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Jacksonville,
Florida's
"Gateway City", is and has for many years been the
state's industrial center. Located on the St.Johns River, the
metropolis is today famous for its shipyards and Naval Air Station,
aside from being the headquarters for numerous insurance companies and
banks. Modern Jacksonville, viewed from the Riverwalk on the South
Jacksonville side, sparkles like a jewel at night. The same viewpoint,
back in 1931, witnessed an historical occasion...the rebirth of the
famous "Old Ironsides", the Naval Frigate "Constitution". The ship, now
a fixture of Boston's waterfront, put into service in September, 1797.
The 175' Naval Frigate saw action against West Indies pirates, then
against British vessels during the War of 1812. It was during those
encounters that the crew took note of the cannon-shot careening off of
the 12" oak planking and timber sheathing comprising the sides of
"Constitution", earning her the nickname "Old Ironsides". She remained
an active Man-Of-War, patroling the Mediterranean, until 1828, when it
was suggested that the old (by wooden ship standards) vessel be broken
up. Outraged at this news, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. wrote his famous
poem in tribute to "Old Ironsides" for a Boston newspaper. The piece
was picked up by papers nationwide, and public sentiment swayed the
final opinion of the powers-that-be. "Constitution" was saved. She was
drydocked and restored, the first of her many restorations, in 1833.
Throughout the rest of the 1800's she was to serve as a flagship,
representing our country to ports around the world, and later as a
training and receiving ship, during which time she carried an ungainly
house structure atop her decks. She returned, permanently, to Boston in
1897 for her 100th birthday. "Constitution" underwent extensive repair
in 1907 and the "house" was removed; she at least now resembled a ship
again. Time, however, was taking its toll, what with microorganisms and
chemical changes besetting her timbers. Public interest stirred again,
and funds were raised for her restoration in a campaign between 1925 to
1927. The campaign was not unlike the more recent one to restore the
Statue Of Liberty...even little schoolchildren sent their pennies in to
help restore "Old Ironsides". On July 1, 1931, $987,000 later,
"Constitution" was recommissioned. At this time she embarked on a
3-year tour of East and West Coast ports, towed by the Navy Minesweeper
"Grebe". In December of 1931, they visited Jacksonville for five days,
where hundreds of people filed on board to see the famous warship. She
departed under tow on the morning of December 21, 1931, the scene
depicted here. "Constitution" later became the Navy's flagship during
World War II, and is now docked in Boston harbor...to see her beautiful
lines today makes one think that she was once slated to be scrapped, in
1828! "Constitution's" towing escort, the "Grebe", later gained the
distinction of being present during the December 7, 1941 Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...and for being responsible for the
shooting down of one of the enemy planes that infamous morning. The
"Grebe", however, had a much shorter life than that of "Constitution",
sinking in a hurricane in an attempt to rescue a ship in the Fiji
Islands in 1943.
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