Boston Navy Yard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Boston Naval Shipyard
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1912 Map of the Charlestown Navy Yard and Mystic Wharf
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| Location | Southeast of Chelsea Street, Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1800 |
| Architect | Alexander Parris, et al. |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000134 |
| Added to NRHP | 15 November 1966 |
| Boston Navy Shipyard | |
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| Boston, Massachusetts | |
| Type | Shipyard |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1800 |
| In use | 1801–1975 |
The Boston Navy Yard was once a very important place for building and fixing ships for the United States Navy. It was first called the Charlestown Navy Yard. It started in 1801, not long after the U.S. Department of the Navy was created. After 175 years of helping the Navy, it closed down as a military base on July 1, 1974.
Today, the National Park Service looks after this 30-acre area. It is now part of the Boston National Historical Park. Some parts of the yard are still used to take care of the USS Constitution. This ship, also known as "Old Ironsides," was built in 1797. It is one of the first six big ships made for the American navy. It is also the oldest warship still in service in the United States Navy.
Another ship, the USS Cassin Young (DD-793), is also here. It's a destroyer from World War II (built in 1943) and now serves as a museum ship. You can visit both ships! The museum area also has a dock where you can catch a boat to travel around. Many local people and the National Park Service still call it the Charlestown Navy Yard.
The South Boston Naval Annex was a part of the Navy Yard from 1920 to 1974. It was located along the waterfront in South Boston. During World War II, there were other smaller parts of the Navy Yard. These included the Chelsea Naval Annex and the East Boston Naval Annex.
Contents
Early Days and First Ships
Shipbuilding in Charlestown, Massachusetts, began during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). This area is across the Charles River from Boston. In 1800, the U.S. government bought the land for the Charlestown Navy Yard. The yard officially opened soon after.
In 1814, the yard built the first U.S. ship of the line, USS Independence. This was a very large warship. The yard also built at least twelve smaller ships for the American Civil War. For many years, it was mostly a place to repair ships and store supplies. This changed in the 1890s when it started building new steel ships. By then, it was known as the Boston Navy Yard.
First Drydock and Ropewalk
On June 24, 1833, something very important happened. Many important people, including Vice President Martin Van Buren, watched the frigate Constitution enter the first naval drydock in New England. A drydock is a special dock that can be drained of water. This allows workers to fix the bottom of ships. This drydock was designed by a famous engineer named Loammi Baldwin, Jr..
The Charlestown Ropewalk opened in 1837. It made ropes and cables used by the Navy. It kept making ropes until the yard closed in 1975. After the American Civil War (1861–1865), the yard became more focused on equipment and training new sailors.
World War II and Beyond
In the late 1880s, the Navy started to grow again. New, modern steel ships powered by steam were being built. This brought new life to the Boston Navy Yard. In the early 1900s, a second drydock was added.
During World War II (1939–1945), the yard was very busy. It helped fix ships from the British Royal Navy. These ships were often damaged by German attacks while crossing the Atlantic Ocean. On September 27, 1941, the yard launched two destroyers, USS Cowie and USS Knight.
Even before the U.S. entered World War II, the Boston Navy Yard was chosen to build ships for the Royal Navy. These ships were part of the Lend-Lease program, which helped allies. Some of these ships were later used by the United States Navy. After the war, the shipyard updated World War II ships for the Cold War (1945–1991). The Korean War (1950–1953) and Vietnam War (1964–1975) did not bring as much work to the yard. This was because it was far from the fighting.
The Yard closed after the Vietnam War. There were ideas to turn it into a place to build oil tankers. But these plans did not happen. Instead, the site became part of the Boston National Historical Park. Its main goal is to teach people about naval shipbuilding history.
The Boston Navy Yard has many things to see. This includes the Charlestown Naval Shipyard Park. The USS Constitution and the museum ship USS Cassin Young (DD-793) are docked here. You can visit both ships. The Navy Yard also has the USS Constitution Museum. Dry Dock No. 1 is still used to fix the Constitution and Cassin Young. In May 2015, the Constitution went into the dry dock for three years of repairs.
The Yard is near the northern end of the Freedom Trail. The MBTA Boat stops nearby, making it easy for visitors to get there. The MGH Institute of Health Professions also uses seven buildings in the Yard for classes and offices.
Images for kids
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USS Cassin Young berthed at the Boston Navy Yard
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A view of the dry dock without water
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Cassin Young in drydock
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Cassin Young in dry dock at night
