ships were very heavily armed which made them larger than the standard frigates of the day.

Edmund Hartt’s shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts built the USS Constitution. With the newly formed United States Navy her first duty was providing protection for American merchant shipping. This occurred during the Quasi War with the France defeating the Barbary pirates in the first Barbary war.

The War of 1812 against Great Britain was her most famous era of naval warfare. The USS Constitution defeated five British warships; HMS Cyane, HMS Guerriere, HMS Levant and the HMS Java. It was the battle with the HMS Guerriere that she earned the nickname of “Old Ironsides”.

The USS Constitution served as the Nations Flagship. She circled the world in the 1840s. She served as a training ship during the American Civil War for the United States Naval Academy. In 1881 she retired from active service and served as a receiving ship until she got the designation as a museum ship in 1907. She made a 90 port tour over three years in 1931 and then again in 1997 she sailed again for her 200th birthday under her own power.

To this very day she still has the mission to promote understanding of the Navy’s role in peace and war time. She does this through educational outreach, active participation in public events and historic demonstrations.

To this very day the USS Constitution is still a fully commissioned US Navy ship. She carries a crew of 60 officers and sailors that participate in special events, ceremonies and educational programs. They also provide free tours year round keeping her open to visitors. All the crew and officers are all active duty US Navy special duty.

She is still a real beauty to this very day. We have located a number of wonderful reproductions and models of the USS Constitution to add to or start a collection.