Page 119 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

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8 Charlestown VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Situated on the north bank of the Charles River, directly opposite Practical Information
the North End, Charlestown exudes history. The site of the  Community College.
( Wed.
infamous Battle of Bunker Hill, when American troops suffered
huge losses in their fight for independence, today the district Transport
@ 93. g from Long Wharf.
forms a major part of Boston’s Freedom Trail (see pp126–9).
P U.S.S. Constitution
P John Harvard Mall Charlestown Navy Yard. Tel (617) 242-
Ten families founded 5671. Open mid-Apr–Oct: 2:30–6pm
Charlestown in 1629, a year Tue–Sun (from 10am Sat & Sun);
before the rest of Boston was Nov–mid-Apr: 2:30–4pm Thu–Sun
settled. They built their homes (from 10am Sat & Sun). 7 8
and a palisaded fort on Town ∑ navy.mil/local/constitution
Hill, a spot now marked by John The oldest commissioned war-
Harvard Mall. A small monument ship afloat, the U.S.S. Constitution
within the enclosed park pays saw action in the Mediterranean
homage to John Harvard (see protecting American shipping
p112), the young cleric who from the Barbary pirates. In the
ministered to the settlers. War of 1812, she won fame and
When John Winthrop arrived her nickname of “Old Ironsides”
with three shiploads of Puritan when cannonballs bounced off
refugees in 1630 (see p20), they her in a battle with the British
settled nearby in the marshes ship Guerriere. In the course of
at the base of Town Hill, her active service, she won
Granite obelisk of the Bunker Hill now City Square. 42 battles, lost none,
Monument, erected in 1843 captured 20 vessels, and
P Charlestown was never boarded by an
P Bunker Hill Monument Navy Yard enemy. She underwent
Monument Square. Tel (617) 242- Tel (617) 242-5601. an overhaul in time for
5641. Open mid-Mar–Nov: 9am–5pm Open 9am–5pm daily her 1997 bicentennial
daily; Dec–mid-Mar: 1–5pm Mon–Fri, (Nov–mid-Mar: Thu– and is now in drydock
9am–5pm Sat & Sun; last climb: Sun). 7 8 Municipal art in for further restoration,
4:30pm. Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Established in 1800 City Square but open for visits,
Dec 25. ∑ nps.gov/bost as one of the country’s until 2018. On July 4
In the Revolution’s first pitched first military shipyards, for 174 each year, she is taken out into
battle between British and years Charlestown Navy Yard the harbor for a turn around that
colonial troops, the British won played a key role in supporting reverses her position at the pier
but failed to escape from Boston. the U.S. Atlantic fleet, as the to ensure equal weathering on
Following the June 17, 1775 Navy moved from wooden both sides. A small museum
battle, American irregulars were sailing ships to steel giants. The documents her history.
joined by other militia to keep men and women working at
British forces penned up until the yard built more than 200
George Washington forced their warships and carried out
evac uation by sea the following maintenance repairs on
March. A Tuscan-style pillar was thousands of others. The yard
erected in 1794 in honor of was designed by Alexander
Dr. Joseph Warren, a Boston Parris, architect of Quincy
revolutionary leader who died Market (see p66), and was
in the battle, but Charlestown one of the first examples of
citizens felt something grander industrial architecture in Boston.
was in order. They began raising On decommissioning,
funds for the Bunker Hill 30 acres of the Navy Yard were
Monument in 1823, laid the transferred to the National Park
cornerstone in 1825, and dedi- Service, and rangers now give
cated the 221-ft (67-m) granite tours of the facility on a daily
obelisk in 1843. The building has basis, including the Chain Forge
no elevator, but 294 steps lead to (where die-lock anchor chain
the top, giving spectacular views was first made), the Rope Walk,
of Boston harbor. Exhibitions and Dry Dock 1 (one of the first
recount the significance and dry docks in the U.S.). A Visitor U.S.S. Constitution, built in 1797, moored in
drama of the bloody battle. Center is located at Building 5. Charlestown Navy Yard

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