Relic wood gavel from the historic battleship USS Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides.” A brass band attached to the gavel bears the inscription “Presented to Jeanne M. Peady N.G. for Azar Rebekah Lodge #27 1975-76. Oak from ‘Old Ironsides.’” Thus this gavel was created from wood taken during the 1972-75 restoration of the Constitution. Other souvenir items were made from wood taken from the ship during its restorations; find them on our site using our site search engine.

The U.S. Frigate Constitution was one of the six original frigates authorized by the fledgling U.S. government in 1794, and was launched on October 21, 1797, making it the oldest commissioned warship in the world that is still afloat. It made its first sea voyage the following year. In the first several years of the 19th century, its primary mission was to protect U.S. merchant shipping from privateers and pirates. The ship received its nickname of “Old Ironsides” in a battle against a British warship during the War of 1812, in which the British ship was sunk and its surviving crew captured -- a major victory considering that Britain was the pre-eminent naval power of the era. The ship continued to play an important role in the war (which lasted until 1815), and was the only War of 1812 ship for which all of its captains were decorated by Congress. The ship was refurbished in the 1830s, and made several trips to foreign waters until 1860, when it became a training ship for the U.S. Naval Academy. The Constitution was retired from active service in 1881 and moved to the Boston Navy Yard in 1897. Some repairs were made to the hull, rigging, spars and mast, in 1907, with extensive restoration undertaken between 1927 and 1930. The ship also received significant restoration in 1954, 1972-75 and 1992-95. Since 1995 it has periodically participated in “tall ships” events and historical commemorations. The USS Constitution is now open to the public as a museum in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

References:

“USS Constitution.” U.S. Navy. http://www.ussconstitution.navy.mil/historyupdate.htm (14 September 2007).

“USS Constitution.” Wikipedia. 12 September 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution (14 September 2007).