Charlestown in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)
The Changing Yard
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, September 13, 2012
1. The Changing Yard Marker
In its first years, the navy yard consisted of a small dock and several wooden storehouses, surrounded by mud flats and rolling pastures. In 1812, the commandant noted:
"the establishment… afforded no advantage or facility for naval purposes… a few temporary wooden buildings were all it contained, except the commandant's house and the Marine barracks - unenclosed, it was even exposed to the inroads of cattle from the highway."
The navy yard soon changed, keeping pace with the country's growth and power. Two imposing "shiphouses," 210 feet long and six stories high, sheltered new 74-gun "ship of the line." timber sheds, a mast house, a ropewalk, sail lofts, and wharves crowded the yard.
Steam, and later electricity, further transformed the yard. Machine shops, a forge, and foundries now served a navy made of steel. Hemmed in by river and town, the yard pushed into the harbor with piers, railways, and cranes.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War of 1812 • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1812.
Location. 42° 22.422′ N, 71° 3.352′ W. Marker is in
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. "Old Ironsides" in Dry Dock 1 (here, next to this marker); Serving the Fleet (here, next to this marker); Flags at Sea (here, next to this marker); Dry Dock 1 (a few steps from this marker); Boston, the Navy Yard, and the War of 1812 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Yard as Home (within shouting distance of this marker); Working in the Yard (within shouting distance of this marker); Life and Work in the Navy Yard 1812 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boston.
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, September 13, 2012
2. USS Constitution Museum
Photographed By Sandra Hughes, September 13, 2012
3. Serving the Fleet Marker-Dry Dock I-Old Iron Side in Dry Dock I-Changing the Yard Markers These mark
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 7, 2012, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 328 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 7, 2012, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
