The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of the new U.S. Department of the Navy in 1798. After 175 years of military service, it was decommissioned as a naval installation on 1 July 1974.
The South Boston Naval Annex was located along the waterfront in South Boston, an annex of the Navy Yard from 1920 to 1974. Other annexes of the Navy Yard during World War II were the Chelsea Naval Annex (formerly the Green Shipyard, now the Fitzgerald Shipyard),[3]East Boston Naval Annex, and Boston Naval Yard Fuel Depot Annex.[4][5]
The earliest naval shipbuilding activities in Charlestown, Massachusetts across the Charles River and Boston harbor to the north from the city of Boston, began during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). The Charlestown Arsenal of United States Army was established in 1794.[6] Shortly thereafter, in 1800, the land for the Charlestown Navy Yard was purchased by the United States government and the yard itself was established. The yard built the first U.S. ship of the line, USS Independence in 1814, and at least twelve small vessels for the American Civil War, but was primarily a repair and storage facility until the 1890s, when it started to build steel ships for the "New Navy". By then, it was called the Boston Navy Yard.
The ropewalk supplied cordage used in the Navy from the time it opened in 1837 until the Yard closed in 1975. After the Civil War (1861–1865), the Yard was downgraded to an Equipment and Recruit Facility.[8]
In the late 1880s and 1890s, the Navy began expanding again bringing into service new modern steel-hulled steam-powered warships and that brought new life to the Yard. In the first years of the 20th century, a second drydock was added. During World War II (1939/1941–1945), it worked to fix BritishRoyal Navy warships and merchant transports damaged by the Nazi Germans when crossing the North Atlantic Ocean. On 27 September 1941—Liberty Fleet Day—Boston launched two destroyers, USS Cowie and the USS Knight. Even before the U.S. entered the Second World War after the Pearl Harbor attack on 7 December 1941, a month before in November, Boston was one of four United States naval shipyards selected to build Captain-class frigates under the Lend-Lease military assistance program for the Royal Navy. Since the United States was at war when these ships were finally completed, some were later requisitioned and used by the United States Navy as destroyer escorts.[9]
In the post war period, the shipyard modified World War II ships for Cold War (1945–1991) service through Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM). The Korean War (1950–1953), and Vietnam War (1964–1975) did not bring much work to the yard since it was so far from the fighting.[citation needed] The Yard closed after the Vietnam War.
It was also the location of the Marine Barracks Boston.
When ideas were floated for redevelopment of the yard, one of the people's popular idea was to have the yard turned into a construction yard for oil tankers.[12] Ultimately, these plans fell through, and the site became part of the Boston National Historical Park. Its mission is, "to interpret the art and history of naval shipbuilding".[8]
The Yard is toward the north end of the Freedom Trail. The MBTA Boat stops at nearby Pier 4, providing easy visitor access to the Yard. The campus of the MGH Institute of Health Professions occupies seven buildings in the Yard, including classroom, office, and clinical space. Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and multiple Massachusetts General Hospital research laboratories occupy the perimeter.
^Gardiner Fassett, Frederick, The Shipbuilding Business in the United States of America, p. 177
^. New England: Time, Inc. 1 July 1974. Archived from the original on 25 December 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
^As Constitution is a US Navy ship, consult her official website 13 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine before visiting.
^Carlson, Stephen P. "Dry Dock No. 1, Charlestown Navy Yard". Historic Naval Ships Association. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
^LaGrone, Sam (19 May 2015). "USS Constitution Enters Dry Dock for Three Years of Repairs". USNI News. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boston Navy Yard.
Charlestown Navy Yard – Boston National Historical Park
February 11, 2023
boston, navy, yard, confused, with, charleston, naval, shipyard, north, charleston, south, carolina, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, cha. Not to be confused with Charleston Naval Shipyard in North Charleston South Carolina This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Boston Navy Yard news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Boston Navy Yard originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy It was established in 1801 as part of the recent establishment of the new U S Department of the Navy in 1798 After 175 years of military service it was decommissioned as a naval installation on 1 July 1974 Boston Naval ShipyardU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic Landmark District1912 Map of the Charlestown Navy Yard and Mystic WharfLocationSoutheast of Chelsea Street Charlestown Boston MassachusettsCoordinates42 22 34 N 71 3 9 W 42 37611 N 71 05250 W 42 37611 71 05250 Coordinates 42 22 34 N 71 3 9 W 42 37611 N 71 05250 W 42 37611 71 05250Built1800ArchitectAlexander Parris et al NRHP reference No 66000134 1 Added to NRHP15 November 1966Boston Naval ShipyardBoston MassachusettsTypeShipyardSite informationControlled byUnited States NavySite historyBuilt1800In use1801 1975Naval installations in Boston in World War II Aerial view of the Boston Navy Yard in April 1960 The South Boston Naval Annex circa 1958 The 30 acre 12 ha property is administered by the National Park Service becoming part of Boston National Historical Park Enough of the yard remains in operation to support the moored USS Constitution Old Ironsides of 1797 built as one of the original six heavy frigates for the revived American navy and the oldest warship still commissioned in the United States Navy and afloat in the world USS Cassin Young DD 793 a 1943 World War II era Fletcher class destroyer serving as a museum ship is also berthed here The museum area includes a dock which is a stop on the MBTA Boat water transport system Among local people in the area and the National Park Service it is still known as the Charlestown Navy Yard 2 The South Boston Naval Annex was located along the waterfront in South Boston an annex of the Navy Yard from 1920 to 1974 Other annexes of the Navy Yard during World War II were the Chelsea Naval Annex formerly the Green Shipyard now the Fitzgerald Shipyard 3 East Boston Naval Annex and Boston Naval Yard Fuel Depot Annex 4 5 Contents 1 History 2 Dry Docks and Slipways 3 Ships built at Boston Navy Yard 4 Current use 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory EditThe earliest naval shipbuilding activities in Charlestown Massachusetts across the Charles River and Boston harbor to the north from the city of Boston began during the American Revolutionary War 1775 1783 The Charlestown Arsenal of United States Army was established in 1794 6 Shortly thereafter in 1800 the land for the Charlestown Navy Yard was purchased by the United States government and the yard itself was established The yard built the first U S ship of the line USS Independence in 1814 and at least twelve small vessels for the American Civil War but was primarily a repair and storage facility until the 1890s when it started to build steel ships for the New Navy By then it was called the Boston Navy Yard On 24 June 1833 the staff and dignitaries including then Vice President Martin Van Buren Secretary of War Lewis Cass Secretary of the Navy Levi Woodbury and many Massachusetts officials witnessed one of the great events of American naval history the early United States frigate Constitution was inaugurating the first naval drydock in New England designed by prominent civil engineer Loammi Baldwin Jr 7 The ropewalk supplied cordage used in the Navy from the time it opened in 1837 until the Yard closed in 1975 After the Civil War 1861 1865 the Yard was downgraded to an Equipment and Recruit Facility 8 In the late 1880s and 1890s the Navy began expanding again bringing into service new modern steel hulled steam powered warships and that brought new life to the Yard In the first years of the 20th century a second drydock was added During World War II 1939 1941 1945 it worked to fix British Royal Navy warships and merchant transports damaged by the Nazi Germans when crossing the North Atlantic Ocean On 27 September 1941 Liberty Fleet Day Boston launched two destroyers USS Cowie and the USS Knight Even before the U S entered the Second World War after the Pearl Harbor attack on 7 December 1941 a month before in November Boston was one of four United States naval shipyards selected to build Captain class frigates under the Lend Lease military assistance program for the Royal Navy Since the United States was at war when these ships were finally completed some were later requisitioned and used by the United States Navy as destroyer escorts 9 In the post war period the shipyard modified World War II ships for Cold War 1945 1991 service through Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization FRAM The Korean War 1950 1953 and Vietnam War 1964 1975 did not bring much work to the yard since it was so far from the fighting citation needed The Yard closed after the Vietnam War It was also the location of the Marine Barracks Boston Dry Docks and Slipways EditDock No Material of which dock is constructed Length Width Depth Date Completed Source1 Granite 348 feet 11 inches 106 35 m 86 feet 26 m 25 feet 5 inches 7 75 m 1833 10 2 Granite and concrete 719 feet 1 inch 219 18 m 114 feet 35 m 30 feet 4 inches 9 25 m 19055 Concrete and steel 518 feet 3 inches 157 96 m 98 feet 6 inches 30 02 m 21 feet 6 4 m 1942South Boston Annex3 Granite and concrete 1 158 feet 9 inches 353 19 m 149 feet 45 m 44 feet 9 inches 13 64 m 19194 Reinforced concrete 687 feet 6 inches 209 55 m 104 feet 32 m 36 feet 11 m 1943January 1 1946Shipbuilding ways Width Length Source1 100 feet 30 m 445 feet 136 m 11 2 110 feet 34 m 425 feet 130 m Ships built at Boston Navy Yard EditMain article List of ships built at the Boston Navy YardCurrent use EditWhen ideas were floated for redevelopment of the yard one of the people s popular idea was to have the yard turned into a construction yard for oil tankers 12 Ultimately these plans fell through and the site became part of the Boston National Historical Park Its mission is to interpret the art and history of naval shipbuilding 8 The Boston Navy Yard hosts many attractions including Charlestown Naval Shipyard Park The fully commissioned USS Constitution and the museum ship USS Cassin Young DD 793 are tied up at Pier 1 and open to the public 13 The Navy Yard also hosts the USS Constitution Museum Dry Dock No 1 is still used for ship maintenance for Constitution and Cassin Young 14 In May 2015 Constitution entered the dry dock for three years of repairs 15 The Yard is toward the north end of the Freedom Trail The MBTA Boat stops at nearby Pier 4 providing easy visitor access to the Yard The campus of the MGH Institute of Health Professions occupies seven buildings in the Yard including classroom office and clinical space Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and multiple Massachusetts General Hospital research laboratories occupy the perimeter Gallery Edit USS Cassin Young berthed at the Boston Navy Yard A view of the dry dock without water Cassin Young in drydock Cassin Young in dry dock at nightSee also EditPort of Boston List of National Historic Landmarks in Boston National Register of Historic Places listings in northern Boston Massachusetts List of military installations in MassachusettsReferences Edit National Register Information System 66000134 National Register of Historic Places National Park Service 23 January 2007 Charlestown Navy Yard National Park Service Archived 7 December 2004 at the Wayback Machine History of the Fitzgerald Shipyard at fitzgeraldshipyard com Charlestown Navy Yard Boston National Historical Park Massachusetts Washington DC National Park Service 1995 p 64 ISBN 0912627603 Boston Navy Yard in WWII at nps gov Thomas Matthew 2013 Historic Powder Houses of New England Arsenals of American Independence The History Press p 80 Historic Naval Ships Association Archived 1 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine a b Charlestown Navy Yard The Shipyard on the Charles Archived 1 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine Franklin Bruce Hampton 1999 The Buckley class Destroyer Escorts Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 280 3 page 7 Gardiner Fassett Frederick 1948 The Shipbuilding Business in the United States of America Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers p 179 Gardiner Fassett Frederick The Shipbuilding Business in the United States of America p 177 NEW ENGLAND Bases for Sale New England Time Inc 1 July 1974 Archived from the original on 25 December 2007 Retrieved 4 November 2009 As Constitution is a US Navy ship consult her official website Archived 13 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine before visiting Carlson Stephen P Dry Dock No 1 Charlestown Navy Yard Historic Naval Ships Association Retrieved 8 September 2019 LaGrone Sam 19 May 2015 USS Constitution Enters Dry Dock for Three Years of Repairs USNI News Retrieved 8 September 2019 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Boston Navy Yard Charlestown Navy Yard Boston National Historical Park Charlestown Online Navy Yard website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boston Navy Yard amp oldid 1124567309, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
