Huzzah! On Monday night, May 18, 2015, USS Constitution safely and securely made her way into Dry Dock 1 in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts. Crowds of spectators and media gathered in the Navy Yard and the USS Constitution Museum’s doors remained open all night.

USS Constitution in Dry Dock 1 on May 19, 2015. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum]
USS Constitution in Dry Dock 1 on May 19, 2015. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum]
Just before 9:30 PM, under bright lights, a tugboat came alongside Constitution to help float her into position in front of Dry Dock 1. From there, the ship was carefully guided by three capstans (winches) and line handlers on either side of the dry dock. Divers in the water helped position the ship from below.

Footage from CONSTITUTION Cam as USS Constitution is lined up at the front of the dry dock, May 18, 2015. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum. Photo by Greg M. Cooper]
Footage from CONSTITUTION Cam as the ship is lined up at the front of Dry Dock 1, May 18, 2015. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum. Photo by Greg M. Cooper]
With the ship properly aligned in dry dock, the caisson (floating gate) was reinstalled to seal the dock from the sea. As the water drained out with the tide, Constitution slowly came to rest on the haul blocks.

The following morning, after walking through the dry dock to inspect the ship, CDR Sean Kearns, the 73rd Commanding Officer of Constitution, stopped on the steps of the USS Constitution Museum to chat about this exciting moment in the ship’s history.

Constitution‘s restoration is just getting started. Check out CONSTITUTION Cam to look back at photos of her grand entrance into dry dock or see real-time images of the ship. Better yet, stop by the Navy Yard in person to see for yourself!

The USS Constitution Museum has a front row seat to the ship's restoration. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum]
The USS Constitution Museum has a front row seat to the ship’s restoration. [Courtesy USS Constitution Museum]

The Author(s)

Kate Monea
Manager of Curatorial Affairs, USS Constitution Museum

Kate Monea is the Manager of Curatorial Affairs at the USS Constitution Museum.