{"nrhp_refnum":"66000789","name":"U.S.S. CONSTITUTION","other_names":["Old Ironsides"],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Boston Naval Shipyard","address_restricted":false,"city":"Boston","county":"Suffolk County","state":"MA","lat":42.37245622100005,"lon":-71.05656421199996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1966-10-15","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1960-12-19","areas_of_significance":["Military","Politics/Government"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"The U.S.S. Constitution is a wooden three-masted frigate designed by Joshua Humphreys, laid down at Hartt's Shipyard in Boston in 1794 and launched in 1797. She is berthed at the Boston Naval Shipyard in Charlestown.","why_significant":"The form describes her as the oldest commissioned warship in the world and a symbol of American naval skill in the age of sail. She served in the undeclared war with France, against the Barbary pirates, and in the War of 1812, where she earned the name \"Old Ironsides.\" She took part in some 40 engagements without a single loss.","narrative":"Launched at Boston on October 21, 1797, the frigate Constitution was designed by Joshua Humphreys as a ship powerful enough to beat equals and fast enough to outsail stronger opponents. She measured 204 feet overall, displaced 2,200 tons and carried a crew of 450 to 500. Her service included the undeclared naval war with France, the campaign against the Barbary pirates, and the War of 1812. In August 1812 she defeated the British ship Guerriere, and by tradition the enemy's shots bounced off her planking, giving her the name \"Old Ironsides.\" She took part in about 40 engagements without a loss. A protest over a proposal to break her up in 1829 led to rebuilding in 1833-35. Further major restorations followed, including 1927-31, and the form estimates that only 10 to 15 percent of her original material remains. She is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and is displayed to visitors at the Boston Naval Shipyard.","period_of_significance":"1797","architect_builder":"Joshua Humphreys","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Permanently berthed at the Boston Naval Shipyard, in commission and open to the public daily; a full restoration began in April 1973 and was scheduled to finish about June 1976.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 01:59:30.231859-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/93/7938/63793893/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/66000789_NHL.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/66000789/dc3a8c6335-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/66000789/dc3a8c6335-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"(U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Matthew R. Fairchild/Released) 140704-N-OG138-866","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Constitution_fires_a_17-gun_salute.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">(U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Matthew R. Fairchild/Released) 140704-N-OG138-866</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Constitution_fires_a_17-gun_salute.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"66000134","name":"Boston Naval Shipyard","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/massachusetts/boston-naval-shipyard-66000134/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63793893","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q944436"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/suffolk-county/u-s-s-constitution-66000789/"}